IN going through our country towns, it is almost a matter of impossibility to recognize the churches, from the fact, that, so little attention having been paid to their characteristic features, it becomes a matter of uncertainty whether the building which one sees, with its white-painted wooden portico, and long windows filled with green shutters is a church, a court house or a private dwelling, all being built after the same model. Every building should be so designed that a single glance may be sufficient to decide its purpose. A church with its heaven-pointing spire, or less pretentious bell-cot, with its mullioned windows and open porch would offer such a contrast to the surrounding buildings that no one could easily mistake its intention. It should stand in as conspicuous a place as possible, thereby implying that the first or most important thing in men's minds was to furnish a place in which to worship the Deity; and this building should be set apart for that purpose alone, and never - as is too often the case - resound with boisterous laughter caused by a popular lecturer's anecdotes. It should be built of the best materials the locality affords.

Stone for the walls is the best, but where this cannot be procured, then let brick be used, with no attempt at a disguise - no paint, no cement, colored and blocked off in imitation of stone, for if we attempt to do this we shall undoubtedly fail.

No one in passing through Switzerland and the North of Italy can have failed to be delighted with the beautiful structures which rise on every side; now the majority of these are built of brick, sometimes relieved with stone or marble, but in many cases entirely of terra-cotta; what interest would these buildings ever have awakened in our minds if they had been painted?

None; whatever; and so it is with us, if we would that our works should live after us, and in succeeding generations be looked upon with interest, we must work with Truth; we must let this be our motto, ignoring all shams whatever, letting brick be brick, and wood wood; for of what benefit is it, that we put up our windows in iron or wood, and paint and sand them in imitation of stone 1 It must be to deceive man, for God it cannot deceive. Where it is impossible to get any other material than wood, then it should be built accordingly; buttresses and such like construction which essentially belong to stone, being of no use in wood, should be carefully avoided; nor should the paint which it is necessary to put on the outside be anything more than quiet colors in harmony with the surroundings of the building.

It seems to have been the prevailing idea that the ancient heathen Temples are the best models for our churches, instead of which they are really the worst; for, in the first place, The Portico, with its monotonous repetition of column, - copied perhaps from the Parthenon - made of wood and painted white, is inconvenient; it neither affords protection from the sun, nor from the pitiless blast of a winter's storm; and, in the next place, to reach the church it is necessary to climb some eight or ten steep steps, rendering it extremely difficult for the old and infirm, (for whom it should be the first duty of the church to care,) to ascend; especially in the winter when they are generally covered with ice and snow. On reaching the platform, one sees doors, apparently of enormous size, but which on inspection are found to open only half the way down, because perchance the gallery for the "colored population" interferes. The windows are long and wide, so much so, that if the light, even in the darkest days, were not obstructed by the green blinds, it would be impossible to sit in the church with any degree of comfort. The walls are high, and the plastered ceiling flat.

These are mistakes our church builders commit, for if the walls were lower, and the pitch of the roof higher, the point of the ridge might remain the same, and instead of an ugly high building without any apparent covering, the effect of the change would be most striking, and the very feature which it is the desire of Grecian architecture to hide, would stand out prominently and distinctly, conveying an idea of shelter, besides being more adapted to the climate in shedding the rain and snow, than a roof of a low pitch. Another fault, and which is especially to be condemned,.is the putting the school room underneath the church; for if the room be above ground, it must necessarily spoil the effect of the building, and if below it, is unwholesome and dismal, and cannot but give a disagreeable impression to the poor children who are compelled to sit in it.

There is no doubt but that Gothic architecture is the most suited for churches, for this style has the advantage over every other in its applicability to all sites and requirements; it is far more picturesque than any other, and if properly built cannot fail to impart some feeling of respect and awe. There is scarce any one who has walked through an old Gothic church without experiencing some such feeling, which is doubtless in a great measure attributable to the style of the building.

In the selection of material, care should be taken. Stone of some description is generally procurable; and this, however rough, may be used for the walls, for it is not in the least essential that the outside should be smooth, since then no contrast is offered between that and the inside. The quoins, windows, doorways, etc, should however be dressed, and if possible a contrast in color may be used; for instance, where the main body of the walls is of a blueish tint, then a grey stone, used as above indicated, will be found to have a pleasing effect. Where, however, stone cannot be obtained, then it becomes necessary to use brick, and if only stone can be used sparingly for string courses, buttress weatherings, etc., it will give it a more important appearance, besides breaking up the dullness and monotony of the bricks. If the walls are of stone, a half-brick wall should be built on the inside, leaving a hollow space of at least three inches, which may be bonded together with iron or brick ties, this will allow the plastering to be placed immediately on the brickwork, and be found entirely successful in keeping out the damp.

Where bricks only are used, the walls should also be built hollow.

Slate seems to be the best material for the roofs, and where these are laid in patterns with slates of two different tints, they look well. Undoubtedly the best covering, (but which unfortunately is unknown in this country,) is tiles; these are made, and most generally used in England in preference to slates; they make a most beautiful covering, and the joints being of the thickness of nearly an inch, give a great many lines of shadow. Shingle should never be used, saving where the building is of wood, as they never last more than thirty years.

The roof should in all cases, where possible, be exposed to view from the inside; its timbers should be wrought and moulded, and when nothing better than white pine can be obtained, a little stain, to bring out the grain of the wood, should be used; paint as an imitation of another wood, never. In all cases where the timbers are shown, it will be found to be absolutely necessary to have a space of at least six inches between the boarding and the outer covering, and this may be rendered more effectual in keeping out the cold and heat by filling the space with saw-dust or some other such like non-conductor.

The plastering which it is necessary to put on the walls, should be in rough stucco of a light cheerful tint, but in no case jointed to imitate blocks of stone.

The windows should be glazed in diamond quarries in lead, and if possible, stained glass should be used, not only for the purpose of decoration, but to do away with the necessity of outside or inside blinds. Stained glass can be obtained from one to six dollars per superficial foot.

The seats should be open, with moulded bench ends without doors, raised some three or four inches above the passages, which should, if possible, be laid with encaustic tiles.

The engraving which accompanies this, is intended to illustrate an Episcopal church suitable for a small congregation. The plan will be found to consist of a Nave, Chancel, Robing Room, and South Porch; the material employed should be rubble stone laid in random courses, with free stone quoins, window and door dressings,. etc.; additional effect may be obtained by introducing bands of the free stone at the cill and springing of the windows, etc. The Bell Gable marks distinctly its purpose, and is far preferable to an attempt at a tower and spire where, (from a lack of funds,) it has to be built of wood. The Porch, which is open, should be of oak, unless the church is in an exposed situation, when an inclosed one of the same material as the body of the church should be used.

The Chancel should be separated by an arch of stone, consisting merely of a couple of chamfers, and should be raised one step of six inches at least.