Year: 1870

From the London Times, June 20.


The announcement in our impression OF Wednes-
day that Dean Stanley intended TO make "Charles
Dickens and His Works" the subject of his sermon
in Westminster Abbey, on Sunday, brought toge-
congregation to the afternoon service, yes
terday, and some time , before 3 O'CLOCK
as well as the seats in the sacrariun. The service
(which was Farrant in G minor, had nothing re-
luarkabe about it. at the end of the Third Collect,
the Dean was conducted to the pulpit and TOOK his
text from the gospel of the day. the parable OF the
most appropriate to the OCCASION and chimed n ad-
mirably with the service performed within those
who for years had delighted and instructed the
generation to which he belonged He showed
formed something more than ordinary "paraole7
and that in spite OF both the one aud the other
heing ''as purely imaginary beings as Hamlet and
'Shyock, j" it was tale of real llIe so real that
can hardly believe it to be fiction, aud not an
preacher sanctions this mode of teaching which
has been in a special sense Gods gift to our own
assumed various forms, the divine flame of
poetry, the tar-reachlng page of science, the
searching ANALYSIS OF philosophy the glorious
pre- acher orator, the grave address of mordst
some extent we have them still but age has de.
veloped Ike this the gift OF speaking in parallels, of
teaching by nction." Poetry" he continued, "may
ljnde a Ofter fire, the drama may rivet +'s atten-
ton more firmly science may open wider norizoQ,
and philosophy may touch "a deeper spring, but no
works 81 peLetratingor so persuasive enter
many houses or attract 80 many readers, as the
nance novel OF modern times And in proportion
as the good novel is the best, so is the bad novel
the worst, of instructors out the work OF the
successful novelist, If pure in STYLE elevating in
Thought and true in Its sentiment, is the best OF
blessings TO the Christian hOme which the bad
writer would debase and detile In the writings of
Charles Dickens it is clearly SHOWN that sit is poss-
bic to move both old and young laughter without
the use of single expression which could dehe the
purest or shock The most Sensltve;" he taught les
son to the world that it is possible to jest without
the introduction of depravng scenes or the use OF
nnseemly and filthy Jokes. "s9 thought

and loving humorist whom We mourn
Gaske a and % Wiiam @ Thackeray" But he arged
there was something even higher than this to be
SdS WI sT Well To sneak 81 of in bs bnGse % a G
and beside that new-made grave. "ln tnat long
series of stirring tales now closed there was pal
and Evangelical truth?-of which we all needed
much to be reminded, and of which in his way
he the special teacher. In spite of the
Oriental imagery with which it is sur
rounded, the Gospel tells u.s., and the de-
that the rich man and Lazarus lived
very and close to each other; he showed US,
that lesson lay at the gates of the upper and
We ather classes of modern English society in this
Poor Man had but name given TO hi N in the
parable, but in the writings of Charles Dickens he
coming TO us in the type Of the forlorn outcast now
in that OF the workhouse child struggling towards
the good amid an atmosphere OF cruelty, Injustice,
and vice. 'We have need then," he continued,
'of such teacher to remind US of oae great les
snd Of the weaS WITH ne uG Iae R
those who cannot speak for themselves. Aud it is
because this TINS van TINS gt OF sympathy s
meet it, and to reckon 1t as gift from God" GAS
the rich man was made to see and to fee, Lazarus
at his gate, departed instructor taught to
realize as brought into very near contract with our
selves the suffering inmates OF the workhouse, the
neglected children In the dens and dark OF
the streets OF our great cities, the starved and
ill-used boy in remote schools far from the OBJ
servation OF the world at large. All Of these
must have felt that new ray of sunshine was
poured by his wri ings on their dark existence and
a new interest awakened outside in their forlorn
ana desolate lot. In him an unknown FREUD
pleaded their cause with voice which rang through
The palaces OF the rich and great as we'll as through
the cottages OF the poor; and by him these gaunt
figures and strange faces, though in slightly exag-
gerated FORM were made stand and speak face TO
face with those who up TO the time had doubted
their existence" And further, the same faithfGl
hand which thus depicted the surerngs of the poor
man, drew also pictures OF that unsel1sh kindaess
that kindly patience, that tender thoughtfulness,
That that ypmPafy Os@ for the 1nasya gsas and e


exterior. when the little work-nouse boy wins
his way, pure and undehed' through the mazes MAJ Of
orphan girl brings thoughts OF Heaven into the
hearts OF all around her and as II the very gift Of
lesson taught which none read aad learn
without being the he better for it,. t. In fact he abOred
worst and most hardened Of mankind there is
some .soft and tender point and, what is more
soul worth being touched and reached and
rescued and regeneratsd lie helped to blot out the
hard line which too often sewers class from GLASS;





they had felt before. Therefore it felt that he
had not lived in vain, been laid in vain here in
this sacred house, which s the home and the heart
of the English nation" The Dean then read the
following extract from Mr.. Dickens WILL dated NAV
~, 1869, which will be new tO the public, and viii be
read with 0lrl OF interest and Satisfaction


direct that my be inscribed in plain English
letters my tomb enjon friends account to
make me the subject of any monument memorial or tes
of country my published weE-s and the
brAnce of my friends upon their experience of me
o the H0eS% mercy GOD through our Id sGH sSd
children to try to guide themselyes by the
teachings of the New iu its broad spirit
put faith in name construction OF its
ter" In that simple but sufficient faith, concluded
Dean, Chares Dickens lived and died In that faith
would Save all live and die also and
learnt from hls works the eternal value OF generosity
purity, kindness, and unelsh1ess, and 10 them out
in action, those the best monuments, memorials and
testimonials which you, his eowcountrymen raise
10 his memory"


The sermon was listened to with breathlesS atten-
tiOn by that portion OF the congregation Wh0 for
tunately had seats in the Sacrartum and under the
Lectern, bat very little OF IL could have reached the
of the congregation in the choir and transepts
The Dean was lab0ring under severe cold, ana it
was evidently only with the greatest difficulty that
ne able TO deliver his sermon at alt The sermon
was followed by Handel's well-known and magnin-
cent anthem from the Book of job chapter twenty
nine, 'When the ear heard me, then it blessed me
and when the eye me, t gave witness unto me.
Among the congregation present were several men,
bers OF both Houses OF Parliament some dgnitares
OF the Church, and a host OF literary celebrities
among whom Mr. TenDysOn attracted considerable
attention as he sat 10 the centre OF the SAerarium.