Evening star., 1933-06-18
ART IS HELD NEED
OF MANY CHURCHES!
Prof. H. Augustine Smith Here
for Conference at National
City Christian.

Art provides the key to make church
place of worship instead of the scene
Of a religious spectacle.
This is the belief of Prof. H. Angus
tine Smith, director of the department
of fine arts and religion at Boston Uni
Versity, who last night began two-day
conference on "The Fine Arts in Re
ligion" at the National City Christian
Church.
In a place of beauty, where q mans
thoughts and emotions converge in a
silent, expressive happiness-there that
man will worship. Prof. Smith believes.
Churches must strive to create such
a place." he said.
Famous cathedrals of Europe, West
minister Abbey, the empty shrines along
Italian roadwayS where the traveller
may pause to pray-all Of these have
certain stained glass atmosphere,
blending of color, light and architecture
that raise the soul to worship, even
though the visitor be alone.
Lacking in Churches.
"It is this environment that is lack
ing in many Protestant churches to-
day" Prof Smith declared. Many
Protestants shun such effects as being
contrary to their religious beliefs.
perhaps they fail to notice that IN
MANY of their churches worshipers have
become mere victims of 'spectatoritis -
a malady that comes when the church
goer is comfortably ensconced in pew
by an usher only to listen to a sermon,
be entertained by choir and go away
without having experienced the self
expression of worship.
But the musicians, the artists and
l~av {tcfc
church It is through them that much
of future progress must be made.
II have visited many churches where
the organ pipes were placed upon the
wall directly before the congregation.
To me these vertical golden bars are
too material to be displayed. The first
church that placed them there prob
ably did so because of pride in having
them. Others followed suit, without
thinking. 1t Is the melody that can
roll from them, not the sight of them.
that can lift the soul to q point Of
worship"
Music Unites Service.
Prof. Smith also pointed out that
choir lofts often violate principles of
art THE choir is supposed to sing
vicariously for the congregation. II
that is true, they should be placed on
the same level with the worshipers, not
above them, where they become enter
tainers."
The Catholic church has very def
nitely realized the spiritual value of
music, the educator declared The
continuous mass singing is a cord that
unites portions of service Of worship
that might otherwise become discon-
nected and jerky.
MANY Protestants particularly op-
pose use of classic paintings In the
church. but there are many OF the OBJ
jectors, who, on Christmas day, would
be happy to find the joy they could get
in viewing Raphael's "Sistine Madonna"
beautifying the stretch Of buff-colored
pebbledash that constitutes the walls of
the church auditorium.
"A drape of colored cloth often can
take away the busineSs-like appearance
of wall in Sunday school room
preparing mans emotions for thoughts
whose value is enhanced by receptivity
Of feeling"
All the elements of art can 60 into
making the church the place where
happiness springs from an exultant soul
state. Gothic columns have an effect
all their own-other classic forms of
architecture have their place. The
auditorium should provide focal point
at the pulpit. where the worshiper finds
his active attention directed and from
which minister may give message
to people whom he flnds already at
tracted.
Attention Varies.
1T Is a strange thing" Prof. Smith
said, Ito note the difference when a
iy,ic Ia be fn n
ton and when he talks up to them.
If he feels that his audience is below
him, in thought and receptivity as
we'll as location, and speaks accord
mgly, their attention wanders to the
chandeliers or perhaps the choir lead
er. But If he speaks as though they
were above him, the psychological effect
of their increasing attention Is star
Ting"
Prof. Smith is not a minister. He is
distinctly an educator and began in
1916 his lecture work throughout the
country, as a representative Of Boston
University, to point out the heightening
effects that can be obtained by use of
the fne arts ip religion.
Last night he spoke at banquet,
which opened his conference on THE
Fine Arts as Redemptive Forces" Later
in the evening hymnic sing was held
and he spoke on Lyric Religion" This
Church" at the IL am. service of the
National City Christian Church; again
at 4:30 pm. on THE Renaissance Of
Church Music; at $50 pm on THE
Twilight Temple of Religious Art" and
at the o'clock service on THE Fes-
tival Of Music and Pictures"