Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-04-26
ODDITIES IN SERMONS
ANNUAL DlSCOURSES THAT ARE
PAID FOR BY LEGAClES.

ceives Fee OF ff5O-The Text Prob
lem of the "Museum Sermon"
Every year on Oct. 1G is preached at
ST. Catherine Cree church in Leaden-
hall street the lion sermon 1t com
memorates the escape, over two cen
turtles back, of a then lord mayor, Sir
John Gayep. who while travelling in
the east encountered a lion, which. on
his repeating the prayer of Daniel, al
lowed him to pursue his way unmo-
Tested. In gratitude for his miraculous
, escape the worthy citizen left direc-
tons in his will that commemorative
sermon should be preached annually,
together with sufficient money to carry
this bequest into effect.
Every Jan. 30 for 225 years has the
"Assheton sermon" been delivered in
the parish church of Downham, Ian
cashire over two centuries since Sir
Richard Assheton of Downham Hall
left legacy of "a year, e thereof
to be distributed among the poor and
| the remainder to be paid to a clergy
man for an annual exposition, on the
date of the testator's death, of Job
xix, %, 2G. and Colossians iii. 3, f.
The "Spital sermon" which is deliv-
cred every Easter before the lord may
or and corporation of London at Christ
church, Newgate street, originated in
an old custom by which the bishop of
London appointed some learned cleric
to deliver a sermon at st. Paul'S
Cross on Good Friday as prelude to
three sermons on THE Resurrection
to be given at the pulpit cross in the
Spital on the following Monday, Tues
day and Wednesday by a bishop, a
dean and doctor of divinity respec-
lively.
The following Sunday at st. Paul's
Cross another divine passed judgment
on these discourses, and Oh this occa-
sion the mayor and corporation. who
had on the preceding Monday and
| Tuesday been CARRIED in scarlet at
tended as on Good Friday and Easter
Wednesday, robed in violet gowns.
Ere their migration to Horsham the
boys of the Bluecoat school were al
ways present at the "Spital sermon"
Flower sermons are still to be
heard in more than one church. On
Whitsun Tuesday at st. James church,
Mitre court, Aldgate, one of these is
preached, while at st. Leonard's
church, Shoreditch, a botanical dis
course is, in accordance with the will
of Thomas Fairchild, who died in
1929, annually delivered. At Stepney
church the horticultural sermon" calls
to mind the long past days when in
stead of being surrounded by thou
sands Of houses the church overtopped
country village with its quaint cot
tages and well tended gardens.
Annually on April the inhabitants
OF Twyning. Tewkesbury, attend the
church to hear a sermon upon mar
riage preached in accordance with the
bequest of a lord of the manor, who
in 1715 left sum Of money for this
specific purpose. The preacher him
self receives fl, the parish clerk shil-
lings. while f3 los. is divided among
bered seventy -one.
The handsome fee of 16 guineas is
paid to the preacher of the accession
sermon" which each year on the ami
versary of the reigning monarch's ac-
cession may be heard in Durham cathe-
dral. One unusual and. as some may
consider, commendable condition at
taching to this discourse Is that Its
! duration must not exceed fifteen min
utes.
This fee, large though it seems, is in
significant beside the ESQ paid to the
preacher of the golden sermon" which
may be given in any church within q
six mile radius Of Haberdashers' hall
This sermon had its origin in the be
quest of one William Jones. who many
years since left an annual sum OF
f4OO to be given to the preacher of the
most eloquent sermon within the above
limit. OF this sum 1850 now goes to
the chosen cleric, while the remaining
1850 is divided among poor clergymer
. of the east end.
Perhaps, however, the most origina
discourse delivered from an English
pulpit is the museum sermon" which
is annually preached in little chape
. near the village of auckland Newton
Dorchester. 1t derives It's name from
the fact that the clergyman, generally
a stranger, finds on mounting the pull
pit that its desk has been covered witt
a various articles, Of the nature Of which
he has been kept in ignorance, all o.
which are mentioned In the Bible. Or
these he is required to deliver an ex
tempore sermon, fitting them all will
apt text and Biblical Illustration
London Standard.
q The Liberty Bell.