TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7728, 6 December 1890, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

St. PAUi'a Catspbkrali was thd eceni of t remarkable religious ceremonial oq October 18th, when was held a "eervice of reccn, ciiiation, or act of reparation, to. Almightj God for the. dishonor recently done tt Hie sanctuary" by a suicide committed within the sacred precincts. At flrsf the reooneeoration of the Oathedral talked of, but this idea Wee. ab&; doned. One authority states that the Prayer-book of 1549, the Cauona of 1602, and the Act of Uniformity of J66| ' are alike silent aa to the couaecratioa yj churches and churchyards, and, if the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was right in its culinga in the Mackonochie and Purchas o&sott, the cor* vice of conatfcration of churcliee ohurchyarde ia illegal because nowhen prescribed. However, a sort of compromise wa* «kt length agreed to by holding reconciliation aervice already referred to.

Tbob ceremony, we leara from a the proceedings in the 8t: Jcitms's tfoaettt took place on October lobh, in the present of a large congregation assembled for tty ordinary afternoon Bervice. The alternooa service proceeded in the Uhual mannoj until after the third collect. Then j special anthem was sung, namely Gow't "Hear, O Lord, and have mercy,* , which the Bishop of London, addressiig the congregation from just witbm the chancel rails, that a fortnight; ago a man who waa not reepouaible for his owa actions took hia life in that Cathedral* lv accordance with ancient it was fitting that the Biehop of the diocese and those who had charge of the affairs of that Church should eolemiuy acknowledge the unworthineas of all in the eight of Almighty God. It was fitting that they should there publicly acknow. ledge that they were all eiauers, and eusk God in His weroy to look favorably oa.&U their worship, and that they mighVfefl more deeply what was the meaning of tb&i luyateriouii evil which every now aas,&ek showed Itself in such deeds. So the Vmi ivdd Chapter had petitioaed him, tqfjs|s with them that afternoon in an expression of penitence before- God. , The " BisJiop then directed that the petition, ehould fee fead. The Bishop's Begistrar (Mr Hat& Lee) who was attired in wig advanced to the top of, the,chancel Btsps and read aloud thu petition of the tJoao and Chapter. The Bishop tueu. took up a position at t&'' e&i&r, ' and,, the liifcny was .chanted, lollowec! the singing of the " Miserere mcv Dens,' 4 aftef which his Lordship, offered. sl>iai special prayers. The Hishop then disreetgtl the' "Sentence of Uecoaciliation"'to : read. The Registrar again advanced %o\tb6 chancel ■ Steps, and there read this 4ti«tmenty whioh, commencing witVihg. W?-& "In'the same of God, Amen," recited-She cerme o$ the petition, and Ips pronouncing, decreeing, and declaviag- th« said cathedral chareli oiled from all canonical impediment) .<TW Btthop signed the' docuinont,,wiJicli taken charge of' by the cathedral -authoe." ,and' the serrico waa 'closed •bleseing,',"JCh© Lord Ueea aod feodp w»> prbiiouttced by the Btehop'. , S<> ended-«| ceremony painful ia the rendered it noceteary, bat' •pos 3 * consliierabie, interest tq ,th'e etiMleat'W ecolefliasfcical lore: It is, indeed, *e***i:« able that a similar occurrence to, thai gave rise to this 'ceremony should b&Ve occurred quite recently ia this J A suicide bcottrrednot, brig &%s,' remembered, in a- ohuroh at Danadia I lix'thttt case, however> no> ! eeryipe awulax to that wbich .lias" jtial taken place in St. .Paul's waa held.; > < I . . > . -. L- . .' ISit