The west shore., August 30, 1890, Page 35, Image 3

WEST SHORE.
35
THE GREEK CHURCH OF SAN FRANCISCO.
If one wends his way some day towards the northern end of San Fran
cis'D, past the oriental eights and smells of Chinatown, northwest of the
picturesque and tumbledown shanties of swarthy Mexicans and Italians, he
will find a grassy plaza called Washington Square. Facing the square stands
a fantastic and ornate building as alien to our occidental ideas of architec
ture as a Chinese pagoda or a Hindoo temple. -
It is the Greco-Russian Church of San Francisco, one of the three out
posts on this continent of that great and ancient religion that claims 80,000,
000 of adherents, and extends its sway over nearly all Eastern Europe and
Northern Asia. The blue central dome, studded with gilded stars and sur
mounted by a large Greek cross, in contour like an Inverted balloon ; the
smaller towers clustering around, each topped by a smaller cross ; the large,
conventional figure of some ancient Faint painted on the front of the cupola ;
the many features of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture, all combine to
remind one of the chapels and cathedrals of Holy Russia, and every feature
of the interior is strange to our western eyes There are no pews, as all are
expected to either stand or kneel on the carpeted floor during the entire
service, excepting the infirm and aged, for whose accommodation there are
along the sides a few little stools and diminutive benches. Instead of the
somber and subdued tints and the severe simplicity of decoration which
prevails in our protestant churches, all is
color, richness and splendor; the eye can
find no place on which to rest that does
not convey some symbolic meaning to the
mind. The walls aglow with frescoed
paintings, representing biblical scenes,
miracles, incidents of the ancient history
of the church, and representations of the
great saints of the church. Not only are
there two rows of frescoed paintings along
the sides of the church, but the ceiling,
also, is likewise decorated.
As one enters the door he sees at the
other end of the church a partition, about
eight feet high, extending entirely across.
It is ornately decorated with carved wood
work, enclosing pictures of saints and of
historical and biblical scenes. Behind it
stands the altar, which, during certain
parts of the service, is hidden from view,
but during other paits, by drawing afide
the central portiere and throwing open
two large gates or doors, is exposed to
view. It is draped with a superb altar
cloth, recently brought from Russia, and
shines richly with the soft sheen of myri
ads of threads of gold. The bible on the
allar, ponderously bound in great brazen
coven, is handsome, but heavy, as it
weighs fully fifty pounds. To carry it
round the church, as is necessary during
certain ceremonies of the service, is no
light task, and it is no wonder that a
lighter bible is provided when the less
athletic priests officiate.
An interesting and strange-looking
painting stands against a pillar in one corner of the church. It is a copy of
a painting 700 years old, the property of the church in Russia. It repre
sents the Madonna holding the infant Jesus. But the hands and faces only
are painted. All the clothing stands out in low relief in gilded and silver
wrought metallic work. On the Virgin's head rests a gold crown, richly
studded, as is the clothing, with rubies and emeralds and other precious
stones. The original of this is supposed to be endowed with miraculous
powers, and believers cite many instances where the bait, the maim and
the blind have been miraculously healed by praying before it. There are
many other objects of interest to be seen: a row of huge, five-foot candle
sticks standing in front of the altar partition ; the rich, purple velvet ban
ners hanging on the pillars; the vessels for the holy water, and the great
bell recently brought from Russia that swings in the cupola.
The congregation of the church is strangely cosmopolitan. Strongest
numerically are the Slavonians, from Dilmalia; next in number are the
Servians and Montenegrins, from the mountainous, liberty-loving district;
there are Greeks, both from the mainland and the archipelago; there are
but a few Russians, and there are only about twenty Bedouins. Although
there are but about six Russians in the church, it receives most of its sup
port from St. Petersburg. Bishop Vladimir, a learned scholar and an ener
getic worker, is at the head of the diocese, which extends its sway to Alaska,
where there are over 13,000 believers, mostly natives. He is assisted at the
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UREEK CHURCH Or SAM FRANCISCO,
church by several priests, who often officiate at the services, and who travel
through the state holding services wheie there are no churches. The ser
vices are full of ritualism and observances that have existed for centuries.
They are held usually in the Slavonian tongue, but sometimes in English or
Russian. There is no organ in the church, but a trained chorus of forty
voices supplies the music.
A part of the building is used for a school and for living-rooms. Here
reside the bishop and several priests, besides over a dozen native Alaskans
who are being educated at the diocesan school which is connected with the
church. Some are Russian Creoles, some are half-blooded Americans and
some are full-blooded natives. One little fellow, apparently about eight,
really fifteen years of age, is considerable of a linguist, being able to read
and write the Slavonian, Aleutian, English and Russian languages.
The missionary work of the church in Alaska is superintended from
San Francisco, although there is a church in Sitka. The missionaries neces
sarily undergo great hardships and privations living among the native tribes
of that frigid climate, but they are earnest In .their work and gentle and
kind toward the natives, and succeed in teaching them many of the arts
and accomplishments of civilized fife.
Frank Tracy Swett.
PORTLAND CITY PARK.
It would be difficult to find a ti act of
land near any city in the union more ad
mirably adapted by nature for the pur
poses of a public park than the one dedi
cated to that end in the city of Tortland.
Lying within the city limits, on the east
ern slope of the hills just west of the
most desirable residence portion, and
reached by two lines of cars, it is very
accessible, and has become a favorite
place of resort on summer afternoons,
especially on Sunday, when music is
added to the charms of nature. The
sketches in the center of this number
give a glimpse here and there of various
features of the paik, but are utterly un
able to convey an adequate impression of
it as a whole. It Is, to be sure, still in a
great degree in a state of nature, and the
opportunity for the landscape gardener to
display bis skill is an excellent one ; but
nature made it better park than has
been created in many cities by the ex
penditure of much money and artistio
skill.
It is entered from either the north or
south by splendid driveways that wind
with an easy grade to the summit of the
hill. Here the florist's art has been called
into service to lend color and beauty to
the scene. Here, also, are a music stand,
swings, rustic seats and other accessories
of a public park. A bear pit, In which
four sleek and fat bears one grizsly, one
cinnamon and two black amuse themselves and the spectators, a deer park
in which half a dozen beautiful deer roam at will, so tame that they eat
leaves from the bands of delighted children, and various cages of other
animals native to Die Oregon woods, are constant objects of interest. He
who thinks the cougar and the mountain lion are identical will be disabused
of the idea when he sees the specimens of those fierce animals kept here
side by side.
Many who visit the park full to see its greateit beauty-the landscaie
to be obtained from the brow of the hill looking eastward. At his feet lies
the city, encircled by green hills, with the silvery thread of the Willamette
winding through it. lieyond the city the green valley, timbered hills, and
the forest-robed summits of the Cascades, crowned with peaks of eternal
snow charm the eye. This sight should never he missed.
Here is a knot for grammarians to untie: A pitcher full of a sickly
white liquid stood UHn the breakfast table and was spoken of by one of
the boarders as " a pitcher half full of milk," whereupon another claimed
he should say " a pitcher full o( half milk." Which is correct?
In enumerating the evils that have been brought Uon Louisiana from
the north, floods in the Mississippi should not be overlooked.