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ground.' The earth was sprinkled upon the coffin by the sacrist, according, we understand, to an ancient custom always observed in Ely Cathedral. On Canon Selwyn concluding, by expressing his assured hope of the resurrection to eternal life, the organ and the choir once more joined in unison, not now in tones of grief and wailing, but in the exultant anthem, ' I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, From henceforth, blessed are the dead which die in the LORD: Even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.' The concluding prayers were then read by Canon Selwyn, after which the Very Rev. the Dean pronounced the benediction, and the mournful service was at an end. The family of the deceased drew near to the edge of the vault, gazed long and mournfully on the coffin, and then slowly left the cathedral. When they had turned from the grave, the rest of the mourners drew near, and it was long before the last of them had taken his departure from the Presbytery. As they passed from the grave, the evening service of the cathedral, which had been delayed on account of the funeral, was proceeding."

We can scarcely turn from the thoughts suggested by the departure of one so great and holy; but our duty calls us to other themes. And first we have to mention the formal opening of the schools of the Holy Trinity, Bordesley, near Birmingham. This event took place on the festival of the Holy Innocents, and was celebrated in a manner which serves to show how, far and wide, the principles of the Church are being successfully disseminated. Divine service was celebrated, and the Holy Communion offered, the sermon being preached by the Rev. C. F. Pigott, Curate of Handsworth, from S. Matt. xiii. 14. The service was choral. This ended, a procession was formed of the double choir, in surplices, and the officiating Clergy in surplices, stoles, and hoods, walking down the chapel, and through the graveyard to the schools, chanting the 115th and 148th Psalms. reaching the upper schoolroom, where the children were

On

assembled, a short service was used by the Rev. J. Oldknow, saying, "In the Name of the Ever-Blessed TRINITY, GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY GHOST, Three Persons and One GOD, to Whom it is especially dedicated, we open this school-house, intended for the education of the poor children in this district in the Christian Faith." At its conclusion, the Clergy partook of luncheon in the parsonage, and the choirs in the school-room. Evening prayer was sung in the chapel; and after service, about two hundred persons partook of tea in the school-room, which was decorated with evergreens. The meeting was addressed by the Clergy of the chapel and others, and a selection of vocal and instrumental music was performed by the choir.

An attempt to restore the ancient Church festivals, and especially of the greater seasons, has been made with some success in the parish of Kingkerswell, Devon. On S. Stephen's day, Divine Service was celebrated morning and afternoon in the parish church; and in the evening, the greater portion of the poor were entertained at the parsonage to tea, roast beef, and old English fare. The richer members, who had contributed to provide for the feast, sat down with their poorer brethren; and it was a right gladsome sight to see, reminding one of the olden times. Addresses were delivered by the Clergy, and some appropriate carols and anthems sung by a newly-formed choir.

Of church restorations we have to mention that of All Saints, Coleshill, undertaken at the sole expense of the Rev. E. Bouverie, and carried out under the direction of J. W. Hugall, Esq., of Cheltenham. A local paper informs us that three most unsightly galleries, all the decayed pews and other fittings, have been removed, and replaced by handsome open benches, prayer-desk, lectorn,

and pulpit. The arcades have been repaired, and cleansed from all whitewash; two new windows, filled with stained quarries by Wailes, of Newcastle, have been inserted in the north aisle. The ancient font has been restored, and properly placed with a suspended cover. The parvise, which had in part been closed for many years, is now opened out, and a new open-timbered roof fixed upon it, and the organ placed upon its floor; the wall separating it from the nave having been removed long since, and a gallery erected projecting northward. Other and effective alterations have also been made. The same architect is now engaged in the restoration of All Saints, Faringdon. We are glad to find that one who possesses so Catholic a spirit, as is manifested in his magnificent chancel at S. Marychurch, Devon, is in various quarters finding employment for his talents; and we trust to have many more of his successful works to chronicle.

We are glad to find that Yorkshire also still maintains its ancient reputation for Christmas festivities. Our contemporary, The Guardian, informs us (as we have also heard from a private correspondent,) that

"The Christmas services at S. Paul's, Shadwell, Leeds, were of a most satisfactory character this year, and calculated to improve the devotion of the faithful, and give them a higher respect for this sacred season. Evensong on Christmas Eve was choral, and very many persons seemed to appreciate the privileges of Church-membership, by being present at that time.

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The services on the festival itself, were as follows:-Holy Communion at 8, a. m.; Morning Prayer, Litany, and Holy. Communion also at half-past 10; Evensong (of the Nativity) at 3, p. m.; and again (of S. Stephen) at half-past 6. There were a greater number of communicants (consequently a larger Offertory, which is much needed during the cold season) than have been present during the past two years and a half. There were also crowded congregations at the other hours. All the

festival services were choral; and Mozley's Church Hymnal was used, almost for the first time. The church was decorated (as is more commonly the custom here than in the south) with wreaths of holly, laurel, and box. The altar was vested in a new white antependium; behind it was a dossel of white, with a pink cross; above which was a wreath of evergreens, with a cluster of white camelias. Around the tapestry in the apse ran an inscription, in Lombardic characters, CHRIST is born in Bethlehem ;' and two coronæ, of three lights each, were suspended from the arch of the apse. The standard for lights in the nave, and the pillars, were wreathed with evergreens.

"The December sun lit up the beautiful stained windows with great brilliance, and altogether the little church presented a most satisfactory appearance. Festival services were held during the octave. On the Feast of the Holy Innocents, at the invitation of the Rev. C. F. Milner, the Incumbent, the senior boys and girls, with the choristers, met in the schoolroom for a Christmas Feast. Grace was chanted, and, having partaken of a substantial meal, of the usual fare of this season, they proceeded to amusements and games, in which the Incumbent and others present spiritedly joined. The evening wound up with the distribution of prizes from a very pretty Christmas tree, well lighted with tapers: which, being a novelty, afforded much amusement, and at a late hour all separated, highly delighted with the evening's entertainment.

"Such occurrences, at such seasons, are exceedingly calculated to regain the affections of those who would otherwise look coldly on the efforts of the earnest to win back for the Church that position which past apathy and neglect have suffered her to lose."

Of books we may mention with especial commendation, a touching little work entitled Bereavement (Masters) which shows how suffering patiently borne produces golden fruit; and a tale of greater pretensions, entitled The Choristers (Parker) by the author of the Matin Bell, which has pleased us much. The same may be also said

of the Christmas Tale, by one of our own contributors. A little more attention to rhythm would render the verse more perfect.

We must recommend to our readers a new volume of Commentary on the Canticles, by the BISHOP OF BRECHIN. The volume is uniform with his others, viz., those on the Te Deum and Penitential Psalms; and a more beautiful set of pocket devotional books we do not know. The Canticles used in Divine Service are illustrated, the learned author tells us, chiefly in "their evangelical sense, to show how fully words which are day by day in our mouths, do actually refer to CHRIST."

Notices to Correspondents.

Annie's "Auld Lang Syne" is a pretty page from the "Pleasures of Memory," but in itself is not enough for our pages. She had better let us have her address.

J. E. P.-The Vigil of the Purification is the day on which Christmas Decorations should be removed. See Churchman's Diary. Lines on S. Valentine's Day have been received.

If a Correspondent whose letter bore the Stoke Damerel postmark, will give us any address to which we can write, we have no doubt we can fully satisfy him concerning the point on which he writes. "Annuals and Perennials" is an entirely different work to the one to which he alludes.

We have not received the MS. which "Miss M." mentioned in a letter received the other day. We will attend to her wishes. We will consider the questions proposed by a

the beginning," and answer him in our next.

"Subscriber from

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