AN ANTI-RITUALIST.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 163, 27 October 1883, Page 3

AN ANTI-RITUALIST.

An Aucklander writes : — I was christened and ■confirmed in St. Paul's Church, Auckland. I shave been to Sydney, Melbourne, and down .'South during the last three years, and, Sunday week being the first Sunday since my return, I ■thought I would pay a visit to the old church, of ■which visit . I shall proceed to relate my expedience. On entering at the door there was no -verger handy, so I made my way to a seat unaided, when, on looking round, I saw that things generally were partly unaltered and partly very much altered. First of all, there ■wcJj&e same pleasant face of old Hardwiek, who seenjed to go about his Sunday work in the old (unconcerned way, with no one to help him in a -church with two entrances, consequently leaving a crowd at one or other of the doors. But the incumbent did all he could to help him. out of the •difficulty, as he citme down from the reading-desk .and ran half-way up the side aisle, just to tell Abe verger there were three or four seats empty in front of the gallery. It did not look altogether a*ight to see the parson in his flowing robe dancing after the verger, but I suppose it is one of the things new.

Another one is fche parson beating time ■with his finger during the singing of the anthem. It is my opinion that while lie was having the gallery altered, lie might have had the reading-desk turned the other way about and placed in the centre of the church, and then he could be choir conductor, verger, and parson at one and the same time. Among other things is the Papish look the chancel has about jit, with the two banners (which, by-the-bye, -would, do for the Salvation Army, as the device -on one would suit very well, viz., "My blood is -drink indeed ; but the other, " My flesh is meat ■indeed," I don't think would do so well, as there -is not enough blood and fire about it). Then T.there are the shields, titivations, and devices round the windows ; then the coloured cloth on communion-table (I suppose the white looks too pure and neat, or perhaps they can't afford I to get one washed). The communion-table is L mounted, &s follows : At- each end a plate (to reFxnind' the. congregation of the collection); in the |' c§ atre some sort of a tablet, divided into three t \mrt|,, omthe centre one a gilt cross surmounted fe; >y a, crown : ; at one side a large A, and the other v_ de something like an inverted utensil, but which ;I put down as the letter N ; and in front »-o£ the whole there are two bunches of flowers.

Altogether it loots very Papish, not to mention • the way the minister walks about the building, j first from vestry to gallery, followed by tte -reader, or whatever he is called ; then to the ■ reader's - desk ; then to the pulpit ; and, lastly, ' intc the dhaneel — in fact, you can never be sure <of keeping your eyes on him for one moment. If I were given to dreaming, I might have thought T was going up the aisle of St. Patrick's Cathedral instead of St. Paul's. I don't know whet^pF the parishioners or vestry have auything to do with these carryings on ; if they have, and this is what they call High Churching, the sooner the old 6tyle is revived the better — there .seemed to be more religion in it, at any rate.