The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-16 00:00:00

SONS OF THE CLERGY.

Yesterday, the annual festival of this ancient cor-
poratlon was held with the customary solemnities. In the
afternoon the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, and the other civic
functionaries attended divine service at St. Paul's cathe-
dral, which was greatly crowded on the occasion. there
were also present the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, the Arch-
bishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of Salisbury,
St. Asaph's Oxford, Winchester, and Chester; Mr. Justine
Fatteson, i.ord Overstone, Lord R. Grosvenor, Sir R. H.
Inglis Mr. Freshfleld, M.P., Mr.' Owynne, M.P., Arch-
' deacons Hale and Sinclair, the Rev: Dr. Whewcll, Mr. W.
H. Tinney, Master in Chancery, &c. &e. The prayers were
beautifully intoned by the Rev. Mr. Webber, and the les-
sons read, very impressively, by the Rev. W. J. Hall. The
choir, which was assisted by those of her Majesty's Chapel
Royal, Westminster Abbey, and St. George's Chapel, Wind-
sor, sang the responses tolthe well known harmonies of
Tallis ; and the psalm appointed for the service to
a double chant by Dr. Crotch. The Cantata" and the
" Deus Miscreatur," were both Attwood's, in D. The an-
them was that by Dr. Wm. Hayes, " Praise the Lord, 0
Jerusalem;" and 'before the sermon, Dr. Boyce's celebrated
composition, " 0 where shall wisdom be found ?" was per-
formed with great effect. The preacher was the Rev. Dr.
Vaughan, bead master of Harrow school, who took for his
text Numbers, viii. verse 14, " Thus shalt thou separate
the Levitcs from among the children of Israel, and
the Levites shall be mine." Upon which he grounded an
eloquent appeal on behalf of those admirable men who de-
voted their whole lives to the service of the church, and
whose miserable pittances prevented them from making any
provision, either fur them's'lves, when they should he inca-
pacitated from labour by disease or years.—often anticipated
by their anxieties on behalf of their flocks—or fur their fa-
milies, when death should deprive them of their head.
After the discourse the Hallelujah Chorus was magnifi-
cently performed, and the congregation having received the
benediction of the right rev. diocesan, then withdrew.
At six o'clock about two hundred gentlemen, includ-
ing the distinguished personages" already mentioned,
sat down to an excellent dinner, served in the Merchant
Tailors' Hull, Threadneedle-street, by Messrs. Bathe and
Breach, of the Loudon Tavern. The Lord Mayor in the
chair.

The cloth basing been drawn, the right hon. gentleman
proposed "the Church and Queen," which was followed by
Prince Albert, and the rest of the Royal Family."
The CHAIRMAN then gave" Prosperity and perpetuity
to the institution," coupling the toast with the health of
the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Lord Mayor entreatad
the company, while affording proper support to the various
new charitable institutions which had sprung up of late
years, not to forget their old love; but to continue their
exertions on behalf of what he must consider one of the
must glorious institutions of the country. (Cheers.) During
the past year alone it lout atfailed relief amounting to
3,4•10 f. to 189 clergymen, 4,1151. to 411 widows, 3,701. to
419 adult maiden daughters, and Id!. to 5 adult sons ; in
addition to which it had expended 1,315/ as apprentice foes
to 44 sons, and 1,297/. in 67 outfits ; making a total sum of
14,29'2/. applied to the relief of I,Ri5 clergymen or those de-
pendent on them. (Cheers.)
The .Archbishop of CAN'IERBURY, in responding, said
he had always considered the Corporation nt the Sons of
the Clergy us one of the brightest jest els in his mitre ; and
he had always looked upon it as one of his greatest privi-
leges to exert whatever influence might belong to himself
or to his office in favour of so admirable an institution.
(Cheers.) He badever looked upon these meetings as links
in that chain which bound the lay element of society with
the clerical ; and he felt great pleasure in proposing the
health of the Lord Mayor. (Loud cheers.)
Some other toasts having been drunk,
The TREASURER announced that the collection
at the cathedral had amounted to 91!. ; at the dinner to
d 391.; annual subscriptions, 2531.; dividends on stock,
269 f.; total, 1,155/., or within 91. of what had been contri-
buted up to the same period bait year. After the festival,
however, a considerable sum had been received, and he
hoped such would be the case this year. Ile should also
state that this report did not include the donation of thirty
guineas from each of the stew-ants, and which was charge-
able with the expenses of the festival ; but he was happy to
say that these gentlemen hail contributed much more than
the stipulated suns, and the balance would hi! funded, so
that the corporation would receive the ber.efit of it in future
years. (Cheers.)
The " !widths of the Dean and Chapter, with thanks to
them for the use of the cathedral was proposed ; and in
responding Archdeacon Hate said that he hoped next year
the arrangement% by which it was proposed to fit up the
nave for Divine worship would enable thousands, where
before only hundreds had dune, to join iu the religious
portion of the anniversary.
The " health of the Merchant Tailors' Company " formed
the conclusion of the proceedings, and the company Him
broke up.