USA > New York > New York City > A history of the Brick Presbyterian Church in the city of New York > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
On January 16th, 1883, Mr. van Dyke was in- stalled as pastor of the Brick Church .* The task which he had undertaken was difficult but inspiring, for it was his purpose that the Brick Church, finely situated in the best part of a great city, and inheritor of a noble past, should become once more an ac- knowledged leader in the work of Christ's kingdom, as she had been in the earlier years of the century.
Before any decided advance in this direction could be made, there was needed first of all an honest stock-taking of the materials available for the work. Speaking at a later day to the Briek Church people about the period of his coming to them, he said, "If report speaks truly, you were somewhat discour-
* The moderator of Presbytery presided; Rev. W. G. T. Shedd, D.D., conducted the devotional exercises; Rev. Henry J. van Dyke, D.D., preached the sermon from Eph. 3 : 8, "The unsearchable riches of Christ"; Rev., Howard Crosby, D.D., delivered the charge to the pastor; Rev. John Hall, D.D., delivered the charge to the people; Mr. van Dyke pro- nounced the benediction.
378
THE BRICK CHURCH
aged. You had a nominal membership of one thou- sand, and an actual membership of less than three hundred; a congregation which half filled the church in the morning and varied from fifty to a hundred in the afternoon; a floating debt and a sinking revenue. But you had also a company of people who were de- voted to the church and willing to work for it in the face of discouragements." *
Almost the first problem attacked was that of the roll. The statements quoted in the last paragraph seem at first thought almost incredible, but they found their explanation in two facts. First, about three hundred and fifty of the members of the Brick Church attended the chapel in West Thirty-fifth Street. This accounted for half of the discrepancy between the "nominal" and the "actual" member- ship. Second, the other half of the discrepancy was explained by the fact that for a long time the church roll had not been revised, so that it included the names of many who had moved and left no trace behind, or who had otherwise disappeared. In a large city church, especially if it includes the more unstable dwellers in the tenements, as the Brick Church did through its chapel, this sort of loss is always considerable; but three hundred and fifty was
" An Historic Church," pp. 25 f., cf. footnote above, p. 373. A few of this honorable company, "Gideon's band" as their pastor sometimes called them, are still at their posts. To those who were called away by death during the first decade of his pastorate, Dr. van Dyke, in the sermon already quoted above, made the following reference. "Strong and generous men," he called them, "who seemed indispensable to the main- tenance of the church-E. D. Morgan, Frederick Billings, S. H. Wither- bee, Charles G. Harmer, John C. Tucker, George de Forest Lord, and many more. How much we mourned the loss of these good soldiers in the cause But their spirits continued with us" (p. 30).
HENRY VAN DYKE, 1892
379
REJUVENATED
a tremendous proportion of the entire roll, and the necessary removal of so large a number from the active list made it seem in the records as though the church had suddenly shrunk to an amazing degree. Yet to know the true facts was really a source of strength. The visible three hundred members who emerged from the enumeration were worth far more for the work that lay before them than the vague and largely imaginary thousand who had been sup- posed to occupy the strategic position on Murray Hill.
A second task immediately undertaken, and one of much greater magnitude, was the introduction of such changes as would make the church more attractive in the best sense. It was the purpose of the new pastor to create in the Brick Church such conditions that the Christian message would there be commended to the hearer by every help that art and learning could properly provide, or, as he him- self has characteristically expressed it in a single phrase, "to light the fire on the hearth." In the young preacher who had been chosen to deliver the message, the church was sure that it had found a man capable of speaking God's truth in a manner so full of interest and grace that a congregation could not choose but hear. As events proved, they had suc- ceeded far more fully than they knew: they had chosen as their leader one of those rare men whom God has endowed with double and triple gifts.
But although they had thus secured for their pastor this man who was prophet and poet as well, they were not so foolish as to leave him to work unaided. On the contrary, they responded to his own strongly ex-
380
THE BRICK CHURCH
pressed desire that all the accompaniments and sur- roundings of the church service should measure up to the standard of beauty as well as that of use. At the very first trustees' meeting after Mr. van Dyke's installation, the question of an improvement in the music was the subject of discussion, with the imme- diate result that the appropriation for that purpose was increased almost twenty-five per cent.
But the most momentous change proposed was the complete renovation of the interior of the church. There had, indeed, been a distinct understanding before Mr. van Dyke accepted the call, that this should be undertaken without delay. The old in- terior, which had stood practically unchanged since the erection of the church, some twenty-five years be- fore, was dignified, but it could not be called beauti- ful. According to the standards of taste that had arisen in the interval, the bare walls, the white plas- tered ceiling, the plain, unornamented character of all the fittings and furniture produced an effect of coldness and severity which to many of the younger generation was positively repellant. It was intended that as soon as Mr. van Dyke was settled in his work all this should be changed.
An unexpected catastrophe threatened to over- throw the entire plan at the very outset, and indeed, to cripple the church in all its undertakings. On Feb- ruary 14th, 1883, Governor Morgan died. His death was a national loss, for he had been not only mer- chant and philanthropist, but statesman and patriot, and his service to his country during a most critical period of her history, first as "War Governor of the Empire State" from 1858 to 1863, and then as
381
REJUVENATED
United States Senator from 1863 to 1869, had won for him a place in the admiration and gratitude of his countrymen .* But nowhere was his loss felt more keenly than in the Brick Church, of which, at the time of his death, he was without dispute the leading member.
Governor Morgan, who had been chairman of the committee by whom the new pastor had been chosen, had joined heartily in the promise that the church should be renovated, and when he made such a prom- ise he meant to back up his word by a substantial gift from his generous purse. At his death, it be- came at least a serious question whether the old bare interior must not be allowed to stand.
But the question was soon answered by an order to go ahead. Possibly the officers of the church were wise enough to see that to abandon the project would almost amount to a vote of lack of confidence in their pastor. On the other hand, he had certainly inspired them with something of his own enthusiasm for the enterprise; and the result was that the lay- men of the church undertook to raise the necessary sum, between thirty and forty thousand dollars, and Mr. John La Farge, the distinguished artist, was engaged to direct the work.
* A list of some of the organizations which passed resolutions in re- gard to his death will give some idea of the varied usefulness of his life: The National Bank of Commerce; the American Tract Society; the Assembly of the State of New York; the Association for the Relief of Respectable, Aged, Indigent Females; the Woman's Hospital in the State of New York; the Chamber of Commerce; the Maritime Association, Port of New York; Union Theological Seminary; the Presbyterian Hos- pital; the New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad Company; the New York City Mission; the Union League Club; the Board of Aldermen of New York City.
382
THE BRICK CHURCH
"The building or adornment of a church," Mr. van Dyke said, "is not like the building or adorn- ment of a dwelling-house. It is not a work of private ostentation, but a work of public beneficence; not a work of selfishness, but a work of charity, just as truly as the building of a hospital or the endowment of a library. For it stands with open doors, and, if it be a true church of Christ, offers its privileges to all who will receive them." * Such was the generous aim with which the work was begun in June, 1883. On October 28th of the same year, the church was reopened, totally and splendidly trans- formed.
Instead of the cold grays and whites of a New England meeting-house, which had been familiar to generations of Brick Church worshippers, both on Beekman Street and on Murray Hill, the spacious interior now possessed some of the warmth and rich- ness of color characteristic of the Byzantine churches of the old world. Indeed, so skilfully and with such perfect taste had the artist worked, that one realized with difficulty the newness of the decoration; it seemed already to have acquired the dignity and mellowness which usually age alone is able to pro- duce.
The prevailing tone selected for the broad surfaces of the walls was a soft or broken "Pompeian red," while the color of the woodwork and upholstery of the pews was somewhat similar, a choice which pro- duced the effect of warmth already alluded to; while lightness and variety were secured by the use of
* "The Joy of the Christian when He Is Invited to Enter the Lord's House: a Sermon," p. 10.
REDECORATED INTERIOR OF THE BRICK CHURCH
383
REJUVENATED
mosaic of various colors, relief work in majolica,* embroideries, f and colored glass in windows and lanterns. But the most important work was done in the ceiling and the cornice. There the richness of sombre colors on a background of weathered gold, the wealth of varied and intricate design, the signifi- cance imparted by a pervading, yet unobtrusive use of Christian symbol and inscription, produce together an effect of great and enduring beauty, and make this work of Mr. La Farge one of the most important examples of church decoration in America .¿ It was felt at once that a spirit of reverence and worship, not unlike that which is characteristic of many Gothic churches, though produced by entirely dif- ferent means, had been imparted to the very building of the Brick Church, and must be felt by all who entered its doors. §
* This was imported from England, being the product of the "Minton" works. It follows closely the form of decorative work to be found in the Cathedral of Torcello (1008), and in other churches of the same period or earlier, in Ravenna, Venice, and elsewhere in Italy.
¡ Designed by Mr. La Farge and executed by Miss Tillinghast.
# A prominent New York architect, in a letter to the author, after re- marking that the original interior of the Brick Church "was even plainer than most New England meeting-houses," adds, "This later proved to be a great advantage, for when John La Farge took hold of it to decorate it, it furnished him a base of operations that was comparatively untram- melled, and the result is probably the most beautifully decorated interior of any public building in the country. I have never seen one that, on the whole, seemed so satisfactory, and it would really be a calamity if any- thing happened to destroy or deface it. In decorating it, the interior was so devoid of character that Mr. La Farge was at liberty to follow any school that he chose, provided it inclined to the classic. He chose that of the early Italian churches, from the eighth to the tenth centuries."
§ One important change made at this time was the removal of the organ and choir from the gallery above and behind the pulpit (where the spaces between the columns are now filled in with mosaic-covered walls) to a new gallery opened at the east end of the church. This gallery and the organ were greatly enlarged at a later date (1898), as a thank-offering
384
THE BRICK CHURCH
It will not be necessary to follow in chronological order the remaining events of the first decade of Dr. * van Dyke's ministry. A better conception of the period will be obtained by presenting its salient features without special reference to date. But first of all, the period as a whole must be characterized as one of marked or even of phenomenal progress, from every point of view, material and spiritual alike. The New York "Tribune" was but expressing a matter of common knowledge when it said, in an editorial in 1888, that the Brick Church, which, on Dr. van Dyke's arrival "was very respectable, but very small," had since that time "been growing largely and steadily, and [was] once more full. Christian work," the editorial continued, "is thor- oughly organized and actively pushed, and the old Brick Church has completely renewed her youth." + It would be difficult to overstate the esteem and deep personal affection with which Dr. van Dyke was soon universally regarded. His genial and sympathetic nature, added to his great intellectual powers, made an appeal which was wellnigh irresistible.
for the first fifteen years of Dr. van Dyke's ministry. Two of the stained- glass windows on the south, of different design from the others, were given as memorials, one of Governor Morgan, the other of Dr. E. D. Morgan and his wife. The only important changes since that time, in addition to the one already mentioned above, were the placing of a screen of colored glass behind the rear pews, and the introduction of electricity, by which the beauty of the decoration, especially of the ceiling, was revealed as never before. The present communion table, presented in 1890, is a me- morial of Mrs. Maria Brower McNeel, while the font was given in 1899 by Dr. van Dyke as a memorial of his little son Bernard.
* He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Princeton in 1884 and subsequently from Harvard and Yale. The degree of Doctor of Laws has been conferred upon him by several colleges and universities.
[ Quoted in the "University Magazine," for April, 1892, p. 416.
EAST END OF THE CHURCH INTERIOR, 1883 Showing choir gallery
385
REJUVENATED
During the whole period there seems to have ap- peared but one cloud upon the horizon. This was the threatened departure, on two occasions, of the leader to whom, under God, the church's prosperity and enlarged usefulness were plainly due. This re- curring danger is worthy of mention, not for its own sake, for it was happily averted in both cases, but because of the expression which it called forth from both pastor and people of the strong bond holding them together.
The first suggestion that Dr. van Dyke might be contemplating a surrender of his office came in De- cember, 1885. He had now been at work three years and he felt constrained to use an opportunity which had presented itself, to submit to the congregation the question whether they approved of what he had done and aimed to do, and desired him to continue his ministry among them. The opportunity con- sisted in offers, made to him from several quarters, to enter a new field of work in which he would be able, as he said, to gratify "a long-cherished desire to pur- sue certain theological and literary studies, and to accomplish certain work in that line."
Peculiarly significant and worthy of preservation are the words in which Dr. van Dyke, in his letter to the session on this subject, set forth his own ideal " of the true mission and purpose of the church, his con- ception of the true history and spirit of Presbyte- rianism in its relations to the catholic kingdom of Christ, his belief that order and beauty in the wor- ship of God are thoroughly consistent with true piety, his desire to dwell on the great essential points of faith which are common to all Christians, rather than
386
THE BRICK CHURCH
on minor doctrinal differences and traditional ques- tions of conduct, his faith that the mission of the church to minister to the distinctively religious wants of all the people is unchanged and that it must be fulfilled in adaptation to the circumstances of the age, and that its success depends more upon the spirit and effort of the whole church than upon the minister."
Dr. van Dyke's offer to resign took the officers completely by surprise, and indeed, filled them with consternation. It need hardly be said that they "affectionately and unanimously" assured him of their complete unwillingness to join in any course that would tend toward a severance of the relation between them. They stated in the most emphatic terms "their opinion that there had not been within many years past so much reason for both pastor and session to feel encouraged and satisfied with the pros- ' pects of the church," and they especially reassured him, by a strong declaration, that any fear of a lack of sympathy with his purposes and aims, on the part of officers or congregation, was "entirely unfounded and imaginary." This answer brought instant con- viction to Dr. van Dyke that his work in the Brick Church should be continued. No other consideration could outweigh in his mind her needs, clearly ascer- tained. "Honestly," he had said, "I love the church better than life," and he took up his ministry again with joy and confidence.
The second appearance of the same danger eight years later, in 1893, was more serious, because the ill health, which Dr. van Dyke had then experienced for some time, made him feel that it was almost im- perative for him to embrace the opportunity of less
387
REJUVENATED
arduous service, offered in a call to a professorship in Andover Seminary. That the strain of the con- stantly enlarging work of the church was seriously affecting their pastor's health, had been realized with concern by the session before this time, and special arrangements had been made to lighten the burden, including ministerial assistance * and leave of absence. Still further measures of the same sort were now proposed. Any possible expedient by which their beloved pastor could be assisted and strengthened in his work was welcomed by them, but of his resignation they would not hear, and their will once more prevailed.
At this result no surprise will be felt after reading the session's resolution on this subject, which shall be given in full:
"Resolved, that Dr. van Dyke be requested to at once and forever dismiss all thought of a call to Andover or to any other place. If he desires other assurance of the affection of the church and of its de- votion to him, it will be given at any time, at all times, and in any way that will best satisfy him of the depth and sincerity of our feeling.
"We have never doubted that God sent Dr. van Dyke to us. We believe that it is his divine will that Dr. van Dyke shall remain with us. We resent all efforts to detach him from us. We are his people. Will he leave us without the pastor of our choice ? God forbid.
"To the providence which has smitten his health
* For a time Dr. van Dyke had preached on Sunday mornings only, the afternoon service and the prayer-meeting being conducted with great acceptance by Dr. Henry M. Booth.
388
THE BRICK CHURCH
we bow submissively, but we cannot let Dr. van Dyke go. He has endeared himself to all, young and old, high and low. Here his lot has been cast: here is opportunity for a career, for work in and out of the church, work for our own particular church, for the Church at large, and for the cause of Christ and his kingdom, beyond what is possible elsewhere.
"Resolved, therefore, that from sincere conviction of duty we beg Dr. van Dyke immediately to decline any further consideration of the Andover call, and that Messrs. Parsons, Ledoux, and Odell be ap- pointed to present this action to Dr. van Dyke and to press it upon him." *
We must now return to the earlier years of the pas- torate and observe in more detail some of the labors whose results have already in a general way been indicated.
Two enterprises, undertaken almost simultane- ously in 1885, indicate in a suggestive way the diversity of the labors into which Dr. van Dyke had thrown himself. These were an evangelistic cam- paign and the task of paying off a debt of some $15,000 which the church was carrying. The former, which took the shape of a special series of Sunday evening services, not only was a valuable stimulus to the Brick Church itself, f but "resulted
* Resolutions were passed by the congregation expressing the same confidence and affection, refusing to let him go, and providing for indefinite leave of absence and regular assistance in the pastoral work on his return.
t They were continued throughout the season, the usual afternoon services being discontinued in their favor, and in February and March were varied by a special course of sermons preached by the following well known clergymen: the Rev. Drs. L. T. Chamberlain, R. S. Storrs, James McCosh, J. M. Bulkley, F. L. Patton, James S. McIntosh and Lyman Abbott.
389
REJUVENATED
in an evangelistic movement throughout the whole Presbytery in the following year." * The raising of the debt, in which the pastor took vigorous part, not only was achieved in less than a year's time, but ran $1,000 beyond the mark that had been set.
Meanwhile the regular services of the church had, under Dr. van Dyke's guidance, taken on a new character and had acquired a new importance in the religious life of the city. Of the preaching to which the Brick Church listened in those days, something has been already said. Not often have a people been privileged to hear Sunday after Sunday such a series of strong, clear, and compelling sermons, each one rising, as it seemed, to a greater height than the one before, and all aimed, with peculiar singleness of purpose, to express and enforce the greatest Christian truth, and to reach the hearts and wills of the hearers, as well as their minds, in the in- terests of Christian living.
In the worship of the church the influence of Dr. van Dyke was as clearly felt as in the preaching. Under his direction the order of service was rear- ranged and enriched. The Psalter was placed in the pews in 1891. A new hymn-book took the place of "The Sacrifice of Praise," now out of print, and much attention was given to the music. } A special endeavor was made to extend a genuine welcome to the strangers who now attended the services in large numbers, and so thoroughly was this matter taken
* "An Historic Church," p. 27.
t It was rendered by a quartette under the direction of Mr. Carl Florio, organist,
390
THE BRICK CHURCH
to heart that Dr. van Dyke, in 1893, could say, "You have completely lived down an undeserved reputa- tion of coldness, so that now your true hospitality is known unto all men, and there are many strangers within your gates to remember the Sabbath day with you in the joy of a warm and generous Christian fellowship." *
The Wednesday evening service came in for its share in the church's revival. How this was accomplished the following circular, issued in October, 1889, will show better than much explanation.
"You are cordially invited to spend an hour out of your busy week in the study of the Bible with us, and in social worship. The meetings will be held on Wednesday evenings at eight o'clock, and this is what we hope to do:
"First, we shall sing together for a little time, not in a formal way, but as we often sing on Sunday evenings in our homes; and those who wish may suggest beforehand to the leader their favorite hymns.
"Then we shall pray together for a little time, for the things that we really need and want, and for the Church of Christ, and for our fellow-men; but no
* Several significant additions to the regular services of the church were made during this period. In 1885, at the special request of the pas- tor, it was decided to keep the church open all summer, a custom that, with a few interruptions for special reasons, has been followed ever since. In 1888, a service was held in the church on the morning of Christmas Day. In 1891, a service was announced for the Friday preceding Easter, but it is interesting to observe that the name "Good Friday " was avoided in the notice. A special appeal from the pastor urged all the members of the congregation to make an effort to attend. No allusion whatever to "East- er" was made in the printed announcements for Easter Sunday that year, though the day was doubtless recognized in the sermon and the music. In 1893, an "Easter Service" in the Sunday-school was announced by name.
391
REJUVENATED
one will ever be asked to lead in prayer unless the minister knows that he is willing to do so.
"Then we shall study together for a little time; and the subject during this winter will be the life of St. Paul. ... Every week a paper will be distrib- uted giving an outline of what the minister is to speak about on the following Wednesday. . .. If any suggestions or difficulties occur to you during the week, the minister begs that you will make a note of them and send them to him beforehand. You may feel very sure that they will be welcome; and you may feel equally sure that you will not be called upon to answer any questions in the meeting, if that would embarrass or displease you.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.