A guide to the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the city of New York: Fifth EditionHall, Edward Hagaman
Religion
A guide to the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the city of New York: Fifth Edition
Hall, Edward Hagaman
Cathedral of St. John the Divine (New York, N.Y.)
It is to be remembered, also, that the financial resources for the
building of a modern cathedral are different from those which supplied
the means for building many of the Old World churches. Westminster Abbey
was built almost entirely from revenues of the Kings from Henry III.
to Henry VII. St. Paul’s in London was partly built by the gifts of
penitents who performed their penances in money. Occasionally an ancient
shrine grew into a great church in consequence of some tradition or
superstition which caused a continuous stream of illustrious persons to
shower wealth, privileges and honors upon it. Pope Honorius prescribed
collections in all Christendom for the building of Rheims Cathedral. The
metropolitan church of St. Rombold’s, in Malines, Belgium, was built with
money paid by pilgrims who flocked thither in the 14th and 15th centuries
to obtain indulgences issued by Pope Nicholas V.; and the Tour de Beurre
(butter tower) of Bourges Cathedral, like the tower of the same name at
Rouen, “derives its name from having been erected with money paid for
indulgences to eat butter in Lent.” (Baedeker.)
To-day, however, reliance is placed entirely upon voluntary
contributions. Some of the larger gifts to the Cathedral of St. John
the Divine are mentioned hereafter, but there have been many other
large ones and innumerable smaller ones equally acceptable from donors
irrespective of denominational affiliations who have caught the civic
and patriotic as well as the religious inspiration of what is to be
America’s greatest cathedral. In a general way, it may be said that the
Cathedral will be finished as fast as funds are provided;—and no faster,
for the authorities have rigidly maintained the provision of the statute,
building only what can be paid for, and worshippers are therefore not
kneeling on any debt. Anyone desiring here to enshrine a loving memory or
to embody the offering of a grateful heart may place a donation to the
Building Fund in the alms-basin or in the box at the door, or send it to
the Dean at the Cathedral offices in the old Synod House, at Amsterdam
avenue and 112th street, New York City.
Foundation and Superstructure
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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