Year: 1869

At the sale Of the pews at Grace
Church, on Monday evening and Tues
day, the prices obtained for siatings in
that house of worship were greater, we
believe, than any ever realized iu
Chicago. The pew admitted to be the
best went off to ]. Mason LooInis, at
the modest figure of S2,l5O, he having
gallaDtly bid $3.50 for the first choice.
From that sum down to more moderate
rates, the descent was easy-the sale
of the evening closing by knocking Oh
No. I36 to Dr. Z. NJ Hale the abor-
ZIONIST, at the extraordinary sum Of
S4OO.


1t is clearly the right of any number
Of men ard woman Of Chicago, assOcia-
ted under any name, to build such a
temple as they please, to express the
force and fervency Of their religious
ideas; and we may not complain Of
what they do. If any men are moved
by any spirit to pay s2,15O for pew,
and if any are 50 lowly that $4OO limit
their capabilities, theirs is the right to
do as they please with their OVID. But
while indulging in the conceits Of eccles-
iastical architecture, the sweet strains
of operate music, the luxury Of house
complete IN all its appointments, all IN
the name and for the glory Of God, it
is we'll enough for them to remember
that the Protestant poor Of Chicago, are
lasping into unbelief and darkness, be
cause, with the exception of the few
Mission churches, there IS no place IN
the House Of God for them; and that
while the few of the pampered classes
are building theological show boxes
and are giving to religion that tribute
which hypocrisy pays to virtue, they
are, from their neglect Of the souls and
bodies whom God has given US to care
for, sowing the seeds Of i1fidelity and
disorder, which viii in due time, bear
their natural fruit No man who labors
with his hands will find place in
Grace Church. We do not say that
such would be turned away from
its door. A poor woman, the child
OF toll, who had given six days of the
week to her task, might, if the sexton
is not b0or and bully, find a corner
in which her humble rsiment would
not be brought into too bold relief BY
contrast with the infinite geweawgeTy
of her richer sisters; but she would
not be welcome twice. Sire has not
81, $50 for a seat, she has never prac-
ticed child murder as a trade; hence
even S40O are wanting; and as. the
Gospel in these days IS expensive, she
must be turned OIL to make room for
the gIitteriug one who can pay. What
we say of Grace Church is true Of an
ike establishments in Chicago and
throughout the whole country. In
them certain number Of lawyers.
doctors, politicians, editors, spectstors
merchants, aud sometimes abortionists,
meet to lOll away an hour and half
of each Sunday, on luxuFiously Gus
ioned seats, listening to words which
may be comforting to bear, bat which
have but infinitesimal effect 10 the con
troll Of the every day life. In all Of
them, the men who labor, no matter at
what nor how faithfully and intelli-
gently, are practically fosbidden-just
as etfeetually forbidden as if an angel
with flaming sword stood at the
entrance. And this in all our cities is
the curse Of Professionalism which once
the world; and what is
worse, this practical denial Of the
essence Of the Gospel taught by Him


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