The highest of the High Churches in London.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 922, 2 March 1881, Page 2

The highest of the High Churches in London.

The London correspondent to the Otago Daily Times, makes the following reference to one of the most popular or select circles, among the many forms of religious worship hovfr observed in England : —I have lately visited one of the highest of the High - Churches in London, that of AJL^aints^ r Margaret-Street, of which ’ the Rev. Berdmore Compton is vicar. Some ■- idea may be formed of its magnificence from the fact that, though there are seats for’only about 600 persons, it has cost between a quarter and a half of a million.sterling.. Most of this is spent on the inside, as the church stands on a small piece of ground and is nearly built in. There is not a square foot of th© inside of the walls which” is not decorated. The money is spent in marble and granite and gold. A description of these decorations would not suit your columns, but I should like to jot down a few thiilgs which srruck me. The congregation contained as many men as women. The bonnets did not outnumber the heads. The sexes sit apart, on ’Opposite sides of the church. There were no grand enclosed pews, and no reserved seats. Each persquyvas co titled to a chair who could get ope, and the West End Duchess sat side by side with the poor governess or shopgirl, repeating the same praydrs to “ Odr Father which art in Heaven.” Agaiirt, I never saw in any place of worship so large a proportion of men with good foreheads —of unmistakable cuftnre and refinement, though here again tl(e richest and the poorest sat side /W side. There are held in this church eight services every Sunday and four services on every ordinary Week-day, with extra services on festivals. The? •■■average number of services chnnot be less than 85 per week. Eight clergy serve the Church, besides hearing confession and attending to jail the duties which cluster round such a centre of Christian activity. Many of these services are short; the whole service including the sermon, did not exceed an hour on the occasion of my visit, and another congregation waited to enter as we came out The sermon was plain, earnest, simple, and manly. I don't like the doctrine, and 1 fear the tendency of these people, but I respect the men. I am sure that Punch has greatly erred in spreading the impression which is common among those who don’t know any better, that the High Church clergy are a weekkneed set, with a like following. I am not sure what their numerical strength is, but if we should calculate mental, and especially spiritual force, I have no manner of doubt that they are the strongest party in the Church to-day. They represent, too, the. church of the future. They gain ground like an incoming tide. Who ever heard of either priest or layman brought up upon these reverent interesting services caring for Low Church afterwards ? But whither does it all tend ? Are they not bound for Heaven, changing at Rome ? Cannot say. One is bound, however, to respect their own view of the matter, which is, that they arrest the stream of emigration to Rome on the part of thousands who must have an aesthetic service, but are glad to get it without going all the way to Popery if they can. I fancy that this is the Catholic view of the question, as it is well known that Popery has no liking for the section in the English Church which most nearly approaches it. There is a good deal of sympathy here for the Rev. Pelham Dale, who is now in prison for his High Church practices The Church of England Working Men's Society have issued a very strongly-worded protest against his imprisonment.