Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 11, 1902. The Coming Coronation.

Manawatu Herald, 11 February 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 11, 1902. The Coming Coronation.

In a few months time the papers will be flooded with long and picturesque accounts of the coronation of King Edward. There has been already anticipatory accounts of the forms and ceremonies that will be observed, but it will be well if we endeavour to form a groundwork of fact prior to the receipt of the interesting accounts of what occurs at the seldom witnessed spectacle. The coronation will - take place in Westminster Abbey, the first building of which was in the 7th century, but the church becoming ruinous it was splendidly rebuilt by Edward the Confessor during the years 1055-65. Whilst viewing the enormous size and wealth of London of the present day it appears hardly possible that 800 years ago London and Westminster were one mile asunder, and that the houses were thatched, and there were mud walls in the Strand.

The chair upon which the King will be crowned is built over a block of sandstone which used to be in the cathedral of Cashel and used by the Kings of Munster, they having obtained it from Scotland were it had been used for the coronation of the Scottish Kings. Eventually it got back to Scone from which it was taken by King Edward I and placed in Westminster Abbey, and has since been used at all coronations. The first instance of a Christian sovereign receiving, from the hands of a priest, his crown is recorded in 457. The service is built up on the principle of wedding the sovereign to the people, as each incident of presentation is marked by the insistance that the Lord our God is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords “ so that no man can reign happily who deriveth not his authority from Him, and directeth not all his actions according to His laws." The ceremony of annointing the King is the outcome of very old observances as Saul was annotated King in the year 1095, 8.0., and Alfred the Great is said to have been the first English King to be so treated. The holy oil is contained in a vessel called the Ampulla, which is of gold in the form of an eagle with expanded wings, and one of the clergy pours the holy oil into the Spoon and annointa the King, in the form of a cross, on the palms, on the breast, on both shoulders and between the shoulders, on the bowings of both arms and lastly on the head, saying:—“As Kings and prophets were annointed, and as Solomon was annointed King by Zadok, the priest, and Nathan the prophet, so be you annointed, blessed, and consecrated King over this people, whom the Lord your God hath given you to govern.” The Royal or Si. George’s Spurs made of gold curiously wrought, without rowels, are taken from the altar and the King’s heels touched with them. Anciently the difference between the Knight and the esquire was, that the knight wore gilt spurs and the esquire silver ones. The Sword of State is made the occasion of again reminding the King of his duties to his people, as when presented to him the Archbishop will say “ With this sword do justice, stop the growth of inquity, protect the holy Church of God, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order,’ The “ Wedding-Ring of England ’’ with which the King will be symbolically wedded to his people is of plain gold set with a large table ruby on which the Cross of Bt. George is engraved. Legend says the ring belonged to Edward the Confessor. The Orb is given to keep in re-mmnb-i’r.je . n the part of the King

“ that the whole world is subject to the power and empire of Christ our Redeemer.” The Sceptre is the ensign of kingly power and justice. The Sceptre is a more ancient emblem of royalty than the crown. In the earlier ages the sceptres of kings were long walking-staves; they were afterwards oarved and made shorter. The offering of the Sceptre and the Rod marks a relic of feudalism, as the Duke of Newcastle holds his manor of Worksop by thin service.

The final act of the service, prior to the act of homage by Princes and Peers is the presentation of a Bible to the King as ‘‘the most valuable thing that this world affordeth.” The coronation ceremony though surrounded with much pomp and pageantry is enveloped and: embued with a Christian act and spirit which must appeal to all.