MAUNDY MONEY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2197, 9 July 1914, Page 8

MAUNDY MONEY.

OLD-TIME: CERESIONIAL AT/THE

ABBEY,

,FoT an hour on a recent'afternoon in London, Westminster' Abbey gave itself •up'.to'one, of, •'■-those- ,'quaint ' surviving solemnities. associated(.w ; itli Holy Week. It.,was i;Maundy . ! ,riiursday,", which {commemorates \\the 'institution.'..' of;"• :thc Eucharist.; The ceremony of washing the feet'-iri imitation '■■ of; our . Lord's' example.;was discontinued..'after >'• the death of James 11.-;Tlie, distribution of the"Maundy alms' remains, : ..'ahd.',this.' ceremonial took place before an immense congregation" ycsterday.r ..'The- money, .amounts to as many pence,ih: silver as the , years .of the. King's; age. .Hence there were 49 pence for 49 men and. 49' women.-- ;Besides.'*this each .woman had 35V and. each man 455. in lieu of clothing.: A second distribution included £2 ;iOs:' ; apiece. ". The alms were: placed on. a table; at the fobjrof the steps leadingtoother sacrarium. ;'■': ,■'.-■:.:';'..'. ;■•'

As many: of the old folks'as could conveniently surround' the;table- did so, the remainder ,'being given': privileged seats in the. choir. And a curious mixture of.,the, pathetic and the picturesque they, made (says ,ii writer, in the' "Daily ■News"). '■ The men:aiid.;woman; sat on either side the •'. "aisle; y helping- each .other to rise, at {the; proper moment. as the' service proceeded, adjusting', their spectacles, nodding, 'whispering, chuckling 1 to one 'another.'One old fellow.felt draught on a liead.with which: the years had dealt unkindly. He took oat a soiled handkerchief and_ it had .such a soothing; effect that before the; first, lesson was.over.lib'ivas.fast'asleep.,; At' one time; thanks tosafgreat concerted effort, all 98' : managed to get pn,their feet ..at once. This • -was 'just 'as tho choir began a - heautiful {.rendering 0 f the 91st Psalm/ . They were weary, ever, .and' the. majority:-, of ,them.'dropped back iiitp their comfortable chairs.- _Tlie venerable-gentleman j'n his,improvised cap seemed unable.to keep his eyes.open.. But he was.alert enough when the Lord High Almoner, the Dean of Wells,;"camo along and handed him a blue envelope.' He looked it over; stroked it, and'seemed to-be wondering; if it was an ounce of favourite tobacco.;.; : -,:.-.■ -•-,.',.■'.■-,-i.'-, •;■; .-

■ All the women dropped pretty.curtsies as the smiling Dean on his mission of charity riassed by. One man seemed awkward.' The Bean, held him .his' offering, and the grizzled sentuaKonarian appeared 'to. tako,no notice of it. Suddcnlv.: ho exclaimed: "I can't see, sir." He was blind; The procession.' was tho usual time-honoured one,- '.consist-' injj'of the scarlet and gold •bedecked ifihiltlren of'.the Chapel R-oval. the choristers,, the Canons' and. 'Minor-; Canons; the' Yeoman bearing.the dish .containing the alms, the sub-almoner,,;the. '■■ Lord High'Almonsr carrving'a blyiiquet 'of lilies, the Dean,'- the children : of the Royal; Almonry,: the Avnndsmo'n/ nudj of course,.-.the Yeoman of 'the Guardr-ten of them wiih 1 hoi v shoiildoTed halberds,' niedals, ■ and Elizabethan collars.