The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-04 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1859.

NEW-YE42B SERVICES FOR THE WORKING-
CLASSES.

Yesterday evening the London Diocesan Home
Mission, of which the Bishop of London spoke so highly in
his recent charge to the clergy assemded in Si. Paul's
Cathedral, oommenced a series of new-year's services for the
working-classes at several amebae fu the most cleanly
populated portions of the metropolis.
At the pariah climb of the well-knewn district of at.
Giles, heretofore a bye-word for poverty, filth, and crime, the
scene presented wee a striking one. The people were invited
to eons in their working clothes, end the church woe
crowded, the vast majority being of the class of persons for
whom the service* were specially designed, with • sprinkling
here and there of the small tradesmen of the neighbourhood.
Amongst three people, hitherto mambo from the church and
• society, the bishop wilt appear next Friday night. The Litany
worries yesterday evening was read by the Rev. Anthony
Wilson Thorold, of Queen's College, Oxford, rector of
the parish, after which • sermon was preached by the Rev.
Copal Molyneux, M.A., chaplain to the Lock Hospital, who
selected for his text the let chapter of St. Pad's Epistle to
the CONISIi&111, 12th verse—" Giving thanks unto the Father
which bath made us meet to be partaker. of the inheri-
tance of the Faints in light." He asked those present whether
that was really the oass, and could they give God thanks for
such an inheritance r To be meet was to be tit or
ready, and if they were fit or ready for that they were fit for
anything that might happen to them in the world, for any
sorrow that might overtake them, or for (natant death.
How suddenly death might come upon them they might
learn from that solemn event which occurred • few days
Ince at the Vistoria Theatre. What • tremendous mho:laity
it was-41km persons, ao to speak, being honied into eter-
i. that Jwrat- w•• ituddwrible that arsy ens
say that such • calamity might not hap
to himself.
lie did sot say that it was because they were in • theatre
that this calamity overtook these persons, or that they ware
sinners beyond other men. Very far from It. At the same
time he was no friend of theatres ; be hated them, and he
was sane that they were a dreadful evil. He wee sure they
led astray all who went there, and that they were full of the
devil's temptations and mama. This he must say—that it
wee a very mlmon thing for • man to die where he would
not wish to be found, and he would say to his congregation,
" Don't go to any place where you would not like to die." A
church might fall or • fin might break out, so that sudden
death might happen to any, but all should take care not to
venture anywhere where they would be ashamed for death
to overtake them. The rev, gentleman proceeded to explain
and to apply the text, which tie did with much earnemales,
while his easy colloquial style appeared to make • great be-
premien upon his auditory.
At St. Dunstan's, Stepney, where • similar service was
conducted, the sermon was preached by the Rev. Thomas
Jackson, M.A., Prebendary of St. Paul' e,and Rector of Stoke
Newington.
The Council of the London Diocesan Home Misdeal are
making most energetic efforts to reach the London poor
through this new movement in connexion with
work. The Rev. Samuel Thornton, M.A.,Fellow or Queen's
College, Oxford, has been appointed by the society fur miss
sionary work amongst the poor at the north end of London ;
the Rev. John Popham, who has had a long experience
amongst the poor as curate of St. George the Martyr, South-
wark, end the Rev. William Hill, have been appointed for
similar erotic in the *sateen of London, and are achieving
highly important results. Viscount Gage, Bir Oswald Moo-
ley, Bert., Mr. Blaney, 1.P., Mr. Sheffield Reeve, the Go-
vernor°, the Bank of England, Mr. Abel Smith, Dr. Dar-
ling, and other gentlemen, have subscribed liberally to the
support of the miasma ; while two persona, who are " anony-
mous," have contributed the handsome sums of 3001. and
1001. respectively. Still there are many thickly populated
end pauperised portions of the metropolis which have yet to
be supplied with this mission work, and for which clergymen
well adapted for such an occupation may easily be obtained
as soon as the funds of the London Diocesan Home Mission
are in such • state as to justify their appointment.