The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-11-07
BEAUTY OF GODS HOUSE

sites in architecture, of the Gothic;
and yet when we speak of Cathe-
drals, they both may be we'll united
together for each has beauties and a
meaning all it's own.
Gothic and Byzantine Compared.
"The Gothic spire, like the prayer
offered, goes upward to the skies; the
Byzantine, like unto a prayer an
swered, brings the dome Of heaven
down to earth. One is prayer asked,
the other prayer answered. The
Gothic tells of Northern forests where
stately pines go upward unchallenged
until pine is Joined to pine near the
summit; and as you look through the
vista as in a Gothic church the ver-
teal pine tree multiplies itself in
every pillar, while up in the roof the
branches unite as sure protection
against the inclement sky. The By
Zantine, on the other hand, takes it's
first line from the desert where the
Baptist preached and the Saviour
prayed, and brings to it no other COW
ering save the sky above, under which
the Saviour's life was lived and be-
meath which He agonized and died.
The Gothic will bring all it's light
and color from without through it's
glasses that are stained with the col
ors of the rainbow and sunset. The
Byzantine will make of all these col
ors her own, and set them upon her
walls in all the mysticism of the
Orient and the brilliant coloring of
the Southland. The Gothic is best
rests upon her every arching line and
stately column; but the Byzantine
will not be complete until it has set
on it's walls the luster of every jewel
the bright plumage of every bird
the glow and glory of every metal
the iridescent CLEAN of every class.
If the diction of the Gothic be more
stately, the working of the Byzantine
is more varied. It's argument is that
Christ has come to men here on earth
in His temple to dwell; and, there
fore, the flowers of the field in their
fragrance, the birds of the air with
their songs, and the children of men
with their prayers, shall unite in max
ing His home, in so far as they may,
acceptable to Him. Hence, the decora-
ton of the Byzantine, with it's in
voluted capitals, it's delicate ara
besques, with it's blending of the iris,
acanthus and the fleur de lis, with
oil ha IN,
ley or on the hillside, with all the
blossoms of May and all the fruits
of autumn, with the antlered stag and
tabled pelican, with the dove that pro-
claims innocence, and the peacock
bird of Immortality, will call into be-
ing, and set in the splendor of mosaic
unity, calling on them to chant with
the servants of God His praises, to
live in His service, and in so far as
may be to speak in their myriad
tongues the earth's subsection to it's
Lord and Creator.
Temples of the Living God.
"Are we not told in the Psalms
that the heavens show forth the glory
of God and the armament showeth
the work of His Hands? And are not
fire and snow and the mountains and
the trees, and the beasts and the cat
tie, and the serpents and the fowls of
the air, invited to praise the Lord?
For He spoke and they were made.
He commanded and they were Gre
ated.' Therefore, should not all crea-
ton proclaim His power, mercy and
love?
"And it is this that Byzantine archi-
lecture tries to do when it covers
the walls and spandrels and arches
with all the color, form and life that
nature around it is so prodigal of. By
zantine decoration leyies on it all,
and with all of them it makes in i'm
perishable mosaic one grand psalm of
praise to God.
"But, Byzantine or Gothic, or what
ever form a Catholic church or Cathe-
dral may take, it is first of all a tenn
pie of the living God 1t is the place
where He Who is our King erects His
throne. There He will dwell day and
night, in the splendor of worship and
in darkness and solitude when the
worshipers depart and the only light
that is left is the solitary sanctuary
lamp. Along the avenue the people
will hurry by, each intent on the
achievement of their petty ambitions
or fancies. With Him there will be
no hurry. Patiently He will watch
land wait For those who come to
pray, He has a benediction. For
those who pass and forget Him, He
has infinite patience, and His voice,
even if unheard, will go after them,
inviting them to return. Come to me,
He says, all you that are weary and
heavily burdened, and | will refresh
you.
The Shrine of the Eternal.
"And so, my brethren, you have a
} Cathedral, bright and fair; but, bet
!, ter still, you have a shrine as holy
as ever yet was known-a Nazareth
, with all it's sanctities-a Cavalry with
: all it's sorrows-a resurrection morn
ing with all it's hopes; for here you