, 1863-07-21
LETTER FROM REV. DIX
CL3EI&SGE OF Tells CITY.

LETTER FROM Rev; I2R
CL3EI&ScE OF TELLS CITY.
Sunday Nights Service at West
minister Abbey.
| The following interesting letter from Rev
Dr.. C1nrkson, OF st. James Church, Chicago
on the 26th OF June last in London, to hispar
1shioners, describing Sunday nights service
/ in Westminster Abbey, win be read witt
great interest by them and his numerous
friends In Chicago:
/ LONDON, June 28.
| AtT BELOVED PAB1sruoSERsl take 1t fos
granted that you will be glad to have line
from me now and then, II even to know that
I still think OF you oil with aHection and with
interest, -thongh seas divide Us.
It ia on Sunday chiefly that my thoughts
turus homewards, and if could but see you
all, Ae7s for an hour, and join With you In the
prayers Of our dear Church, and speak to you
the Words Of Lite, I should be very well ablo
to bear my absence without much anxiety. I
| trust that mY recreation shall prove mutually
profitable to us, and that the many new things
I see, and the many historic places I visit may
ftes1en and strengthen me formy work among
| Jou for years to come.
From Liverpool, which reached after a not
unpleasant passage Of near twelve days, Iwent
| to Chester md spent day in the old Cathe~
dtal there, where Bishop Pearson labored and
| where his body rests. Ny first Sunday On
land was spent in London, and as attended
On that night one of the most interesting ser
vices it has been my privilege to witness,
will give youa Shorthand meagre account Of 1t.
| SUNDAY MIGHT SERVICE At WESTMINSTER
| ABBEY.
The opening Of the grcat mare Of the abbey
for n special Sunday night service for the
muses. Of the London population, llas proved
to be most happy and successful expert
lnent. In going Into an English Cathedral,
whilst walking up the bro1d aud pillared nave,
| one cannot help feeling sad; that this largest
| portit Of the vast edifice which was wont,
in cen nries gone by, to be filed with crowd.
| ed ranks of devout worshippers, is nor useu
merely for sculptured monuments, md
| eehues only to the tread VI the sight
seer aud the visitor. Hence, In almost Ill Of
the English CatAedrals thu only portion now
used tor public worship is the Choir, or head
Of the tTansept- This l., indeed, generally L
large Church in itself, although d very incoa.
sIlerute part (in sizc) OF the great structure.
] Recently, however, the Dean and Chapter of
Westminster determined to fit up the nave
for public service on Sunday nights, md the
result Of the enterprise has been very en-
couruging. Thousands and thousands who
| roam along the Strand and around Charing
| Cross, and up aud down Piccadlly aud
| through the adjacent parks, crowd to hear
the living word In that splendid sepulchre of
| Epgland's mighty dead
The service was advertised for I p. m. In
London, observe that 1t is very common to
| advertise the hours and pluces Of worship,
and even the officiating clerg5, aud in so11e
| cases the suhject Of thesermon. This Is done
| not only through tho newspapers, but by
| la,ge placards posted along tbs streets, ana
| west front Of the abbey at Csc, and found a
| crowd there extending tor so or 100 feet from
| the door, consisting Uf all kinds and classes
| Of people, from the apparently rich and high
born down to the scry lowest and hamblest.
| (But there was no American pushing and
shoring|-ali vas quiet and orderly and 1erer-
| ent. In few moments the huge doors were
thrown open and the vast throng silently and
quickly glided into the great nave. The 1rst
things that caught my eye were large placards,
headed ..Lpthe1's uynn,', and containing
the words Of that glorious old song: 'Great
God, what do see and heart" These pla-
cards were hung aIl a1ouud the pillars In the
nave, and along the side walls, an:, orer au1
around and under all the monuments aud
eMgies-wherever one could bang. One WAS
UuHE ~ lQi&k IL 6Ct14EA w 1AH L1dk EQU4H
stand in any part Of the nave and read tha
hymn. Besides this, q printed slip, contaIn-
ing the words, was put upon every one Of the
$500 chairs that had been placed in the build
| Ing for the accommodation Of the worshfppers.
Thc choir and trunsepts, and side cn1pels
were Fastit1oned of from thc nave; tempo-
1ary framework enclosed the elevated dias on
which the reading desks And tho choir seats
| were placed The pulpit, which WAS Of the
| most elegant and costly material aud work
| ~ 1~,7$ $kna I'll h
| east, and seemed to be Of very recent cree
tiun. Between each pillar a1mple gus stan
| dard stood, each one containing seven Jets
except the two adjoining tac platform, which
contaiued thirty each. The whole arrange
ncnt was very plain, Inexpensive and conFe-
nient More thnn dozen very respectable
| looking yergers, dressed in black gowns With
embroidered sleeves, acted as ushers 70 seat
the vast crowd that came pouring In the west
door, until full seven O'Clock. noticed that
some Of the strangers took them to be clergy,
| and stoke Of them Is such, aud as far as thtir
Appearance went, the mistaEe was natural
rrougb, as they looked iar more dignltled 1nd
clerical than many Doctors OF Divinity 1kaow
| Of. About zoo Of rhe chIfrs nearest the rad
iog desk and pulpit seemed to be RESERVED fo5
paTtits admitted there By special fnvor I told
one Of the vergers that 1 was an American
| clert., uan, and would probably never attend
| such service more than once In my life. and
asked bis kindly Offices to procure me favor
AH4E cEAG- LIZ "ao FtA$ pVA4tV AA0 lNQh A4G ~
= good position alongside the monument Of
Sir Isaac Newton, and presume right over,
| his ashes. vas privileged to join with this
| immense congregation largest had ever
seen assembled together in the worship Of the
God Of the living and the dead. Every chair
was filed, from end to end Of the nave, aud I
euppose that MI the Episcopal churches Of
| Chicago could stand inside Of that nave, and
no: nearly I'LL it up. Just as the Abbey clock
| struck seven, the organ commenced, and the
I I-$- =.
| pliced choristers, so in number, followed by
| thu clergy, among whom recognised Dean
| French.
The service WIS entirely choral, aud though
lam not good judge, it seemed to me, finely
rendered. But the chief glory Of the service,
of Luther's, "Grcat God what do ! SEQ and
hear-the end Of things createdtn Never did
| hear such music, and never do expect to
hear the like again, this side of Heaven, The
voices If the choir, and eren the1oulest pea1s
Of the organ seemed to be lost entirely in the
vast volume OF earnest, hearty, harmonious
singing that rose from those i, 600 tongues
and hea.ts1 Never can forget tho emotions
that swelled my hreast-never can I forget
that sublime scene.
Then came the sermon, from the text, "Be
clothed with humility" It was u sermon of
very effectively delivered, and full of the Soirit
of the Blessed GOSPEL. The Rev. D.. Ltddon
was the preacher, if was correctly Informed
by gentleman sitting near to me- !. cane
down the aisle Of this solemn aud hoiy sane
tuary, filled ali over with monuments COM
memoIatiye Of the great departed, T could not
but rejoice that within these walls, to the
grsatt7. l:ring {because they shall live) was
preached the Everlasting Word. Preaching
to sou]s that cannot die, the mercies Of the
Father, and the lore Of the Saviour Is a finer
use Of that grand old historic scene, than even
the making of it 4 resting place toz the bones
of the honored dead.
Ihaye many, many moro thugs to tell OF
my Sunday In London, including service at
the famous All Saints, Margaret street, and
street preaching to the ragged aud tlehased
nultisudes Of the Seven DiRls, but the present
letter il long enough. R. E. G.
Nem advertisements.
I n - GrPTVFH IL 4.