Church News.

FOUNDATION OF A NEW CHURCH IN S. PANCRAS.

AMONG the evidences of a revived Church spirit which we now see around us in almost every direction, not the least significant, or the least gratifying, assuredly, is the desire that is now commonly evinced to turn to the best and most solemn account any public ceremony, either of the Church herself, or in connection with her institutions. Anniversary festivals are being celebrated with religious rites; the consecration of newly erected houses of prayer is being invested with greater solemnity by the administration of the holy Eucharist; and the laying foundation stones of buildings to be so consecrated and set apart for GOD's service, is being treated with similar reverence, and made equally conducive to His honour and glory. Days of dedication were in former and better times occasions of great religious edification, as well as holy joy; and it is an occasion of this character, the proceedings of which we are about very briefly to relate. In days gone by they were called encœnia, or wakes, the first great design of which was thankfully to commemorate the charity and munificence of those who founded and endowed the Church, to incite others to the like generous acts of piety, and at the same time to promote and sustain, by such social and festive meetings, a spirit of Christian benevolence, purity, and amity.

The festival we allude to was held at Christ Church, in the parish of S. Pancras. The spiritual wants of the district have far outgrown the supply of Church ministration, which even the energy and devotedness of its indefatigable and exemplary pastor, the Rev. Wm. Dodsworth, can provide for it; and a new Church, the nucleus, most probably, of another new parochial district, has been set out, and its work commenced, in Munster Street, near Cumberland Market, the centre of a crowded and increasing population, composed almost entirely of the trading and working classes. The interest of this most charitable effort is not a little enhanced, by its being that of a single pious and munificent Churchman. The founder of this additional house of prayer is the Rev. J. F. Stuart, who has not only undertaken to expend upon it ten thousand pounds sterling, but has agreed to serve it himself, without any prospect of stipend or endow

ment.

The ceremony of the laying the foundation stone was preceded, as all such ceremonies ought to be, by the celebration of

Divine service in the district Church, with the administration of the Holy Eucharist; and it was such a celebration as we are rarely privileged to enjoy in our parish churches, or even our cathedrals. The service was a full choral one throughout, and five choirs combined to give effect to its performance; viz., those of S. Andrew's, Wells Street; Margaret Chapel; a selection from S. Mark's College; the boys of the Chapel Royal, S. James's; and the usual choir of Christ Church. The whole, about eighty in number, were in surplices. They were conducted by the Rev. T. Helmore, Priest in ordinary to Her Majesty, who also sung matins on the occasion. For the Psalms, Mr. Helmore's "Psalter Noted" was used, and they were chanted antiphonally by Priests and choir. After an admirable sermon by the Rev. J. Keble, the Holy Communion was administered, in the presence of the whole congregation, to upwards of five hundred communicants, the celebrant being Mr. Dodsworth himself. The celebration was choral; the service that of Gibbons, with the exception of the Gloria in Excelsis, which was Palestrina's. It was a very solemn scene, and appeared to make a deep impression upon the crowd who took part in and witnessed it.

After Communion, a procession was formed to proceed to the site of the new Church. It consisted of the Clergy, about seventy in number, habited in their surplices; the choristers, numbering, as we have already said, about eighty, also in surplices; and the greater part of the congregation, including several of the nobility: the whole headed by the beadle, carrying a crimson banner with a cross. Their march through the streets, which was effected with great regularity, evidently excited an interest among the inhabitants, who behaved throughout its course with the greatest decorum. A dense throng surrounded the entrance to the ground, most of whom gained admission along with the procession, and every place from which a view of the site could be obtained was crowded with spectators. The Clergy and choristers having arranged themselves upon a platform provided for their accommodation, and Baron Alderson, who had kindly undertaken to lay the stone, having taken his station at hand, the religious service was commenced by the Priest and choir saying the appointed versicles, beginning, “Our help is in the Name of the LORD;" after which the eighty-fourth Psalm, "O how amiable are Thy dwellings," was chanted to a fine old Gregorian tone, with thrilling effect. Several appropriate prayers followed, one of them a consecration of the stone; and then another short series of versicles, beginning, "Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious." After which the hundred and twenty-seventh Psalm, " Except the LORD build the house," was chanted to another grand Gregorian. The learned Baron,

who had himself joined heartily in the chanting, then laid the stone in a very solemn manner, and the choir then sung an appropriate anthem very effectively. The sacred ceremony was

concluded by further suitable prayers, ending with the blessing, pronounced with great solemnity by Mr. Dodsworth. The procession then left the ground in the same order as before, and returned to Christ Church. As Baron Alderson passed along he was recognised by many persons in the crowd, who took off their hats to him. Ay," said one person, "he's a religious Judge, and we ought to be thankful to see it." The people in the streets again conducted themselves with the greatest quietness and respect, and the procession reached Christ Church without having encountered the slightest disorder in any part of the proceedings.

As soon as the Clergy and choristers had divested themselves of their surplices, they joined a large party of the parishioners and others, of all classes, in the Christ Church schoolrooms, where they sat down to a sumptuous banquet of roast beef and plum pudding, which the respected Incumbent had hospitably provided; rich and poor thus continuing to mingle together in happy festive enjoyment. Non nobis Domine was delightfully sung after the viands were removed; and upon the health of Her Majesty being given, the National Anthem was performed with very impressive effect, the company heartily joining in the chorus. The Chairman, Mr. Dodsworth, having proposed the health of Baron Alderson in terms of well deserved eulogy for the prominent part he had kindly taken in the solemn ceremony of the day, and the warm interest he shows in the cause of the Church generally, the learned Judge replied in a brief but eloquent address, expressive of the high gratification it had afforded him to render his humble services on so holy an occasion, and of the satisfaction and pleasure with which he had for many years watched the zealous pastoral efforts of Mr. Dodsworth in that populous district. He regarded Christ Church, he said, in the light of a hive, from which they had issued forth to plant a new colony, which in its turn he had no doubt would become another hive, sending forth its swarm likewise to spread the blessings of the Gospel, and the privileges of the Church,-all in the beautiful order which they had had the happiness of witnessing that day, and which he hoped would be blessed to their everlasting good. These pious sentiments of the learned Baron were cordially responded to by the plaudits of the assembly. Then the reverend Chairman's health was given, as the great promoter of all this happy progress in the work of evangelisation, through the instrumentality of the Anglican Church,—a toast which, at the instance of Viscount Castlereagh,

was received by the company with "one cheer more," in addition to the countless cheers it had already elicited; and that of Lord John Manners, as a friend of the people, was also right heartily cheered, and drew from his lordship a very happy reply, containing some well and warmly expressed acknowledgments of his delight at what he had witnessed, and of his hopefulness of the good it was likely to do among the population all around. The healths also of Mr. Keble, and thanks for his excellent sermon; of Mr. Beresford Hope, M.P., with honourable mention of S. Augustine's, Canterbury; of Mr. Stuart, the munificent founder of the new Church; of Mr. Carpenter, as its talented architect; and of Mr. Helmore, with acknowledgments for his valuable services as conductor of the choir, were all given and responded to with the utmost warmth of respect. As well as the nobility we have mentioned, there were present also Viscountess Fielding, Lady Mildred Hope, Miss Henry, Lady Alderson, Lady Frederick Fitzclarence, and many other persons of distinction. The occasion was in all respects a truly delightful one, and will long be remembered with gratitude and pleasure by those who were privileged to participate in its enjoy

ment.

ELFORD CHURCH.

THERE is something very cheering and encouraging in the thought that the influence of a pious action may extend, not only far beyond the immediate neighbourhood in which it was performed, but for generations after those who performed it have been removed from their trial state on earth; and thus their reward may be increasing long after they themselves have ceased to be active promoters of God's glory.

This reflection was forcibly brought to our minds a few weeks since, as we stood in the midst of a scene at which we heartily wish that all our readers had been present.

It is something like a thousand years ago since Wulfric, Earl of Mercia, bequeathed a vast portion of his broad lands for the endowment and erection of the once famous abbey of Burtonon-Trent. Among his other possessions were the rich meadows which lie in the vicinity of the juncture of the Tame and the Trent,- —a district then, as now, filled with an agricultural population, but apparently more dependent for their subsistence then than now on the food with which the waters of those rivers still teem. Thus, in the spot to which we are alluding, on one side

of the Tame, stood a hamlet inhabited by a population of fishermen, and deriving thence its name of Fisherwick, while on the opposite bank rose a little village, which, being famous in the country side for its eels, acquired the denomination of Eelford, or Elford.

Who built the first Christian Church at Elford is unknown : all record thereof has perished from human memorials. The fact even that there was a church there in very early times was not known till last year, when, on taking down the dilapidated walls of the nave, carved stones were found among the rubble, which could only have belonged to a fabric of a very early date. We have no knowledge of the founder of that original edifice : but as Fuller says, "GOD's calendar is better than men's martyrologies." Many a name which men have forgotten, or scarcely known, is safely preserved where it will be one day read before men and angels. That man, be he who he might, who first raised a church at Elford, built as unto the LORD, and so his labour has not been in vain in the LORD. Not one soul, from that hour to the present, which, through the instrumentality of his little village church, has been put in the way of learning the truth as it is in JESUS, but owes him a debt; yea, every soul which through his pious act has been brought to JESUS, shall add to his reward in the days of account.

And such has been the force of the good example of that unknown benefactor to the people of Elford, that whenever, in the intervening centuries, the fabric of the church has fallen to decay, some willing hand has been found to restore it. Staffords, Ardernes, Stanleys, Stauntons, Smythes, Huddlestones, Bowes, Howards, have in succession been lords of the soil. In the chantry of Elford Church is a series of monumental effigies in alabaster, of some of the most illustrious possessors of the manor. As works of art they are almost unrivalled, but to our minds the most interesting of them all is the recumbent figure of that good knight, of whom in brief language it is recorded, that he builded half the existing church.

It is not our object to enter into antiquarian details, and so we shall content ourselves with saying, that after three extensive restorations in the course of the last thousand years, Elford Church was ascertained to be in so dilapidated a condition that a complete reconstruction was necessary. And once more willing hands were not wanting.

In May, 1848, this work was commenced, and is now nearly completed. This being the case, we can assure our readers that they will be much gratified by an inspection of what has been done. We borrow from the columns of our contemporary, the 'English Churchman," an account of the re-opening :

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