The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-08-26 00:00:00

BISHOP ELLICOTT ON CATHEDRAL
REFORM.

The beautiful choir of Glocester Cathedral was re-
opened on Sunday, after having been closed for three
years, and after having in the interim been beautified
at a cost which, in the end, will involve an outlay of at
least £ll,OOO of the £15,001) which is Mr. Scott's original
estimate for the complete restoration of the cathedral.
The choir is I openol thus early that the nave may be
duly prepared for the festival. The walls have been
thoroughly cleaned and repaired; the floor has been
lowered and relaid with very beautiful encaustic tiles ;
the old pews have been replaced by handsome oak
sittings ; the vaulted roof and its tracery have been
made brilliant with gold and colour. Much more
remains to be done, which in due time will Ite done,
and there will be another opening when the reredos and
other parts have been finished.
The cathedral N. W. crowded on Sunday, anti the
preacher in the morning was the Bishop, who took for
his text the worth in Isaiah, •• Our holy and Geauteful
house."

Ile rej,decil hi the all but completed restoration, more
faithfully true to the past and to Its hest artistic influenceg
than had ever toren carried ilit : and then he dwelt upon
the imposing ceremonials that had been witnessed within
those walla during the 771 years since the first Abbot
entered, slue summer's morning, in solemn procession into
that place; the crowning of a Plantagenet King. the
burial of a hanleas successor, the funtembling of Convocation,
mid 84, Oa. Ite alluded with grief to the worda of these
who supposed we were separated loy only a abort future
that would reduce the Church if England to the level
of a sect among sects, and place our venerable cathedrals
anti ancient parish churches at the dieposal of every Coln-
peting holly of Christians. While pointing to the excep-
tional circumstances Id tile Irish Church as toeing that of the
minority, he sant matters were different here, and gave his
decided opinion that the English Church will stand all
trial. As to the more spestai question %Melt had slig-
nested the current of his meditations, tlie Eisinq. asked,
—''Will our cathedral institutions statist the test
Will this, our holy and beautiful house, remain as it now
remains, or will Change and ilinoraWai despoil and
modify? The answer has, in fact, already been given—that
as the Mother Clittrch will stand, so will these institutions
which are so vitally connected with her influence and de-
velopment. hut. in making such an answer, there is
the same tacit limitation and condition. As we doubt
not that the National Church will stand, because she ap-
pears to be mole awl more seeking to realize her holy litig-
ation, so will our catheslral institntions stand If they realize
their true uses and purposes. On that Condition, however,
everything really depends. and the next few years will show
this with unmistakeable cleansers. The aggregate endow-
ments of our cathedrala antiount to 2 large Sala, and
the question will be asked, with Inanely plainness, Is
work done, whether mediately sir immediately, in any
degree Conlinelliatrate to that noble munificence id old times
which, in great part, remains available to our cathedrals
even unto this slay ;• Such will ls.? the homely question :
let as be prepared to give the homely answer that if
there lie the fair day pay, so is then', in the sight
of all men, the fair day's labour. But what is that labour?
What stight it to he? What nMst it ? What is the
labour ? Why, to carry tout in practice the real partiose of
cathedrals. Aall What Is that purpose ? The slower can
easily be given—to lie not merely bedellOUSeS where tiresl
merit may secure repose and dignity, not merely the
last remains sit the mire aelienie is w Melt worldly
estimates have ascribed is inuch attractiveness and use-
fulness ; nay, not even to Ike exclusively places where
contemplative and sequestered learning may find for itself
a home to lie tionlething liiulstfl. somothing holier. Some-
thing Mere endeilling to every (Me 84.11 of the Church of
England to be, in every gen,, the pariah Cliiirehes of the
diocese to which they helms, to he the centres if sphitual
energy and life ; tho maniples of noble and reverent
worship, of stirring services, and if faithfill !treadling
the homes of Men w11,,,ie and aliperintending
counsels are thankftilly felt throughont the oliomse. and
winos, wisdom and energy are ever readily placed at the dis-
posal sit the many home tor missionary associations svhich
toss are spreading in nil portions of ism country.
It -I our eatbeilrals only realise this very intelliigilde sail
homely ideal. :mil ths-re need be It., anxiety as to their
(satire. lad rVery cathedral e 2241
its, If front its half inherited, half-adopted collegiate system,
from its flora, and its scclusions, find mike itself not tally
the its. thee Chtirch sit the city, but the parish church of the
diocese, awl then let it fearlessly face any trial which the
stirring tints-A itt which we live tint) think tit to apply to it.
It will stand the trial easily anti securely, and will einen.te
from it stronger and 111,e Consolidated than hefore. There
is real ground for such a hope and belief--for, thank tloS,
there Ls a feeling everywhere showing itself. not only among
those Without, lsttt amiong those within. that these inble
buildings must be made attire available hor public worship,
for holy awl dignified services, awl for spiritual and effec-
tive preaching. The iaoptilar services at 5.11 r two metro-
politan eatheslrals ; the crow tel nave services that are wow
fast becoming a regular element in the catheslral system
threughout the country ; the inercasing readiness on the
part of the .tuthorities and guardians of those ancient
houses it Clod to meet the grow-tad and developing
Church feelings tof the slays in which we are living,
the atlViue utt,i Silage:o6,llz hut Lady offered by many of
them. and just made public in an hnportant Parlianten-
tary paper sit (lAA Very year, --all ths se signs et ap-
preciative readiness to meet earnest public feeling are abun-
dantly reassuring. The danger that stone time seemed fast
approaching, of ',weeping :Ind fundamental change, has now
sensibly receded, simply because every true-hearted English-
man, every one who has it reverence for the past and a sym-
pathy with the better movements of the present, would in-
finitely prefer that salutary reform should come fnan with-
in, rather than that it should behaved amines from without.
The Ilanger is for a while receding, but let 'loom fora moment
deceive himself. Unless our cathedrals more and more hi-
crease in efficiency, unless everywhere by reverent services,
noble and soul-stirring mule, s ital preaching, frequent 0,12
minions, and in reference to the diocese at huge, widen
ing Apar:Able:4 and quickened Church feeling utiles., in a
wont, ths-y heConle, as already said, more and More the, true
pariah chmehts of the slioceae—ehanges, it may he, swift
Hall sodden. Midden as tll44se that fell on a sister Church,
miii as-rep over our cathedral 'system, and innovation. pro-
bably attra 23141 1111.pariliZ, will deal with institutions
that really need sally well-etonsidered and reasonable rehirni
Let as then Ike thankful that all sober thinkers, tooth in
Church and State, seem alive to this, and let its, resting on
thin, book hopefully and cheerfully to the future. There is
a life and salt in the sdil and mottle trunk, and the winds of
spring will yet play alums; the newly put forth leaVell, 211 d
add fresh elaaticity to the spreading branches. 'The cathe-
deal system of England has a noble future before it, if only
Goal gives us grace too make wise use of taw ~.reitt forrOrta-
nide, 2ad t4r cleVeloope by our Zeal and earnestness that old
deep home feeling which stirs itt every Englishman's heart,
hobo Churchman or be he Nonconformist, when he looks
upwanla to the histt one towers awl spires of those noblest of
our heritages of the past—theme hotly alid beautiful hsouses of
our yet favoured land. IM this feeling, if there Ike only on
the part of those concerned an inereasest desire to respond
to and draw mit that feeling, we may rest securely even in
times of MoVetilent and change."