Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-14
Sees New Cathedral Era
BISHOP FREEMAN LISTS CONSTRUCTION.

beautiful new cathedral churches are
today IN process of construction.
Surely this is no accident" he said,
LAS vision the fact it seems to me
that there must again be present In
the minds and hearts of men the great
faith, the high ideals of service, the
bright concept of beauty which dis
tip1Iished the splendid craftsmen OF the
thirteenth century who erected through
out Europe the glorious monuments
to which pilgrims of every class still
resort with love and fervor. There Is
in our own time a renaissance OF that
passionate longing to provide the word
of God with glorious shelter that mani
tested itself in the middle ages in the
creation CT q multitude Of magnificent
temples.
Many Building Cathedrals.
"Glance at the list of cities in which
cathedrals are at this moment being
built or planned-New York, Baltimore,
Los Angeles, Victoria, Reno, Cairo,
Khartum, Barcelona, Liverpool, Gull
ford. San Francisco, Johannesburg, Cape
Town. Philadelphia, Sydney, Seattle,
Atlanta, Burlington, Washington. I
name these at random. In some, con-
struction has reached approximate
completion: in others the beginning is
Just being made. Hardly week passes
that do not hear of Scme new cathe-
dral plan. In England last Summer
heard something of the details re-
garding the great new Roman Catholic
Cathedral which Is to be built on the
banks of the Mersey-the largest
church, in the whole wide earth Just
| a few days since learned Of the in
tention Of the Presbyterian brother
hocd to build a magnificent church at
Pittsburgh, and another in Washing
ton. 1t is gratifying, too. to know that
| the fine old cathedralS Of the past are
not being neglected by the present
generation. Old st. Andrews, in Scot
| land, for example, Is being rebuilt st.
Adams, Toronto, partially burned in
| 1929, has been Federated. Important
| reconstruction and repairs are going
| forward in France and England. The
| cathedrals injured in the World war
are being restored.
| Rheims Is being returned TO its state
Of pristine beauty. scissors and LIE
Mans have recently been reopened for
divine service. Additions are being built
| to many other cathedrals, as at Chester.
Edinburgh. Coventry, Halifax, Albany
and elsewhere. The beautiful Lady
| Chapel of st. Patrick's Roman Catholic
Cathedral. New York, is to be COM
pleted Plans are in process Of develop
ment for cathedrals in Chicago, Detroit,
/ Denver, Belfast and Dublin. Indeed, 1t
is not too much to say that there is
| hardly a great city in either hemisphere
| in which some noble new church is not
being built or some fine ancient church
not being restored. 1t is fascinating
spectacle to watch. Nothing like 1t mas
happened since the sixteenth century.
|
But my heart would not be warmed
with such enthusiasm were 1t not that
realize that these vast construction
projects are but fruits of the spiritual
growth of mankind Before single
Stone of any cathedral can be laid a
foundation must be established in the
soul of the people. I have heard 1t OBJ
served that this is an age OF doubt, an
age of skepticism I question that state
ment. In my opinion, there is more
ardent, intelligent and beautiful faith
| in the world today than there has been
| in 10 centuries. 1t may not be so ar
ticuIate or apparent as some might
wish, but it is fact nevertheless. These
material monuments prove It, Cynics,
agnostics. doubters do not build glor1-
| Gus temples.
Even if 1 were inclined to distrust
nv own Judgment, 1 should find con-
firmation for my thought in the deVo-
ton which other men and numbers OF
devoted women exhibit toward our work
here on Mount ST.. Alban, where at
present we are fastening as best we
may the completion of the choir and
transepts of our cathedral that they
NAV be ready for use during the 81
centennial Celebration Of the birth OF
George Washington next year.
Eminent citizens Of every school OF
Christian belief have joined with us in
our sacred enterprise. Presidents NC
Kinley. Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson. Cool
idge and Hoover have aided the ef1ort.
Admiral DeWey was member OF tue
Cathedral Chapter. Ambassador Henry
white gave largely of his time toward
the works advancement. Gen. Pershing
is today chairman Of the volunteer
committee organized to assist the WORK
and Secretary Mellon is treasurer. Emil
nent pilgrims have come TO see tne Ca
thedral in the making and to aid with
their prayers the prosecution OF the
task. The Prince of Wales was here;
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald IN
spected the building in 1929; justice
Oliver Wendell Holm-s has been fire.
ouent visitor; the Archbishop OF Can
terbury came here to preach memoir
able sermon. More than quarter OF
a million reversnt visitors have oeen
received in q single year; they came
from every land under the sun.
Work Despite Depression.
"I have been asked whether our work
continues in time of economic depres-
sion, and in reply can say that 1t docs:
In this connection 1 am reminded OF
the story of the Bishop OF Laon, in
France, who was informed one morning
icrg age that the city was being at
tack-d. What shall We do?' they asked
him. Shall we abanc on our work on
the cathedral The bishop answered,
NO. Let the work go on And SO IT
did. The work on the cathedral fab
ric continued Throughout the siege. And
the city ives not taken by the enemy.
I'm time OF stress all such sacred
work should be continued If only that
to that degree the suffering of the peo-
pie may be rslt: we'd. Here in wash
ington we have felt that 1t was our duty
to press steadily on. We have been
conscious of our obligation to our work.
men, many of whom have spent lorg
periods of their liv4s in the service OF
the Cathedral We have made sacri-
fees which 1 will not attempt to de-
scribe in order that those who have
built themselves into tn? Cathedral
might net be disni-7ed to join the army
of the unemployed.
Keeps Wheels Moving.
"A great church is necessarily costly
enterprise. But it must be understood
that money spent IN such cause IS
money returned to the us-s Of society
in the double sense that it stimulates
industry and creates spiritual center
for the Christian ideal.sn OF the pcoplo.
For example, the stone for Washington
Cathedral comes from Indiana. Ii we
suspend operations. the work at the
quarry must stop and hur:red CT men
be released from thoir employment In
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