The churches are some of them very beautiful, both Gothic
and Grecian. A Gothic one to which we went yesterday afternoon, was
high, high, high in its decorations, but not in the least in the
doctrine we heard, which was thoroughly sound on "God so loved the
world," &c. The fittings up were very simple, and the exterior of the
church remarkable for the grace and simplicity of its outline; for
being, like the houses, built entirely of wood, elaborate carving cannot
be indulged in.
The church which we went to in the morning offered a great contrast to
this, the interior being fitted up with high old-fashioned pews, like
many a village church at home; but besides this, a further interest
attached to Trinity Church, as being the one in which Dean Berkeley used
to preach, and from its remaining unaltered in its internal appearance
from what it was in his days. The pulpit is still the same, and there is
still in the church the organ which he presented to it, at least the
original case of English oak is there, and part of the works are the
same, though some pipes have lately been added. Independently of Trinity
Church, the town of Newport has many associations connected with Bishop
Berkeley's memory, the place where he lived, and where he wrote his
"Minute Philosopher" being still pointed out, as well as the spot on the
beach where he used to sit and meditate.
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