Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-07-21
Westminster Abbey.

as the oldest church in Christendom.
1t antedates st. Peters five centuries.
Tn early times, that part of the town of
Westminster, which adjoines the Thames,
was surrounded by a branch of the river
SO as to form an island called Thorney,
SO named from its being covered with
brushwood. Here on the site of the
present Abbey, Sebert, King of the East
SaXons, is said, in the seventh century,
to have built church. This was shortly
after the introduction of Christianity
into the southern part of Britain by
Augustine, who came thither in SOY.
This church was replaced by an abbey,
and called Westminster, to distinguish
it from the cathedral church of st. Pauls,
called originally Westminster.
The first edifice of stone built on the
site was by Edward the Confessor, be-
tween 1866 and 1865. The Pyx House, a
low apartment 10 feet long by 80 feet
wide, is nearly all that remains of it.
The principal parts of the existing
Abbey were built by Henry ILL., In 1920
he erected chapel dedicated to the
Virgin which was afterward pulled
down by Henry VII. who erected on it's
site that which is known as Henry VII IS
Chapel.
In 1916 Henry III. took down the old
abbey of Edward the Confessor, and
erected the existing choir and transepts
and the chapel of Edward the Confessor.
The remainder of the building was COM
pleted under the Abbots, the western
part of the nave and aisles having been
erected between 1910 and 1883. The
only important additions made since
then have been the upper parts of the
two western towers, which were the
work of Sir Christopher Wren. The
whole building forms a cross, its extreme
outer length being 500 feet, and it's width
across the transepts 203 feet The height
of the roof is 102 feet, and the west
towers 22o feet.
The Abbey was at one time the bury
ing place of English Kings, and it has
become national honor to be inferred
within its walls. The famous remark
of Lord Nelson: "Victory or Westminster
Abbey" indicates this. 1t is crowded
with tombs and monuments. The noble
dead of England lie here. Some whose
only title to nobility was their birth.
Some to that birth have added infamy-
more have added glory. Side by side
lie three women famous in English his
tory. One remarkable for her courtesy !;
Ollc iOI IcI UcduUy anu StC,
history and the other for her genius
sionate devotion to Rome and Philip
II. of Spain, almost cost England her ex-
istence, as we'll as the Protestant religion
its foothold. The other is Mary Queen
| of Scots, whose tragic death at the hands
of Elizabeth, has gone far to oblitcrate
the memory Of her intrigue and crime
| The other is the good Queen Bess,"
whose title to goodness lies more in her
achievements and sagacity than in her
virtue. The Poets Corner contains tho
remains of many, the lustre of who's
| memory sheds glory not only over the
venerable Abbey, but over the whole
English speaking race
| Here are monuments TO Chaucer. Dry
den, Milton. Gray, Shakespeare, Gold
| smith, Addison. and others In tho
north transept are monuments to such
parliamentary celebrities as Pitt, Fox,
Chatham, Charming and Wilberforce
Elsewhere are monuments to Watt and
Stephenson. One of the most recent is
one to Livingstone, the devoted mis-
sionary, the intrepid traveller, the friend
of humanity.
The coronation of the Kings and
Queens of England takes place in the
Abbey. Here are kept the coronation
chairs and the stone of Scone-not things
of beauty, but nevertheless things of in
terest. The coronation chair is of an
cient date. 1t encloses the stone upon
which the King sits during the cere-
mony of coronation. This stone Was
| formerly in the possession of the Scotch.
and used by them at Scone, where their
kings were crowned. 1t is called the
Stone of Destiny, and was carried off by
Edward |. from Scone in 1896. It is
claimed to be the veritable stone which
Jacob took for pillow at Bethlehem
This fact of tradition is not to be mo-
Tested by critical investigation, for it is
more than possible that the story would
not stand the test. The other chair was
made for the occasion of browning
| Mary, when she and her husband
William ILL.,, were declared King and
Queen of England. Since which time
both chairs have been used.
will close this paper with reference
| to the Jerusalem Chamber, made some
what famous by several incidents. Here
it is that Henry N. died. Shakespeare
thus refers to it in his Henry ~:
| King Henry-Doth any name particular belong
Unto the lodging where first did sorrow?
| WdrlCick-'Tis called Jerusalem, my noble lord.
| Hing He9,ry-Laud be to God. Even there my life
must end.
| It hath been prophesied to many years
! should not die but in Jerusalem;
Which vainly supposed the Holy Land
But, bear me to that chamber! There I'll lie!
In that Jerusalem shall Harry die.
The other event which has made this
chamber famous is the Westminster
Confession of Faith. The body which
| framed this noble confession held it's sit
tings in this chamber This confession
the greatest, as it is the latest, of the
Protestant symbols, was the product of a
| five and a half years session. AS soon as
the Long Parliament assembled IN 1910
it set itself to consider the question of a
reformation of religion. On the 23d o.
| ember, 1641, it passed this resolution
I'm order the better to effect the refor-
nation of the church, there should be a
general synod of grave, pious, learned
and judicious divines, who should con-
slider all things necessary for the peace
| and good government of the church,
! Out of this proposal sprang the West