The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-09 00:00:00

A PROPOSED " BALDACHINO" FOR
Sr. BARNABAS, PIMLICO.

In the Consistoty Court a petition by the vicar
(the Rev. G. C, White) and the churchwardens
of St. Barnabas, Pimlian, having been presented for a
faculty, or licence, to erect a " baldachin,o' in the
church, the Chancellor Issued his citation, and Mon-
day, August 4th, was the day appointed to hear counsel
in support of the application. The petition by Mr.
G. H. Brooks, the proctor for the faculty, stated that
it had been considered desirable to erect a baldachin,'
for the adornment of the east end of the church. A
plan and estimate had been prepared, and on the sth
of April last a vestry meeting was called, when it wan
unanimously agreed that the proposed adornment
should be lanced in the church. The estimated cost of
the baldachin° was about £6OO, of which 1:100 had
been provided and the remainder promised, and he
therefore prayed that it might be erected. The Onin-
cellor granted a citation, the parisbioners had been
served with notice, and no opposition was made to the
inning of the licence.
Mr. Walter Phillimore was counsel for the appli-
cants, and addressed the Chancellor on the legality of
the propmed erection, to which he understood there
Vnit4 no objection,
Toe Chancellor said the muter was of importance,
as other applications would be made, and the Bishop
of London wished the matter to be legally deter-
mined. He had therefore appointed the present
sitting.

Mr. Phillimore, after stating that the expense would
be about £6OO, and the parishiot ers had made no objec•
tions, proceeded to trace the origin of the term, as men•
honed in the Architectural Dictionary. The word "hal-
dachino meant a canopy over the altar, or holy table,
and he referred to the opinion ex premed in a letter by Mr.
Street, the architect, of the proposed adornment. It
was an Italian expression, used in 1130, and was
conuected with the Eastern Powers in the Crusades.
The word had been used to denote a canopy or cover.
kg put over kings or imperial personages, and also
over bishops. He was not aware that there WM any
symbolical meaning in a baldachin°, and believed there
was not. He cited EIOTLIJ Lutheran churches where
there were baldachinos, mentioned a charge of the
Bishop of Lioceln, and referred also to hie tour in
Italy. The learned counsel produced the plan of the
prop seri erection over the holy table. He also men-
tioned that there wise one at St. Barnabas, Oiford, which
was put up before the AM of consecration. There were
coterines over fonts, and it was considered that there
should be a baldachin° or rsoopy over the Communion
table at St. Barnahas, Pimlico. Where there was •
basilica there should ale, boa baldachin°. Boils were
now permitted before the holy table, to which there
had been some ohje tion, and a•ter dwelling on various
authorities, he submitted that it would add to the dig-
nity of the church that the proposed erection, which
was one of a costly description, should be allowed to be
erected, te which there was no objection.
Mr. Brooks observed that ties bishop of London had
made no objection.
Dr. Tristram said his Lordship wished the matter to
be considered, and had referred it to him as his Chan-
cellor, as w her appliestions were about to be made.
Dr. 'Tristram wished to collect all the information he
could on the anbjeot before be gave his decieion, and
he asked the learned counsel to furnish him with the
several instan.tes he had quoted that he might refer to
them.

Phillimore undertook to supply the Chancellor
with the information he had requested. He sub-
mitted, in conclusion, that there was nothing sym-
bolical in the erection or superstitious ia its use, or
contrary to the law of our Church in such an erection.
It would add to the dignity of a church, and he trusted
that the Court would feel itself authorized to grant a
licence for its election in the church, the vicar of which
and the churchwardens without any objection made
by the parishioners, had applied that such arindorus
went might be placed over the• Communion table.

The Chance observed that the application was a
novel one, and, as other applications were likely to be
made, he wiener' to look into the matter. It was a
(motion of some Importance, and he wordd take some
time lief ire he delivered hie opinion.
OftolKment RUM accordingly deferred.