Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-08-30

where Isaw many Roman and early English Antioui
ties such as the finger ring of Alfred the Great and
the watch Of Queen Elizabeth and also passed some
hours il the Bodleian Library, which, however,
to be examined to much profit would require
weeks, months AS it vacation I STAYED
but short time in Oxford, hoping to visit it again
during Term.
On my second Sunday in London I went down
with the Bishop of Oxford to attend service at
Hornsey, one OF the villages near London which
the Metropolis is opening its monstrous jaws to
swallow up, and which in a few years it will have
made part of itself. At present it is beautiful
rural spot, and the church and rectory and NAV
add, the clergyman, are admirable representatives
IN their respective departments, of the Church of
England The sermon, which was delivered bv
the B1shsp OF Oxford, was, might be expected
very able and interesting. At night I went to
the special service at Westminster Abbey Il
was held In the nave of the Church, which was
crowded to It's utmost capacity. The congre-
cation, In its numbers, and in the fulness
of the volume of sound, with which the
anthems and hymns were sung resembled
one of those camp-meetings 1 remembered
to have attended in my youth, although in or
der and decorum, and 1 may add, in knowledge
of music, 1t was very different. The service was
indeed one of the most impressive ever attend
led. The Church is the most beautiful and one
of the grandest in England, and was as have
said, crowded with an intelligent and apparently
devout congregation. The music from q Choir Of
some fifty men and boys, with fine voices and
thoroughly trained, accompanied by an organ of
great power, and occasionally sustained bv the
voices of hundreds, perhaps thousands of the
worshippers, rose among those grand old arches
over our heads, like melodious thunder The
service was, of course, CHORAL and it is well to 90
to one of these special services at Westminster
Abbey, or st. Pauls, to know what choral SER
wee is capable OF effecting. ANY at q parish
church is tame and feeble compared with it. The
sermon, without being very original or powerful
was animated and impressive, and like the one
mad heard IN the morning, was extemporaneous
so far as not to be read from manuscript II
seemed to me however to be precomposed rs TO
it's diction, which was not the case with that of
the Bishop of Oxford.
On the next Sunday, heard Dr. GouIbourr
both in the morning and afternoon His sermons
were such as might be expected from the author
Of those admirable writings which are so cencr-
ally and justly admired in America, as well as in
England. Indeed, if 1 am not much mistaken,
one of the sermons [ heard, belonging to a series
on the Lords Prayer, will, before long, form part
of a volume intended to elucidate and enforce
the Divine Lessons taught us in that Blessed For
mulary. My strength has improved SO much that
L did not hesitate to go to third service at night
again choosing Westminster Abbey There by
the kindness OF Canon Hawkins well known in
our country as Secretary of the Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel, but who is now one of
the Clergy Of the Abbey,) we had tickets admitting
us to reserved seats the pulpit, and were able
to hear with more comfort O sermon of consider
able power from Mr.. Miller leader of the Evan
gelical Party. The choice of preachers at these
special services is made by the Dean of Westmin-
ster, (Stanley,) who being Broad Churchman,
prefers broad basis for the religious instruction
of the people, and therefore invites men of every
school in the Church to fill the pulpit of the Alb
hey, e. g., DR.. Pusey on the one hand and Mr.
Miller on the other. DR.. Pussy however, un-
derstand, declined.
must now bring this letter to a close but in
doing so, feel authorized to say few words in
regard to my health. [ have continued steadily
to improve ever since reaching this country, but
as felt my first business to secure for myself
and thereby for those to whom my services are
due, the greatest amount of benefit to my consti-
tuition which could obtain, 1 determined to visit
some watering place for that purpose. In doing
this, L was recommended first to consult Sir
Thomas Watson, one of the most eminent of liv-
ing physicians. After examination of nv case he
took the same view of it which had been taken by
my friend and physician at Wilmington, DIR. w.
q. Thomas, and indeed by the physicians gener-
ally whom had consulted, that is, that there was
no disease in the structure of any of the organs,
but debility in the action of several. He there
fore recommended me to come to Tunbrdge
Wells and drink its Chalybeate Waters, which are
the more invigorating, because surrounded by n
peculiarly healthy and beautiful country / fol
lowed his advice and here I am. Hoping soon to
write again,
[ remain yours, r. A.