London Churchmen's Procession.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 June 1911, Page 4

London Churchmen's Procession.

IMPRESSIVE SCENES

Astonishing even itself 'by its lingo dimensions, a crowd of probably 100,000 persons assembled on Good Friday to see the religious procession from Oharing-cross to St. Paul's Cathedral.

The procession had been arranged by the Bishop of London's Evangelistic Council as a great public confession of faith and an act of solemn supplication for the nation, especially for London. The processionists mustered at St. Martin , s-in-the-Fields, W. Tho clergy, who followed a

HIGH-UPLIFTED SILVER CROSS

AXD CRUCIFIX,

wore their surplices, and touches of colour—red, purple, yellow, or blue —were added by their academic hoods. The rank and file of tho processionists, who had assembled in tho churchyard, wore their ordinary dress. They bad plainly come from every til ass of society, and included a large iMimber of working men as well as notable Churchmen from the other end of the social scale. A few were old, most were young or middle-aged. Each section of tlte procession — and there were three—was headed in the same way, by clergy and choristers, with a few surpliced musicians whose duty was to lead" the singing with trumpets, comets, and other brass instruments. Before tlic middle section walked the Bishop of London, with the bearer of

HIS PASTORAL STAFF, and the Bishop of Kensington. liach processionist carried a paper of hymns, and ivlien the leading choir bad got some way up the Strand the singing began with

There is a green hill far away Without a city wall. Where the dear Lord was crucified, Who died to save us all.

Thenceforward the music was constant, though subdued. "Jesu, lover of my soul," " Glory be to Jesus," and the litany beginning " God the Father, God the Son/V were sung in smecession. . A great mass of ■onlookers filled the western end of St. Paul's .Churchyard, except where a central space was kept clear leading up to the Cathedral door. At the top of the steps stood Canon Xewbolt, Canon Alexander, and others of the Cathedral clergy. Looking westward from this point of vantage the scene was peculiarly impressive—the crowd so vast and so reverent, and, approaching slowly through tho centre, the silver cross, the whiterobed' clergy three abreast, and the sombro ranks of their follower marching four 'by four.

THE SCEN'E IN THE CATHICDR AT.

Within the_ Cat-hc-iral the scene was equally inip-c five. ;is clergy, choristers, and by men enlwod the building still k.-tping excclk-nt order. Most of tii? clergy were given seats in the choir, and the other* who had walkc'l in the procession quickly filled the remaining parts of the Cathedral. Ve\y of the general public, who had waited in the hope of securing admission, were successful in doing so, and it was a strange sight to see the pillars outside eoraited with the inscription "Church full."

The service itself was strikingly simple, and lasted not more thian half an hour. As the procession passed towards the altar the hymn, " When I survey the wondrous Cross" was sung. Immediately after this the Bishop of London entered the pulpit and gave a. short and simple address.