New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-07
THE DUTIES OF TRINITY
The Preservation of Landmark Is
Among Them.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The attitude OF the Trinity Cor
poration toward the preservation of old
ST. Johns Chapel. in Varick St. outlined
by Colonel William Jay. clerk of Trinity
Church. has again been brought TO The
writer's attention by report which
quotes Colonel jay as saying: Some peo-
Pile have the idea that 1t is the duty of
Trinity Church to preserve its editices as
monuments and historical landmarks. but
that isn't our duty at ALL
While 1t is true that we look TO Trinity
Corporation to dispense its reputed enor-
nous income in charitable good deeds, it
is not inconsistent with its high spiritual
purpose TO consider the emphatic wishes
of the large majority of cultured and en-
lghtened citizens who have protested We
hemently at the Trinity Corporation's de-
cision to permit the sale and demolition
of st. Johns Chapel.
Were the pews of old Trinity dominated
by those to whom the opportunities cf
enlightenment had been denied, or were
the corporations directorate impelled by
some such intense religious fervor as thaJ
which marked the Luthers, the Calv!ns
and others to whom architecture was a
thing apart from spiritual zeal one might
understand while deploring. Colonel Jay
is reported to have said: ION us is the
responsibility of looking after the best
interests of the church.. which have MOTH
ing to do with landmarks"
Why have the best interests of the
church nothing TO do with landmarks
To this question there seems but one
logical Christian answer That the Trinity
Corporation has. all these years, eXpehn-
ed its income as Christ himseh Wouln
have desired il expended. even TO the
minutest detail, and that now. in cohse-
auence. 1t needs additional funds for adj
ditional humanitarian expenditures.
Is il not possible. in the light OF th's
Interpretation. that the occasional o.
probrium which has been heaped upon tue
Trinity Corporations management was
merely a wicked opprobrium manulact-
ured by n suspicious public. an oppro-
brium which the corporation has modestly
refused 10 shoulder and silently, I'LL now
perhans. has permitted to cloud its noble
soulfulness of purpose?
There Is. of course. a sentiment about
old buildings. just as there is about old
families. Colonel Jay is reported TO have
said: IF those societies want to preserve
ST. Johns Chapel. let them raise funds
and buy H." Here Colonel Jay appears
10 have revealed a possible need. for Coo
mel Jay could hardly. even by the most
unkind critic. be thought 10 entertain.
even remotely, disintercst in old st.
Johns Chapel as a landmark. The rea-
SON the societies have not raised the
funds suggested by Colonel Jay is because
il has appeared incredible TO these So
cieties In particular and to society In
general that Trinity Corporation would
persist In lis determination. believing the
tales Of unspent millions which old Trim
ity has been thought to possess both by
those of it's tenants who may nave clam
orcd tor repairs in ordinary sanitation
and also by the enormous army of heirs
and heiresses of Anneke Jams. Had one
believed money was needed To save 81.
Johns Chapel. money would have bean
Forthcoming. but faith In Trinty's Opt