The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-09-15
CHURCH NIGHI
CONTINUED from page /. J.

4 worship, All buildings cannot be
classed as architecture because they
have no architectural merit but we
assume that churches may rightfully
be classed as such and endeavor to
prove the assumption.
Architecture and religion have
borne a rather peculiar relationship
since the very dawn OF creation. In
the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth. A creation
that man with all his superior knowl-
edge has not been able TO comprehend,
We have arrived at few fundn-
mental principles. but who except
the Great Architect would attempt
Anything so infinite. do not be-
lieve God simply threw matter out
| into space promiscuouSly. He worked
to n definite plan and purpose and
gave distinction to each particular
OF His work, for are we not told that
there is one glory OF the sun. an
other OF the moon. and another glory
of the stars, but all is glory. and
when he had finished particular
part OF 1t He saw 1t was Eood-Hnd
only after he was satisfied and
pleased with this, the greatest pos
sible work OF architecture. did He
turn II over TO man to see II he could
appreciate and behold its beauty
Then after He made man and had
given him dominion over all that He
had created In the earth He said,
Thou shalt and thou shalt not'--a
form Of worshiD-the beginning Of
all religion.
After man failed in HIS part OF the
contract he was cast out OF the Gar
den Of Eden, and was left pretty
much to his own ingenuity to pro-
vide for himself, So we find archl-
lecture had It's origin in the efforts
of man to provide for himself
means Of protection against the in
Iclemency OF the weather. At this
period OF the worlds history man
kind was divided into three general
classes, hunters, shepherds. and agrl-
Iculturlsts. The hunters dwelt most
ly In rock cliffs or caves, while the
shepherd pitched his tent wherever
night might overtake him in his
wanderlngs with his flocks; but tho
agriCulturlst became n permanent
resident, where he titled the soil.
sowed his seed and gathered his
crops.
Hence we md different forms OF
habitatlon for different classes OF
people, which forms differ in different
climates and localities, In the agri-
culturlsts w0 find the nucleus Of
community and to this class we must
look for the founders Of city and
the constructors Of permanent dwell
ings, tombs and temples and other
architecture which serve aa monu-
ments OF instruction TO future gem
eratlons,
architecture, for 1t may be found
among the most uncivllxed people;
only when 1t Is governed by sys-
tematic laws OF proportion. which are
based upon refined conception OF
what Is most suitable for the purpose
can construction be classed as Rrchl-
lecture, II Is for this reason that
we find no architectural advancement
in nation until it's condition be-
tokens culture, wealth and prosperi-
ty. It may seem that am departing
from my subject. but rs implied in
the beginning, we cannot have the
church without architecture,
Today tombs and temples form the
principal structures from which study
tho architecture of the Egyptians,
Persiana, Greeks, Romans and all
the rest Of the anclents. both historic
and prehistoric, and the temple has
always held a very conspicuous place
in his mind. It's development may
have been brought about by esthetlc
ideas and superstition, be that as It
may, the fact remains that man put
the very best he had into his temple,
whether he was forced to 1t by task
masters and with very few excep-
lions they have always stood out as
the worlds most permanent and
beautiful dwellings.
Some Of the ancients were sun
worshlDperH, others worshiped the
stars, ETC., and 50 their temples were
mado to face the East, or placed in |
such way that the light OF certain
star would shine down certain |
passage or through certain open
ing.
But as Christians tana especially
Protestants} we believe that we can
place our temples in any old position |
In relation to the sun or the north |
star. and that our prayers will be
answered II we but make them IN
good faith.
The first temples Of all peoples
naturally were very simple in plan,
consisting mostly OF a single room,
but as the people became more en-
frightened and prosperous their tenn
pies were built correspondingly bet
ter.
The Jews were of the semeic race
and had no architecture of their own,
naturally then we would expect to
find their style Influenced more or less
by the nations around about them
and those they serve. while in bond
age. As matter of fact, they Dor
rowed from the Egyptians. Babylo-
mans, Greeks and Romans. Their
temples therefore while some of them
were very gorgeous they bore no
racial or national characteristics.
The first temple OF the Jews was
the Tabernacle. the plan of which
they always considered was divnely
revealed to them through Moses. The
Temple of Solomon was practically
the same in plan. except the dimen-
sions of every room were doubled, as
that of the Tabernacle. You will
find q complete descriptIon nf the