Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/556

 534 THE BUILDING NEWS. Junu 28, 1872: we read in the Old Testament Scripture; but as Christianity was not for a particular race, having a special purpose, but for mankind, and in all circum- stances, it is necessarily independent of adventitious “accessories.” When it was fresh from its Founder it needed neither bells nor steeples, organs, stained glass, nor “ appropriate furniture.” Sometimes the Gospel was preached from the mountain-side, at others in the humble dwelling of a Galilean fisher- man; again, it may have been heard from the sea- shore or on ship-board; anon, in the palace, the temple, or the synagogue. As there was no respect of persons, neither was there a respect of place or circumstance. It is in those forms of religious worship and doctrine which are furthest removed from the religion of the New Testament that art has been chiefly acknowledged and employed as an “accessory ;” it is in those temples where there has been most art that there has been least Christianity, as in the Jewish, the Papal, and the Heathen. Mr. Honeyman says that the primary idea of a Presby- terian Church is an auditorium—a place where a congregation can comfortably see and hear their minister ;” and the secondary—‘ the change for the better”—seems to be an exhibition-place for painting, sculpture, and architecture, music and oratory, with, of course, not only ‘ appropriate furniture,” but ap- propriate dress—dress, the consequence of sin, and, consequently, appropriately as well as ostentatiously “displayed to congregations wide,” where sin is wont to be confessed, and humbly sought to be forgiven. Mr. Street, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Honeyman for his paper, “ cordially congratulated Scottish architects on their praiseworthy attempts to engraft Gothic architecture upon Presbyterian build- ings.” Mr. Street’s “cordial congratulations” are gratuitous. Our Presbyterianism is Scottish, and is wholly independent of all English interference. And what association, what sympathy, has Scottish Presbyterianism with Gothic architecture? That “church history apart from which we cannot intelligently consider the rise and progress of church art” possibly may tellus. We ought to know best what suits ourselves. Mr. Honeyman “assumed that his audience did not know much about the Church of Scotland, and knew probably still less about the churches of Scotland,” and he told it that “it might be fairly questioned whether, after all (having regard to the special requirements of the building), the Classic style is not absolutely the most suitable for a Presbyterian place of worship.” From this Mr. Street’s “gratulations’ seem about as infelicitous as “cordial.” Mr. Honeyman knows, if Mr. Street does not, that some of the most beautiful and most comfortable Presbyterian churches in Glasgow are not Gothic—for instance, the ‘“ Free” College and the S. Vincent-street United Presbyterian, the one Italian, the other Greek. Indeed, if any con- sideration is to be given to the plea sometimes urged that to the Church ought to be given nothing less than the best achievements of human genius, then Greek architecture must be much more appropriate than Gothic. And it has this further advantage, that its associations are not, as are those of the Italian and Gothic, with a corruption of Christianity, but with an innocent ignorance of it. Classic Paganism is dead, but there is new and active life in Medieval art and Medieval worship. Having thus looked at Mr. Honeyman’s paper as a Protestant as well as an architect—I am, &c., Glasgow. Tuomas GILDARD. RE DUBLIN EXHIBITION. Str,—Perhaps the saying that “ Justice” is blind will account for the defective vision of your corre- spondent, who evidently writes without any infor- mation on the point either from the contractor or from myself. Allow me to say that the design for the colouring was arranged between Sir Arthur and myself before I left Dublin to make arrangements with the contractors. Mr. Bell deserves great credit for the manner in which he has carried out the works, a credit which I am always anxious he should receive.—I am, &c., Watrer Empen (per William S. Emden.) 8, Adam-street, Strand, W.C. WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Str,—The accompanying drawings, illustrative of my recent observations before the Society of Antiquaries. are made from two early views of Westminster Abbey. Only two copies of Faithorne’s map are known to exist; one is in the Imperial Library of Paris, the other, sold in England, was re-engraved in a most careless manner some years ago. A small drawing of a portion of the original in sepia and Indianink is preserved in the Print-room of the British Museum; this I now re- produce. The second plan is from one in the Map Department, and a little later than the middle of the sixteenth century. The plans of Westminster pub- lished after Faithorne’s date until the time of Neale are literally worthless to the archeologist. BRAUN (1572-84) MAP-ROOM, BM. 1. The Elms. 2. Black Stole Tower. 3. Calbege. 4, Millstream. 5. Bowling Alley, 6. Gate-house, 7. Dormitory. SCHOOL PLANNING COMPETITION. Srr,—As one who has carefully watched the com- petitions which you have instituted, allow me to express the great pleasure and satisfaction I have derived from them. The results are eminently satisfactory, in one point of view especially. It fosters honest rivalry in the ranks of the profession, and gives to the younger members a very rich opportunity for advancement, and of demonstrating that as the elder practitioners fall into their rest their successors will fill their place with honour. That one hundred competitors (generally young men) should come forward for the honour of success, without pecuniary reward worth consideration, and that the results, in their artistic and practical phases, should be exhibited in no mean degree, bodes well for the future of our profession. * I hail, therefore, with great satisfaction the prospect of another competition —viz., one in school planning, and at the same time trust that should this prove so successful as former ones the matter should not rest there. competitions at the Institute are a mere fiasco com= pared to the success which attends your effort, where men from all parts of the kingdom are engaged in them. If evidence were required that school planning was not sufficiently understood by architects we might point to the plan you published last week of a school PRINT-ROOM, B.M. (5.162), COPIED FROM FAITHORNE, 1658. c it 1. Cloisters. 2. Granaries. 3. King’s Hospital. 4, Abbot’s Lodge. 5. Gate-house. 6. Dormitory. 8. Refectory. I subjoin a small plan of the recent discoveries in S. Katharine’s Chapel, embracing the newly-found doorway, east wall of the chancel, and base of one ST KATHARINES INFIRMARY CHAPEL. WESTMINSTER - ABBEY SQUINT i AND VAME OF WINDOW ! CFPRIOR'SLODGE EEL EAST ALLEY OF LITTLE CLOISTER side of the rood screen; one of the three nook shafts has been cut away on the east side to admit the framing post.—I am, &c., MACKENzIE B. C. Waxcorr. 58, Belgrave-road, proposed to be erected at S. Austell. In it the most important feature of a successful plan—viz., a proper disposition of light, is entirely ignored. The THERE WERE FORMERLY TRACES OF THE BATH HOUSE WITH STEPS HERE INFIRMARERS HALL a ie TILE PAVEMENT SLYPE n windows are exactly where they ought not to be— at the back of the children. ‘The competition, there- fore, by attracting discussion, vannot fail to be of great value to the profession. In large towns the exigencies of site are frequently the greatest obstacles The.