gentleman dispensed with the usual form, and simply made the announcement that it would take place at nine A.M. The sermon was founded on 1 Peter iii. 13: "And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good!"
The sermon was extempore, expository, and instructive. What it was to follow good was well expounded; and the limitations with which the implied promise was to be understood clearly set forth. Although the Christian"s lot was not to be represented too darkly, it was not to be supposed that he had no trials or suffered no evils. Yet, after all, many of his trials did not arise from his following good, but rather from his not doing so in some particulars in connexion with which his trials arose. Mr. Palmer has thoroughly entered into the labours of his predecessors. He has, however, inst.i.tuted a few changes as to which some members of the congregation, who could bear no variation from the order of things under their old pastor, took offence and betook themselves elsewhere-not in any great numbers, but it was sufficient to draw from the rev. gentleman a justification in his first pastoral. Therein he shows that some of the changes, especially in regard to the offertory, were contemplated by Mr. Holdich; and as to the conduct of the service, he had done nothing but what was in accordance with the Rubric. To allay all suspicions of a Ritualistic tendency which had, he says, "unjustly, though not unnaturally risen," he declares to his flock his belief that "the practices commonly known as Ritualistic are as much opposed to the spirit and structure of the Prayer-book as they were for the most part unknown in the worship of the Church in the apostolic age, and that every decision in the ecclesiastical courts had made this conclusion more plain." There is no pretence for styling Mr. Palmer a Ritualist nor a High Churchman. His service occupies a position between the latter and what is known as extreme Low Church. His prayers are not intoned, but monotoned; his music is Anglican; his chancel is freshened up with modest ornament; the choir, although not surpliced, is very efficient; the hymns used are "Hymns Ancient and Modern." He considers that "a dislike to Ritualism had in many cases produced tediously dreary services, and painfully indecorous conduct in church," and has been influenced by a desire to give "heartiness" and "reverence" to the service. The words are probably a little too strong to convey the true meaning. Tedium and indecorum are, alas, things incidental to High service as well as Low, and must by no means be connected essentially with a plain and simple performance of worship. Mr. Palmer has an interesting, well-conducted congregation of a very respectable cla.s.s, with a fair intermixture of the humbler cla.s.ses, especially in the evening. It struck us that the a.s.sembly was heartily devout; but was not yet thoroughly congregational in the singing. The last published pastoral bears evidence to the energy with which the minister follows out his plans for usefulness; but he has occasion still to notice a degree of _unpunctuality_ in attendance at the service, many not being in their places at the reading of the general confession. It is gratifying to see a clergyman dealing faithfully with his people and entering into the details of their practice, not shrinking from pointing out their failings as occasion offers, but in an anxious and kindly spirit. For this Mr. Palmer is to be admired, and his people will love him all the more. Shortcomers have no objection to be faithfully dealt with, if done in a genial temper; and it is a mistake to suppose that winking at irregularities of this kind pleases anybody.
Beyond the church and church work there are few things to be noticed in St. James"s. We have only been able to ascertain one very special matter of interest, which was found in the book of the register of marriages.
The marriage of a certain Edward Walker and Ann Whinfield Williams, which took place on Sept. 30, 1847, was attested by no less a personage than the present ex-Emperor Napoleon-then as now an exile in this country. As we read the handwriting, "Napoleon Louis B.," followed by another, "Count de Montauban," a crowd of reflections rushed to our minds such as probably our own age alone could supply.
Services on Sunday are at 11 A.M., 3.30, and 7 P.M. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first, third, and fifth Sunday in the month after "Morning Prayer," and on other Sundays at 9 A.M.
ST. MARK"S, NOTTING-HILL.
ST. MARK"S, Notting-hill, takes one by surprise, it being almost hidden from view until the visitor turns the corner of the St. Mark"s-road. The west elevation possesses some good composition, and is boldly treated.
The tower stands at the south-west angle of the building, and is surmounted by a broached spire, covered with slate in coloured bands, and terminating in a weatherc.o.c.k, with the cardinal points indicated, relieved by spire lights. The spire dies into a square brick tower, banded in colour with stone dressing. The belfry windows are deeply recessed with marble shafts and foliated caps, with sharp-pointed lancets. The tower also contains one of the western entrances to church, which forms an excellent feature. It is treated as a square-headed double door, with the tympanum enclosed by a large hood mould, encircling well-carved panels in relief, containing the emblems of the Evangelists.
The princ.i.p.al gable contains a three-light, simply-designed west window, with a series of lancets, and small b.u.t.tresses below. A porch also at the north-west angle, in harmony with the rest of the front is plainly and boldly designed, and is flanked by a stone pinnacle, the use of which we do not quite understand. One of the most striking portions of the outside, however, are a series of flying b.u.t.tresses, which are, unfortunately, nearly hidden from view by the closely-surrounding houses.
These b.u.t.tresses spring from square piers, standing perfectly free from the church, and in perspective giving the effect of a north and south cloister arcade. The finials are of iron.
Entering the church by either of the before-mentioned porches, they lead into large lobbies, containing the gallery stairs, separated by screen walls one from the other; in the northwest porch is a large and handsome stone bench, the elbows well cut, and each ornamented with a Maltese cross.
The interior may really be said to be grand, owing very much to the imposing height of the nave and the fearless nature of the detail of roof and clerestory; the bold ribs, the bold sustaining caps and corbels, all with sharply-defined and clean cut foliage, indicating a skilled hand in design. We confess not to be very fond of many bands of brick and stone, they give to an interior a sliced appearance and take away from the effect of s.p.a.ce; yet, notwithstanding this defect, there can be no question of a fine effect of heights.
The detail of galleries-the arrangement of the arcade and iron columns, with the cl.u.s.tered angle columns at the transepts-resembles St. George"s, Campden-hill, which was planned from the pattern of St. Mark"s. The transept and chancel aisle arcade is also similarly treated. The church is cruciform in plan, with the galleries free of the transepts. The north transept contains the organ in a sort of high-legged loft, which rather looks like putting the organ out of the way. A fine chancel-arch shows nearly the whole of the apsidal chancel, the walls of which are well-covered with a tessalace of tiles. Seven steps lead up to the Communion s.p.a.ce, the pulpit is raised on four cl.u.s.tered shafts of red Mansfield stone, with richly-carved caps, and handsomely enclosed with good ironwork, instead of the usual stone box. The choir-stalls and prayer-desk are complete and of good design, and the bra.s.s lectern is well-raised. The pewing and bench-ends strike us as being too heavy.
The font is peculiarly elegant and graceful, and is a good specimen of early work. The pa.s.sages are all paved with tile of dark colour. The style of the church is early English ornately treated, if anything perhaps a little too much so, the charm and beauty of early work being its extreme simplicity.
St. Mark"s was consecrated on Nov. 27, 1863, by Bishop Tait, the foundation-stone having been laid Nov. 1 in the previous year. E. B.
Keeling, Esq., was the architect, and Messrs. Dove, Bros., the builders, and the cost in all 7,720_l._ A debt of about 1,000_l._ on the building account was discharged by the contributions of the congregation within the first three years. The site was given by Mr. Blake, a freeholder in Notting-hill, and the sum of 5,000_l._ presented towards the building by the present patron-a great gift and benefit to the locality. The church is furnished with a good organ, built originally by Hunter and Webb at a cost of 450_l._, but which has been considerably improved since by Bryceson, by the addition of several stops, including the _vox humana_, at the moderate further outlay of 65_l._ The instrument is skilfully employed in the service by Mr. Tamplin, professor of music, who has a.s.sociated with him rather a numerous choir, which has, within the last twelve months only, taken to surplices. In the first instance the service at this church was Evangelically plain; but within the last three years, monotoning the prayers and chanting the psalms have been introduced, as well as a large increase of Eucharistic celebrations, and now more recently the surpliced choir. These changes have occurred under the same pastorate-that of the Rev. Edward Kaye Kendall-who has been Vicar of St. Mark"s from its foundation. Mr. Kendall is an enlightened and able minister, as is evident from his pastoral circulars and the good reputation he has among his people; and we presume is fully satisfied in his own mind as to these changes, although some others have not approved them. His congregation is good. The church, including the accommodation of _telescopic_ seats, will hold 1,500, 1,000 of the sittings being rentable, and 500 free. The average congregation is about a thousand or over; and, together with a large proportion of the higher middle cla.s.s, there are many poor. Earnest parochial work is being done. Quite recently capital school buildings have been erected in St. Mark"s road, where there is an average attendance on week-days of near 400 children of both s.e.xes, including infants, and on Sundays 350. At the first a house close to the site was rented and used as a school, but soon it was so crowded in every room, and even on the stairs, that to obtain better accommodation became a necessity, and it is gratifying to note that the liberality of Mr. Kendall"s friends and congregation has enabled him to accomplish this work with so much expedition and success. A separate service is held for the children on Sunday mornings in the schoolrooms, conducted princ.i.p.ally by lay-helpers, whose church-work the Vicar is very anxious to utilise. Once a-month the children are also taken to a service in the church in the afternoon. There is a "Lay-helpers"
a.s.sociation," the members of which, with the district visitors, have done much towards filling the church with people, and in extending parochial work in general. There is also a "Mothers" Meeting," a "Clothing Repository," a Provident and a Maternity and Sick Funds, a Needlewomen"s Inst.i.tution, a Lending Library, and a Soup-kitchen in winter. For these various objects, as well as for several foreign Christian enterprises, the offertory account amounted last year to 663_l._ 2s. 6d. There is no endowment, and the clergy are supported and all expenditure provided for by the pew-rents and other voluntary means. The usual services are: Sundays, at 11, 3.30 P.M., and 7 P.M. Weekdays, on Wednesday, prayers at 11 A.M., and Fridays prayers at 11 A.M., and prayers and sermon at 7.30 P.M. Communion every Sunday at 8.30 A.M., and after morning service, and on every holy day falling on a weekday at 8 A.M.
We had not the opportunity of hearing the Rev. Vicar on Sunday, July 23, 1871, his place being supplied by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Honolulu (Dr. Staley). The prayers were monotoned by the Rev. F. F. Kelly, LL.M., who succeeded to the curacy at Christmas last, upon the removal of the Rev. A. H. Dunn to Acton, where we understand the latter is very usefully employed as a missionary in originating a new church, of which he is to be the future vicar.
ALL SAINTS", NOTTING HILL.
ALL SAINTS, NOTTING-HILL, once looked desolate and forsaken. It was like a church in a desert, and for a long time remained so; but now the houses and pleasant squares have grown up around it, and we can say it is situated in Colville-gardens. It is early English in style, built of stone in regular course, and covered with slate. At a distance it is cathedral-like in miniature, and it is not too much to say so, for upon a closer inspection the beautiful detail of all its parts quite satisfies the mind of the artist, and he leaves it without a feeling of disappointment. The roofs are peculiar in the rise of their ridges at the gables. This gives a somewhat broken look to them. The tower is very handsome, but unfinished. It requires the lantern to be completed, and marble shafts are required at the belfry windows. The church has three entrances-one in the tower to the west, by a handsome south porch, and by a north door. Slightly cruciform in plan, without nave aisles, transepts, chancel, and aisles, the nave arcade is peculiarly good, cl.u.s.tered marble shafts, and well-designed caps and bases, with full moulding to the arches. The clerestory is excellent in detail, and the ring-post and ribbed roof is a change from the usual style of church roof. The aisle corridors, too, are treated as a light arcade with cl.u.s.tered marble columns. The church is light, and the windows are filled with tinted and figured gla.s.s, also some good stained gla.s.s in the aisles. The pulpit and font are of alabaster; the pewing is light and of good design; the flooring is tiled. The organ in south transept is raised in a gallery of its own. The eastern wall of the Sacrarium is decorated with fresco, rather floridly painted-the angel saluting Mary and the birth of Christ. These frescoes have been universally recommended by art judges.
All Saints was consecrated in 1851, and represented an outlay of 20,000_l._ The tower alone cost 10,000_l._-a very large sum, when we consider the incomplete character of the object on which it was spent.
One chief thing about it worth notice is its bell; which tolls for church, and which has a deep and rich tone, reminding the ear, more than any other in the vicinity, of a cathedral "Tom." The church is furnished with a very fine organ, by Messrs. Gray and Davidson, and cost 1,500_l._ It has forty stops, including the _vox humana_, and is, at present, under the management of Mr. Walker, a pupil of Dr. Steggall. There is sitting accommodation for between 1,100 and 1,200, 300 sittings being free, and the remainder letting at from one to two guineas per annum. The congregation is of a highly respectable cla.s.s, and apparently matured and settled. The clergy consisting of the Rev. John Light, M.A., and three curates, the Revs. Messrs. Bathurst Coults, and Griffiths, are supported entirely from pew-rents, and a weekly offertory, which produces between 500_l._ and 600_l._ a-year, meets all other expenses. With regard to the service at All Saints it is moderately High Church; in every part of it there is an imitation of cathedral effects. There is a good choir, with surplices of course. Twelve of the boys have a free literary and musical education under one of the curates in what is termed the Choir School, the efficiency of the choir being thus continuously provided for. The singing is of a superior order-lively and spirited-and sufficiently wide of the Gregorian monotone. The _Te Deum_ and _Jubilate Deo_ are sung as anthems with good effect. The Prayers and Psalms are intoned, and the responses sung by the choir and congregation. And in excess of what is sometimes witnessed in High churches, the General Confession was intoned by the priest, and responded by the choir and people in song; and the Commandments were intoned by the Vicar himself. It may be observed that the a.s.sistant curate knelt with his back to the congregation, whilst the Vicar intoned the Commandments. At the name of Jesus in every place the minister and people bow. A more striking ill.u.s.tration of the inconvenience of this carried to excess could not be witnessed than in the singing of one of the hymns. It was Hymn 314 in the Appendix to "Hymns Ancient and Modern," "When morning gilds the sky," &c. There are eight verses of six short lines each, and in every third line the sacred name occurs-that is sixteen times in the course of the hymn. And the hymn being quickly sung, the head was kept in almost constant motion.
The Nicene Creed was also sung. Then followed the sermon. The Vicar, ascending the pulpit and facing the congregation, whilst yet standing, p.r.o.nounces, "To G.o.d the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;" and at once gives out his text. It was a brief address of fifteen minutes, delivered without book or note. High Churchism pretty much sets on one side the old-established Gospel and Apostolic inst.i.tution of "preaching the Word."
In the present instance, here was a minister of very considerable natural and acquired ability, which all who know him must allow places him far above mediocrity; there was a magnificent text of Scripture to discourse upon, "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." (3 Phil. xx. 1.) It would have been refreshing had there been time for this Scripture to have received a more adequate ill.u.s.tration from the lips of Mr. Light. But there are two full services every day, four on every Sunday and on festivals. Two administrations of the Holy Communion on Song Sunday and Festival; three sermons every Sunday, the brevity of which is justified at All Saints upon the principle, "That as G.o.d"s house is a house of prayer, and not merely a house of preaching, the service should be put before sermons."
But may not this notion be carried too far? What is the relation between _preaching the Gospel_ and a proper devout performance of general Christian service, implied in true conversion and progress in spiritual life? We are not advocates for long sermons, but it appears to us to abbreviate them as some are doing is calculated to impair or defeat the higher spiritual objects of public worship.
THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, KENSINGTON.
THE Church of St. John the Baptist is a temporary iron structure, and, like most other buildings of the sort, offers no point for architectural notice. It is, however, very good of its kind, and is, externally-as seen in the comparatively vacant part of the new Holland-road in which its stands-more picturesque than some others we have had to review. But the approaches to it are at present quite unformed, and when autumn and winter returns-unless something be done-the state of the road can scarcely be expected to help the congregation. We are glad, however, to hear that road improvement is in immediate contemplation. The interior is fitted with plain benches, and the temporary chancel neatly arranged, with a slight tendency to ornament. The church was at first rented from the builder, but has since been purchased. It has sittings for about 900 persons, of which one half from east to west are free. Of the other half a proportion only are at present let, at rentals varying from 1_l._ 1s.
0d. to 30s. per annum; so that a great majority of the congregation appear to avail themselves of the free seats. The church was opened in February, 1869, being planted in and intended to form a sub division in the ecclesiastical division of St. Barnabas, Kensington. The Rev. George Booker is inc.u.mbent and vicar designate. The rev. gentleman is at present without a.s.sistance in the services, except on Sunday evenings, when the Rev. Dr. Cosmo R. Gordon, minister of St. Mary"s, Park-street, Grosvenor-square, and head-master of the Notting-hill Collegiate School, is lecturer. In consequence of this arrangement, the Sunday evening lectures at this church are highly appreciated, Dr. Gordon being a talented and an esteemed preacher. The Rev. G. Booker, we believe, has set before him in the services-"To realise the spirit of the Prayer-book _as it is_, and not as any extreme party, High or Low, would wish it to be." There is, however, nothing in the general service but what is reconcilable with High Churchism, although it does not appear to be intended. Unisonal chanting has been introduced within the last few weeks, on account of its greater volume of sound, the acoustic qualities of the church being very indifferent; but partly, also, from the difficulty felt in this as other churches in keeping together a complete double choir for antiphonal singing, where the services of the lay-clerks are voluntary. There is, however, a great preponderance of chanting in monotone, and this, whilst the minister intones his parts in the service, gives to the whole the impress of High Church service. There is a four-part surpliced choir of considerable efficiency, and one is apt to think it might appear to greater advantage in another style of singing.
But the Rev. Mr. Booker is personally a minister of an earnest, evangelical type. His reading of the Scriptures is deliberate and most appropriate in tone and manner, and his sermon is by no means stultified in deference to the other parts of the service. This is a great merit.
The sermon we had the privilege of hearing was founded on Luke xvi. 9: "And I say unto you make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations." There was a very clear exposition of the parable of the unjust steward, and the right use as against the abuse of riches was cogently put, with a due amount of ill.u.s.tration and enforcement. We do not remember to have listened to a more instructive, practical, and useful treatment of this somewhat delicate subject.
The maintenance of the clergy, church expenses, interest on purchase money, &c., are objects to which the proceeds of the pew-rents and weekly offertory are devoted. The former source of income is at present limited and undeveloped. The offertory, up to this time, averages about 330_l._ per annum.
There is a very excellent middle-cla.s.s school in connection with this church, conducted by Mr. Studdy, a B.A. of the London University. In this school the boys of the choir are amongst the pupils and have their education free.
THE CARMELITE CHURCH, KENSINGTON.
THE Carmelite Church in Church street, Kensington, is built of plain brick and stone and covered with slate, and though plainly treated and of simple and almost severe design, is nevertheless a good specimen of modern early English church-building. The east front (the church stands east and west) is the princ.i.p.al feature externally. It contains a fine rose window and double entrance doors; those doors open into a lobby to the right and left. The inside is certainly very good, and reminds one a great deal of the style of the Pro-Cathedral, but slightly more decorated and ornate, though not so large. It has a fine effect of height, and the roofs are handsomely decorated-between the rafters having gold stars on a blue ground. The plan of the church is simple; a nave and aisles, and the west end is treated as an apse, in which stands the high altar, very fine and richly decorated, with crocheted canopy, pinnacles, and niches.
The nave arcade requires to be finished, and the plaster arches present a very poor effect. It is to be regretted that such a subst.i.tute has been employed. The church has a number of chapels, altars, confessional boxes, &c., usually found in Roman Catholic churches. The floors of pa.s.sages are paved with tiles, and the nave is occupied with simple pewing. The pulpit is very plain, almost ugly. Some good stained gla.s.s fills the windows of the apse and some of the aisle windows, but we do not admire the red gla.s.s of the clerestory.
The Church of the Carmelite Fathers was opened six years ago, having been erected at a cost of 5,000_l._, after the design of Mr. Pugin, architect, of Ramsgate, by Mr. Smith, builder, of the same town. The organ, which is a very splendid instrument, built by Cavaille and Co., of Paris, and which is equally remarkable for its soft and powerful tones, cost 2,000_l._ The altars, furniture, confessionals, &c., cost about 3,000_l._ more, so that there is here represented an outlay of at least 10,000_l._
The fathers, who occupy the monastery adjoining, and serve the church only-having no parish work-are at present five in number. The prior is the Rev. Stanislaus Viney; and the second and following priests are, Signors Lignori, Eschewiria, Felix Rizzo, Hillarion Berger, and Edmund Sharples-four Italians and one Englishman. There are services every hour from seven A.M. to eleven; and on Sundays vespers at half past three P.M.
Sermon and benediction, high-ma.s.s at eleven A.M. There are two confraternities-that of St. Peter and the Arch-confraternity of Thanksgiving. In connexion with the first was established in 1863, at the invitation of Cardinal Wiseman, "nocturnal adoration" of the sacrament. Each active member-who can only be a male person-has to watch once a-month one hour at night-a bed being provided for him in the monastery the remainder of the night. Fourteen members of this confraternity are summoned for every Wednesday, and attend at ten P.M., the "Service of Exposition" and prayers, after which all but two retire to the dormitory. These two then commence the "Adoration of the Sacrament." Ladies are admitted as honorary members only, and their privileges are to partake with the others of the "merit of the adoration," to be allowed to "forward their intentions to be prayed for,"
and to pay a subscription of 2s. 6d. annually.
"The Arch-confraternity of Thanksgiving" has for its special objects to render thanks for gifts, and above all for the "gift of G.o.d-the Eucharist." "To make up for the frightful ingrat.i.tude of the greater number of men." For all benefits, but especially for Jesus, "Who is really present on our altars in the Divine Eucharist as pontiff and victim. For the Eucharist is not only the gift of G.o.d to men, but the sacrifice of men offered to G.o.d." The sole obligation of the brothers and sisters is to "recite every day as a thanksgiving for all men, three _Our Fathers_, three _Hail Marys_, and _three Glorias_." The rewards promised to this confraternity are _special plenary indulgences_-
1. _On the_ "_usual conditions_, _on the day aggregation_."
2. _At the point of death_.
3. _On the second Thursday of each month_.
4. On the Thursday of _Corpus Christi_.
5. On the 8th of September, the feast of the "Immaculate Conception."
6. One of seven years and seven quarantains; whenever an hour of adoration is made before the sacrament.
7. One of 300 days attaching to the reciting of three "Our Fathers,"
three "Hail Marys," and three "Glorias." All these indulgences are further declared to be "applicable to souls in Purgatory," and subjects of them are exhorted to use prayer especially for this object. All this is enforced by the following reflection: "a.s.sociation tends rather to pay our debts to heaven than to acquire new personal gifts. Would not this end be sooner attained by placing in the merciful hands of the Virgin the suffrages obtained by the exercise of our grat.i.tude, so that she may dispose of them as she pleases in favour of the poor suffering souls who are still waiting for their deliverance from the _expiatory_ flames?
Heaven would thus be opened for the souls whom Mary loves best."
Such is Popery, in the very heart of West London! The church is capable of holding about 800 people; but the congregation is usually not full.
There is no preacher of any note, but the English priest, E. Sharples, is represented to be the best and most acceptable. There are three side altars on each side of the church, besides the High Altar, and an equal number of confessionals, and the church is open all the day. A quiet midweek afternoon was the occasion of our visit. It was very warm; and here, at this confessional or altar and the other, was a lady or a girl, bending in silence.
THE TABERNACLE, KENSINGTON.
KENSINGTON TABERNACLE, in Horton-street, close to the High-street, is a very neat-looking modernised building, so far at least as its west front goes; all has been done for it that stucco can do, and its entrance arcade gives to it an uncommon appearance, unlike the usual arrangements applied to chapels.