CHU

156

CHU

a groove corresponding with the sill, into which the uprightswere tenoned and pinned. The plates were also of oak, butthey and the sills were very roughly hewn, in some partsbeing 10 inches by 10 inches, and in others 6 inches by6 inches, or 7 inches.

“ There were twenty-five planks or uprights on the northside, and twenty-one on the south side. The uprights inthe north side, were the least decayed. Those on the southside required an average of 5 inches of rotten wood to beremoved, those on the north about 1 inch only, and theheights of the uprights, as now refixed, measuring betweenplate and sill, are on the north side 4 feet 8 inches, on thesouth side 4 feet 4 inches, the sills being bedded on a fewcourses of brickwork in cement, to keep them clear of damp.The uprights were tongued together at the junction withoak strips, and a most effectual means it proved of keepingout the wet; for although the interior was plastered, therewas no evidence, in any part, of wet having driven in at thefeather-edge junction of the uprights—a strange contrast tomany of our modern churches, where, with all the adjunctsof stone and mortar, it is found no easy matter to keep outthe driving weather from the south-west.

“ The roof was heavy, and without any particular character;it consisted of a tie-beam, at less than six feet from the floor,with struts. The covering was tile.”

We have given the description of this little church at sogreat length, because we think buildings erected after thismanner would form very good substitutes for those un-ecclesiastical-looking structures termed Temporary Churches,which are become so fashionable now-a-days ; and not onlyso, but might be even erected as permanent ones, in placeswhere a better could not be provided.

Of symbolism. —Although many persons are so far preju-diced against the system as to deny the existence of symbolicalmeaning in the peculiar structure and arrangement of churches,to the unprejudiced mind there can be little doubt of the fact.It is true that some of the advocates of the system havecarried it to too great a length, and have strained their pointto such an extent as to appropriate a deep theological meaningto the smallest details, yet this should not hinder us from givingattention and credit to those who hold themselves withinreasonable limits. This idea respecting the aesthetic charac-ter of ecclesiastical buildings, has but lately been broughtJ into general notice, but it is no new fancy; on the contrary,

| we find mention of it in the writings of the early Christians .

The following passage is from the Apostolical Constitutions :

I —“ When thou eallest an assembly of the church, as one that! is the commander of a great ship, appoint the assemblies toI be made with all possible skill; charging the deacons, asi mariners, to prepare places for the brethren, as for passengers,

: with all care and decency. And first let the church be long,

| like a ship, looking towards the east, with its vestries on

i either side at the east end. In the centre, let the bishop’s

j throne be placed, and let the presbyters be seated on both

I sides of him; and let the deacons stand near at hand, inclose and small garments, for they are like the mariners andmanagers of the ship.” As we have before remarked, thematerial structure of the church was from the earliest periodconsidered emblematical of the ark of Noah. Similar allusionsto that just quoted, are constantly occurring in the patristicwritings ; thus S. Ambrose tells us why baptisteries shouldbe octagonal, and Clement of Alexandria gives rules bywhich the selection of sacred emblems should be guided ;Eusebius informs us that Constantine surrounded the apsisof the church of S. Cross with twelve pillars, according tothe number of the twelve apostles; and Ilermas, in hisvisions, represents the building of the spiritual temple under

figures wholly taken from the material fabric. But , gwriters on the subject, Durandus is the most copious, anheld up as the highest authority in such matters. Mr. , ' o0in his description of Kilpeck church, Herefordshire , ' s .who has of late brought the subject of symbolism into nothe is one of those, however, who in our opinion have l* 1 ® 0 ,to apply the system to a greater extent than is warranted^facts; he enlists every portion of the fabric, even tominutest details, to illustrate his views, and makes ^arrangement of the sacred edifice to indicate the minuti®*theological doctrine. Mr. Poole, in his lectures on ch ^arrangement, does not attempt so much ; he maintainsecclesiastical architecture is a language ; that it has al' v , J .so long as it has deserved its name, aimed at expressand not at mere accommodation without splendour, orat splendour without a spirit and a meaning : that f rorn ,first it was rational; that it had a soul and a sense wm , (glaboured to embody and convey to the beholder: tha j tlanguage was not only expressive, but appropriate; t fl taimed not only at accommodating a congregation, j’elevating their devotions and informing their minds. ^is of opinion that the greater mysteries of our relig 101 *^.symbolized in the fundamental design of the structure, ,other Christian verities are set forth in the minor arr ^ments and in the ornamental details. For instanc e >^. flllmystery of the Trinity is symbolized by the threefold d|of our churches into nave, and aisles, and perhapsj selongitudinal division into nave, choir, and chancel, ota ® t ]jethe division into nave and chancel is said to point o j 9division of clergy and laity : but the aesthetic P ianC1 ^ r al9more evident in our larger churches; thus in our cat* 1 thewe have the form of the cross in the ground-plan, a * ^ ( e,threefold division of body and aisles, as well as ot 0 ftransept, and choir ; we have likewise the same nV *? c iett'divisions vertically in the lower arcade, triforia, andstory, as also in the exterior elevation in the central an ^western towers. Mr. Poole concludes—“ On a revie"', ^ gll iof the facts mentioned, we may safely conclude,. a ^jty i athe first, there has been a sufficient degree of unifor c0tl ldChristian churches, to indicate a unity of design, wln c b enot be accidental ; that the origin of that unity 13 j )0 ]/

found in the desire to symbolize the truths ot ° u ggC redreligion in every apt manner, and, above all, in y 1 gr feC'edifices of the Christians .” “ A Gothic church, in ltstion, is an exposition of the distinctive doctrinestianity, clothed upon with a material formColeridge has so forcibly expressed it, ‘ the peour religion.’ ”

As church-architecture is receiving a iair _ n1 ,jattention at the present time, and churches are being^^ngplied to keep pace with the requirements of a vastly- ,a . pr®'populatibn, it may not be out of place, in a work ' v totends rather to useful and practical information,.^ nC e otamusing recreation, to give some rules for the g al .^g fo rthose who are called upon to prepare plans and e °

/ci> ris '

> anC ^ • n Of

et r ifa ctl ° n

fair modic^ti-

church-buildings ^gll

In the first place, then, let the architect consider g par-amount which is to be laid out in the erection, f° r ^ g g nial >determine every other consideration ; if the am °tive builf fado not let him attempt a large or highly-decorati? n gth ^He must first take care to ensure* soundness and s a t'te r ^the construction, and leave the details to be const .^g s awards ; if, after calculating the cost of the mere tr g utother necessary parts of the structure, he finds r and<;cient to construct them in a substantial manner, ^ gCor atio,to spare, let him then decide tspon the amount ox ^

It is better to erect plain walling, so that it be sob

V