Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 158, 17 January 1867, Page 2

The Tims says, that a yisit to such a, place as St. Alhan's Holborn, on tho. occasion of what is ciUlecl^ High Service,'"' is sufficient to startle even tl.s most, tolerant of ordinary Churchmen. Priests, ! as they delight to call themselves, in/cle-. , : fiance of the. most judicious of English, y. divines.) are conspicuous in dresses un-, known to the English eye f0r, 300 years v Three of these personages, bedizened \\-itl\ green, and gold, and yellow, arid covered with black stripes and grosses, stand with their backs to the congregation oh the. elevated steps at the eas,t end of the church. The altar is overladen v Vitl{ gorgeous ornaments, arid illuminated at, noonday with two great .lighted! candles, " ? " Pyramids of tapers,. such as are seen in Roman Catholic ; Churches, ,are placed at each side; the chancel .^,,eniblazonec\ with tinsel banners, and tlie whita, surplices of the choristers are /the. only tilings in the gaudy spectacle which could remind one of tlie ; custohiarv ritual of the English; . church. Here, across an atmosphere -\vli4ch. is, faint "witli the odour of incense, the green, aiid gilded priests are dimly discerweKtpe^o'rniinw uninteliigible man(»uvres, bowing and! bending and turning and crossiiig'frb'ni side to side, until the recitation of ?the words of the service becomes the smallelt • part of ' their ; functions: • • ' 'Two white, dressed attendants carry a silver censer from which the fumes of • thY incense are, incessantly tossed, now over the altar now over the book from which the Gospel is read, and now injo the faces of all the/ performers in the chancel. A fine or<?an and excellent singing, w which; !w.hei!e it is allowed, the congregation join with impressive effect/ supply the only legiti- i] mate element in t^e ceremonial'; and tha perfprmance ; culminates. v in . a.,series of flexions and gewfl^iona.vhich can only be fitly described .gs'tTie Elevation of the -Host.- '■ The Kmes/lhihks it is time that this pernicious noiisense, ..•yas, .; stopped and, whatever the noise -^hich'tiese in- $ novators might make, the authoM^^#^ the Church would have the generaM»port of the English people 'if " th'ey^wluld but summon up resolution; to. 46 fe duty. ■'■ '-i ■!}<:-.'..'; "'^■•'.■■■\)'-i\Ui-:"]y.-: