Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-13
TWO WEDDING, TWO CENTURIES
Unique Record of st. Peters, We're
street, where Pews Are In
Great Demand.

LONDON. Sept. 12.-(Special)-Two mar
riages only in two centuries is a record
Of which possibly but one church in the
world can boast. That church is st.
Peters We're street. And yet st. Peters
is one OF the most fashionable churches
OF London. The reason of its record is
curious. The church is not licensed for
Maria
Four years ago in the little church, with
the aid OF a special license and a special
proclamation and dispensation, the arch
bishop of Canterbury, primate OF all Eng
land, assisted by a distinguished gathering
Of clergy married his chaplain, Rev. Mr..
Mcmillan TO Miss Maurice, granddaughter
Of the late Rev. Charles Maurice, and
daughter of General Maurice. In the mid
die Victorian period DR.. Maurice was the
ncumbent Of the church. He soon became
celebrated as the most eloquent and power
ful preacher in the Church Of England, and
brought st. Peters from the unknown
ranks Of a chapel of ease to its present
status of a famous and fashionable church.
The only other marriage celebrated I'm the
church was that of Lord Selborne's daugh-
ter TO Colonel Lord Digby of the Cold
stream Guards. This was some years ago
and King Edward was among the guests.
D0N " AhG ldNA AAlaN NiAG VI q Noh5h
ter Of England's lord chancellor, it Is
doubtful whether the special authorization
needed for the ceremony would have been
issued. In the Observation-Disclosures wedding
the fact that the bridegroom was chaplain
to the Archbishop of Canterbury made IL
easier to grant the brides request that
she might be married in her grandfather's
Old church. The fees for the special license
and special authorization amounted to $3.50.
st. Peters was built two centuries ago
by the earl of oxford as a domestic chapel
to his big mansion on what we're then
the outskirts of London. About a century
aGe, when the earldom became extinct, the
chapel. became the property of the crown
and has remainded so ever since. For
years it was used as a chapel Of ease
and has never had a parish attached to
It. The government finally charged pew
rents, in DIR. Maurice's time, for the church
was crowded to the doors twice every Sun
day, When DIR. Maurice died Canon Page
Roberts of Canterbury, another OF Eng
lands most famous preachers, succeeded
him and is still in charge. Canon Page
Roberts comes to London only during the
social season and during the other months
of the year his curate onducts the serv-
ices, and distinguished preachers from all
parts NlSlt lnere. me late BlSnOp POItef
of New York has been heard there.
The exterior OF ST. Peters is very plain.
1t looks more like a little old church in
the backwoods of the United States than a
famous London place of worship. But the
interior is a thing of beauty. Thousands
upon thousands of dollars have been spent
on 1t during the last quarter of a century.
It's marvellous windows, altar pictures and
decorations are all by Burne-Jones and
hundreds of American tourists visit II every
year to see them. It's congregation is said
to be the most intellectual in England.
The church being so near Cavendish square
and Harley street, a large number OF
scientists, surgeons and physicians attend
1t. Lord Cheylesmore. eX-mayor OF West
minister, and his American wife attend,
The duke Of wellington. Lord Roberts and
a hundred or more great peers are pew-
holders. So anxious are people to attend
the services that the vestry always has a
waiting list of over 500 who have applied
for pews.