Gloucester County Democrat., 1902-09-04

Tea tea hot tea bowls of tea !'' NJ
one could mistake the land where that CRY
would be almost the first to great the
travellers ears. 1t is as unmistakable a:
the old battle cry : For st. George and
England ~ Above us were the dark gun,
and long Notifications which keep guard
over one of Englands ports of entry
Ever since the days of the Roman occu
patton sentinels have paced the heights O
those chalk cliffs, and in entering the
harbor of Dover we passed near the scene
of the battle which first tested the strength
Of the Invincible Armada, which had come
to dethrone Queen Elizabeth.
Our first sight of England's IS soldiers wa;
anything but impressive. 1t is said you
can become accustomed to anything and ]
suppose the English people are so accus
toned to the undress uniform that it has
ceased to be ludicrous to them. The ''bon-
net" worn at such times is just of size tc
| fit in nearly between the part of the hair,
in the middle, and the ear. To keep the
little thing in place a cord is absolutely
necessary. A light cane held under the
arm completes the picture.
At Dover we had some time to wait for
our train, and | think never so thoroughly
enjoyed advertisements. For weeks, the
reading of one was task, and all were
very much like examination papers. Now
could read without an effort and the con-
sequent freedom was luxurious.
The ride to Canterbury was one of the
most enjoyable of our trip. The fertile
fields, the hedge-rows, with here and there
belated hawthorn blossom, the neat cot
tages, with roses blooming on the walls, and
the general sense of comfort and peace
seemed to suit the quiet of the early even
ing. Then there were the hop fields, of
which | had so often read the fomous hop
fields of Kent
There is an indescribable fascination in
Canterbury 1t is old, very old, but as
fresh and clean as if but recently built
The streets are narrow, and seem more so
because the second story of the old houses
projects beyond the first, sometimes sup
ported on oddly carved brackets. The
town was adorned in festal array for the
proposed celebration of the Coronation,
and the streets were crowded with pleasure
seekers, and remained so to a late hour.
Naturally, we sought the cathedral whose
sweet bells we heard Ginning the quarters.
And what music that was to our ears. 1t
was very different from the monotonous
changing of the bells we had heard before.
Opposite the little street, Mere, ~ Lane, was
the gateway to the close. Unfortunately
the stone is very soft and the storms Of
almost 500 years nave obliterated the work
which once adorned it. AS we passed be-
meath its arch we left behind us the scenes
and sounds of the town and entered upon
the holy ground Never will | forget the
of iol, fo1t hot fha1 1rol
close. The clean drives and walks, the
velvety grass, the shrubs and noble trees
and the majestic minister, tower crowned,
formed a picture to delight the eyes in
those late evening hours. Only the rocks
in the trees or the bells in the tower broke
the peaceful silence.
We had most corteous guide and pleas
ant companion, young engineer of the
Royal Navy, home for short vacation.
His home was within the close and he
knew its every corner, its history and its
legends. With him we walked around the
Corona or Becket's Crown and saw the
arches of the old infrmary chapel, most
BEAUTIFUL ivy-clad ruin. Beyond was the
treasury, with its barred windows, While
above it rose st. Andrews tower. Through
old windows of lovely stone tg2cery we
could look out toward the Be<Nfstry. We
went through the Dark <~ntry and the
Prior's Gateway into tbsg Green Court. on
one side of which jsTthe Deanery. From
this large courtA lovely little park, we
had an excellsNt view of the north side of
the cathedrS
crossing the court we saw the Kings
sc1oeT and the fine old Roman staircase by
y, hich the second floor is reached. The
steps are worn with many feet and l
thought of Marlowe as a school boy, run
ing up them. 1t was late when we reached
the gate way, and we then discovered we
we're locked in, but our new-found friend
acted as our sponsor.
We had fastened to Canterbury to wit
ness the celebration of the coronation of
King Edward VII. The service in the
cathedral was one of inter eess;o l, instead
of rejoicing. In the school of experience
we had learned what such service meant,
and we entered with all our hearts into the
prayers of that hour. The service was held
in the choir which is as large as a very
large church. A squad of soldiers and the
town officials were there, as we'll as large
number of the people. This service was
very simple, consisting OF morning prayer,
with the special prayers for the King. Dean
Farrar read the second lesson. He is very
weak now, far differant man than when
heard him in Philadelphia. 1 had not
thought of him as weak or sickly for he
was such vigorous speaker, and his books
are written in most virile style, and, con-
sequentIy, his ,ndition was shock to me.
l had failed to note the years which had
passed or count their inevitable changes.
Historically, Canterbury is one Of the
most interesting of English cathedrals.
pass by the British and Roman periods of
its history, to recall tie fact that here
rheodore's work began, which resulted in a
church of England instead of the church of
the Britons and the church of the Angles
and Saxons. 1t was this united church
which made possible united people. So
Canterbury Cathedral is the birthplace of
the English nation. Stephen Langton was
its Archbishop. 1t was he who gained the
Magma Charta for the English people, so it
is the cradle of English liberty, yes, and
of American liberty too.
Tie Declaration of Independence is the
natural conclusion drawn from Magma
Charta by those who were brought up in its
liberty.
Canterbury Cathedral has been associ.
ated with the superstition of the English
people and with their awakening. The
pilgrims of whom Chaucer tells were jour
\ neying to the woodworking shrine oi
Thomas A. Beckett. Archbishop Cranner,
one of the successors of Thomas A. Beckett
was leader in that great movement for
evangelical trnth, whose fruits we Of to-day
enjoy. Such thoughts as these cluster
around that sacred edifce and make il
doubly dear. will not stop to speak ol
| it's architecture, for it is one of the best
known cathedrals through the many pic
lures which have been made of it, and
there are other things in Canterbury ol
which l want to tell
Most intimately connected with Canter.
bury is the name of St. Augustine, Greg
ory the Greats missionary to the heather
| Angles and Saxons who had overrur
Christian Britain Gregory had planned
TO preach the gospel to these heather
people, but his elevation to the See ol
Rome made such work impossible Au.
gustine was therefore his deputy. l need
not repeat the story, parts of which are SC
| familiar. Among the works of Augustine
| ..-oe +t,o foundation of a rnnnactaru xuhinl