The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-12 00:00:00

CONSECRATION OF A NEW CHURCH AT

RICHMOND.

On Saturday last the Bishop of Winchester consecrated
the handsome edifice which has just been erected on Rich-
mond-hill, and which bears the designation of St. Matthias'
Church. It is an exceedingly spacious building, being cal-
culated to accommodate a thousand worshippers without
having recourse to galleries. "It is built," to borrow the
architectural description of the Union, "from a design by
Mr. Gilbert Scott, and has a nave, aisles, and side chapels in
the position where the transepts are usually planned, to-
gether with a chancel and semicircular apse. There is a
clerestory, supported by a series of columns and arches that
divide the nave from the aisles. The moulded work, com-
prising the voussoirs of these arches, is sumewbat plain;
but their labels are terminated by heads of the Apostles,
carved in stone with great taste, feeling, and judgment.
The abaci of the capitals are octangular, formed of mould-
ings of the most beautiful section ; and their bell portions
are profusely embellished in endless variety with carvings
of the leafage, and fruit and flowers of the oak, rose, ivy,
maple, bramble, briony, lily, marigold, vine, convelvuli,
&c., conventionally treated; some portions of which,
particularly those at the external angles, are in very high
relief and much undercut, so as to be rendered highly effec-
tive. The whole of the capitals of the divisional shafts in
the apse, the slender ones of its three windows, together
with the corbels that support the arches dividing the aisles
from the chapels, alss the brackets on which the principals
of the roof rest, are all similarly treated, and thus keep up
a due and satisfactory harmony in the carved work of the
interior. The western doorway has a tympanum over it
which is tilled by moulded work, having in its centre an en-
riched boss of briony leaves, encompassed by a circular
moulding. The seats are all open, and, though not finished
with poppy heads at their ends, are extremely characteristic.
There are already three stained glass windows in the church,
all of which, we understand, are donations. Two of them
have been supplied from the works of Mr. Lavers, are two
lights each, and are inserted in the south aisle. That nearest
the east end represents our Saviour in two characters, viz ,
the " Good Shepherd," and as standing knocking at the
door. These figures were designed by Mr. Marks, and are
rereeseated under canopies which have exceedingly rich ruby
backgrouude, appropriate borelerings, and the panels below
them of geometrical design. The other window by Mr. La-
yen hes also a rich background, on which is emblazoned
medallions of the rose, lily, passion-flower, and vine, ren-
dered conventionally in a very artistic manner. There are
quatrefoils above, of a corresponding character, with sacred
monograms introduced in their centres. The pulpit is of
wood on a stone base and pedestal, and is placed opposite the
base of the cancel columns on the northern side." We may
add that it is very tastefully carved, each panel bearing a
design which combines the well-known linen pattern with
foliage. The font is of Caen stone, and consists of a round
basin richly decorated with sculpture.
Mr. Scott has introduced into his plans one or two archi-
tectural novelties, which deserve a passing notice. Thus
the west front, which is very elaborate, is crowned by a
moulded arch, similar in size to that at the other end of the
nave by which the junc!ion with the chancel is effected. The
experiment is not, however, likely to invite imitation. It
has a make-shift leok, and suggests the idea that it is in-
tended come day to lengthen tl e clutch, which, considring
the position of the tower (over the west bay of the north
aisle) is, of course, out of the question. The chancel roof
s in some degree a stone construction, the principals
being curved, and resembling the ribs of a grained
It is simple and very effective ; hut it may be doubted whe-
ther there is not a little dkprep,rtion between the vault-
ing shafts and the somewhat light timbers which rest upon
them The stained windows do not entirely escape the long-
since exploded, but it would seem not altogether obsolete,
mistake oft unning too much on the positive colours. air.
Ruskin ha', we believe, somewhere, an cicque:it and very
sensible passage on this subject. The points mentioned, how-
ever, are but miner blemishes, and the church as a whole
does credit to the taste and the enlightened liberality of its
promoters. The entire cost of the building and fittings up
to the present time has been about £8,000; and it is worthy
of remark that when it was handed over to the bishop for
consccra!ion it had net only been paid fur, but the committee
had £7O in hand. Nevertheless, a sum oof £1,5 was re-
quired
to complete the beautiful and spire which had
for the present been left uniinisbed.
The dedicatory services on Saturday were in conformity
with the usage of the di( cese. The sentence of consecration
was read by the Chancellor, Mr. Sumner, and having been
signed by the bishop, was handed to the registrar, Mr. R.
C. Rothesay, for enrolment in the archives of the see.
After the Nicene Creed, the right reverend prelate en-
tered the pulpit and preached an eloquent sermon from Rev.
xiv., v. 23, " And I heard the voice of harpers harping with
their harps ; and they sung as it were a new song before the
throne." Dr. Sumner contrasted at some length the ac-
count given by St. John of the ritual of heaven and the
celestial congregation, with the congregations that fre-
quented the houses of prayer on earth. In heaven the whole
assembly and church of the first-born were present; but the
assembly who had met there that day were but a few out of
a whole parish, just as of old a few were gathered toge-
ther in an upper roam out of an entire people. But why
was that ? Why was the congregation ecletic instead of
catholic, a gathered flock instead of all the sheep for whom
Christ had died? In Heaven all the congregation wore
the white robe, which was the righteousness of the
saints; but how many on earth were there who hail not
on the wedding garment ! Were there none in that
very place who had come for cariosity, none from custom,
none from compulsion, none to see, none to be seen? In
Heaven they worshipped before the throne itsef ; on earth
they could only approach God through ordinances and means
of grace. Still they must not suppose that the "new song"
spoken of in the text was like the sweet but unintelligible
strains of distant music. They were told its very words—
" Worthy is the Lamb that was slain !" That was Heaven's
music; let Christians also make it theirs. Let them echo
back in their lives the celestial accents that came to them
from above. Finally, let them remember that amongst the
20 harpers there was none who struck a discordant note,
none that was mute. Let them never forget that unity was
the *hest Christian duty. It was not when the sacrifices
were offered, not when the Ark was borne into the Holy
place, but when "the trumpeters and singers were as one to
make one sound to be heard in praising the Lord," that the
Temple " was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could
not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of
the Lord had filled the House of God." The right rev. pre-
late concluded his address by congratulating the people of
Richmond on the auspicious event which had called theta
together. The affecting sentences were then read,
e_ati_d a
c 3.
collection was made, amounting to the liberal sum f.ti
After the ceremony the bishop partook of a handsome
collation provided by a number of ladies of the
parish, in a
spacious marquee erected near the church. The chair was
taken by Mr. Selwyn, Q.C., the donor of the site. The
learned gentleman, after acknowledging the liberal subscrip-
tions of the royal family, proposed the health of her Majesty,
e/ the lady of the manor." He then proposed the health of
the bishop, making a graceful allusion to a 'miler occasion,
when his late father had received the right rev. prelate at
the consecration of St. John's Church, seven-and-twenty
years before.
The BiseroP, in responding to the toast, pronounced a
warm eulogium upon Mr. Selwyn, and remarked that im-
portant as had been the benefactions of the family, its most
valuable gift to the church had been the chairman's right
rev. brother, the Bishop of New Zealand. Dr. Sumner then
complimented the vicar, the Rev. Mr. Dupuis, upon his
exertions for the good of the parish, and proposed his health.
Mr. Dupuis, in reply, gave a humorous account of the
difficulties with which the committee bad had to grapple, and
the triumphant success which bad crowned their efforts.
The BISHOP next proposed the Chairman; and in acknow-
ledging the toast,
Mr. SELWYN announced that the Marquis of Landsdowne
had promised 50/. towards the completion of the tower and
spire, a sum which he (Mr. Selwyn
150/. (Cheers.) ) would make up to
" The Committee" and " The Ladies" were next duly
honoured, after which the party broke up.