NATIONAL SERVICE OF INTERCESSION.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11347, 9 August 1902, Page 14

NATIONAL SERVICE OF INTERCESSION.

.«, IN ST, PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. AN IMPRESSIVE FUNCTION. (FBOH OTTB. OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, June 27. Yesterday's National Service of Solemn Intercession held in St. Paul's Cathedral on behalf of the suffering King, must ever rank in my memory as among the most deeply affecting ceremonies of my life. I was present at tlie two great memoriaf. services for, our late Queen, the one at St. Pau'fs, and the other at Westminster Abbey last year, a_d took part in that which commemorated in Westminster Abbey the heroic death of the martyr Gordon. But all of these were commemoratory services. This one of yesterday was an act of national intercession for a beloved Sovereign lying between life and death. So it seemed to have an imimediateness, a very present direotness which any merely coKimemoratory office must needs lack. Only those persons who had been invited by tlie Duke of Norfolk at the command cf the King to be present at the Coronation in Westminster Abbey were permitted to attend this .great function in the London Cathedral, and all who, like myself, were among those so privileged, must have felt profoundly thankful, as I did, to have been present on such a great historic and intensely moving occasion. Th© entire area under the vast dome was completely filled. The nave westward of the dome was virtually empty. This produced an effect of concentration, that was curiously striking, and even in rtsalf solemnMost of the greatest personages in the Empire were there to join on one conpmon ground in the special supplication on'behalf of their King and Emperor. The weather was brilliantly fine—the regretful, though, Would obtrude itself. How perfect a day it would have been for the Coronation!— cloudless blue sky and brilliant sunshine. As the fuil congregation was assembled, just before the stroke of twelve, a strangeAy solid-tooking beam of sunlight penetrated the south window of the great dome, and descended! like a luminous pillar into the centre of the waiting assemblage. The big bell of the Cathedral clock sounded slowly the hour of noon, and then arose from the west end of the nave the ringing tones of the four minor canons who were appointed to sing the priest's part in the solemn Processional Litany, "O God the Father of Heaven, have mercy upon us miserable sinners!" and the congregation bowed in prayer. Then fc_owed the unaccompanied choral response of the superb choir of the Cathedral, to tlie exquisite fivr.part setting of old Thomas Tallis, arranged ■by direction of Archbishop Cranmer. While the choral response was chanted the procession slowly advanced. As the last choral not. died away there was a hart while the four officiating clergy chanted the next verse of the Litany. "And th?.n the procession again moved on as the choral response was sung. This attentative advance and halt was repeated with each successive verse. The effect was quite unique, even m my long and large experience of great Church functions. The procession itself was powerfully impressive. First came the Cathedral vergers in their bla_: gowns, and! holding their silver wands of office. Then Sir George Martin foltowed in his full robes as Doctor of Music, the Cathedral organist and director of tbe service, who at the end of each verse charted by the minor canons, turned round for a moment and gave to his choral forces the signaf. for beginning their part. The chodr numbered some sixty strong, including forty boys. They were followed by the. clergy, some forty in number, each wearing surplice, stole, and hood; no copes were used in this penitential ceremony. Next came the Archbishop of York, no fewer than sevemteen Bishops, each in rochet, chimer., and doctor's scarlet hood, and last among them came the Bishop of London, preceded by his Chaplain, bearing the Pastoral Staff. The Archbishop of Canterbury, lookiii' wonderfuliv baf. and vigorous, brought up the rear of the episcopal army, bis crozierbearer preceding him. After the representatives cf the Church, came those of the State—civic —the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs and Aldermen, all in their gorgeous robes and attended by their officers. Although cvkiy a portion of the Litany was suns:, tha parts most specially appropriate being judiciously selected, it took exactly _ffce._ minute, for the procession to move from the great west door into the • choir stalls. How perfectly Tenia's music vras chanted by ft&t unsurpasab-e choir, t mid not

describe- Tlw Litany three "Proper Psalms," Nos. AJH-. AA_U., I and X-TV-, being most fetkcitoasly chosea_ All were sung to Anglksm double chants, aad the effect of Sir William Heathcote s pretty but rather sentimental chant «_A \ major, as set to "The (Lord is my Shepherd," was peculiarly sweet and soottong. The PsaCms were preceded and -o_ow*d by an Antiphon, chanted in monotone, consisting of the varse: — "0 Lord cdrrect mc, but with judgment; not in Thine anger, lest Thou bring mc to nothing." ' Tb3 Bishop of Stepney then read the lesson, Isaiah xxxviii-: —"I said in the cutting off of ■«". days, I shall go to the gates of the grave; I am deprived of the residue of my years," and so on. ' Then the "Benedictus" from the Office of Morning Prayer was. sung to the well known old double chant an A by Norris. It, too, was preceded and followed by a monotoned Antiphon: — "There is mercy with Thee, tberef ore shalt Thou be feared." To this succeeded the Lord's Prayer and versioles, and the following prayers, said by the Bishop of London: — "0 Lord, look down from Heaven, behold, visit, and relieve Thy servant, Edward, our King. Look upon him with the eyes of Thy inerey, give him comfort and sure confidence in Thee; defend him from the danger of the enemy, Lord keep him in perpetual peace and safety: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." "Hear us, Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour; extend Thy accustomed goodness to this Thy servant who is grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we beseech Thee, this Thy fatherly correction to him; that the sense of bis weakness may add strength to has faith, and seriousness to his repentance: That if it shall be Thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of has life in Thy fear, and to Thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." "0 Lord God of our fathers, Who in Thy goodness hast led this people hitherto by wondrous ways: who makest the nations to praise Thee, and knittest them together in the bands of peace; we beseech Thee to pour Thine abundant blessing on the dominions over which Thou has called Thy servant Edward to be King. Grant that one and all, of whatever race or colour or tongue, may draw together in heart and will beneath the shelter of the throne, united in the bond of brotherhood, in the ways of welfare and peace, and in the one fellowship of the Faith, so that we may be found a people acceptable unto Thee: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Fan-ant's simple but beautiful anthem, "Lord for Thy tender mercies sake," was then exquisitely sung by the choir. The hymn, No. 369 of Hymns Ancient and Modern, "Thine arm, 0 Lord, in days of old Was strong to heal and save," was sung, the congregation joining in with an earnest heartiness that was unmistakable. One of tbe most impressive features of the whole ceremony succeeded—the singing of the "Miserere" (Psalm li.) to the Second Parisian Tone as arranged and harmonised by the late organist of the Cathedral, Sir John Stainer, the four Minor Canquns taking every other verse alternately with the choir. Here again the apposifceness of the words appealed to every heart. Then Bishop Winnington-Ingram delivered the Benediction from the Office of the Visitation of the Sick, and the great historic ceremony was over, having lasted exactly one hour. Its sights and sounds and feelings will never be effaced from the memories of those who took part.. Some gorgeous robes and uniforms were to be seen, notwithstanding the statement of certain London papers to the contrary, and the ladies present, who mustered in strong force, generally appeared to be wearing their Ascot dresses. Certainly a more charming or attractive display of feminine light summer attire can seldom if ever have been seen. There was nothing of the penitential or intercessory .about the ladies' costumes. As for the array of carriages approaching and leaving the Cathedral, it is declared to have been without precedent. AH aristocratic and fashionable London—and perhaps America, too—was there, and also its equipages! In the streets the spectators, who assembled in vast numbers, evidently had resolved to treat this phase of the affair as the best substitute they could obtain for ! their lost spectacle, and a large force ot police was needed to keep the course clear along Fleet street and Ludgate Hill. But the behaviour of the crowd was now exemplary and genial in its character, and of the highest respectability.