ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1049, 24 June 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

The King now takes the Coronation Oatli, which, in spite of so much bold assertion to the contrary, contains 110 reference to any other than the Church of England. The reference to the Roman Catholic Church, so generally objected to, is in the Accession Declaration, and was taken when King Edward succeeded the late Queen Victoria. THE CORONATION OATH. Archbishop of Canterbury: Sir, is your Majesty willing to take the oath? The King: lam willing. Archbishop: Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Dominions thereto belonging, according to the Statutes in Parliament agreed on, and the respective laws and customs of the same V King : I solemnly promise to do so. Archbishop : Will yon, to the utmost of your power, cause law and justice, in mercy, to he executed in all your judgments ? King : I will. Archbishop : Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain the Laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel, and the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law; and will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the United Church of England and Ireland, and the territories thereunto belonging; and will you preserve unto the Bishops of England and Ireland, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges as, by law, do or shall appertain to them, or any of them'! King : All this I promise to do. The. King, rising out of his chair, attended by Ins supporters, and assisted by the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Sword of State alone being carried before His Majesty, proceeds to the Altar, where, kneeling on the cushion placed on the steps, aud laying his right hand upon the Holy Gospel in the Great Bible, which has been carried in the procession, and is now brought from the Altar by the Archbishop, and tendered to His Majesty, he takes the Coronation Oath, saying these words:— " The things which I have here before promised I will keep. So help me God." The King kisses the Book, and to a transcript of the Oath sets his Royal sign manual, the Lord Chamberlain of the Household holding a standish for that purpose delivered to hiin by an officer of the Jewel Office. THE ANOINTING. The King, having thus taken the oath, returns to his Chair. While kneeling at his faldstool, the hymn " Veui, Creator Spiritus," is sung by the choir, the Archbishop of Canterbury reading the first line:— Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And warm them with thy heavenly fire. Thou, who the Anointing Spirit art, To us thy seven-fold gifts impart. Let thy blessed unotion from above Be to us comfort, life, and love. Knable with celestial light The weakness of our mortal sight. Anoint our hearts, and cheer our fare, With the abundance of thy grace. Keep far our foes, give peace at home, Where thou dost dwell no ill can come. Teach us to know the Father, Sou, And Spirit of both, to be but one. That so through ages all along This may be our triumphant song. In Thee, O Lord, we make our boast, Father, Son, aud Holy Ohost. The hymn being ended, the Archbishop reads the following prayer preparatory to the anointing "O Lord, Holy Father, who, by anointing with oil, didst, of old, make aud consecrate kings, priests, and prophets to leach and govern thy people Israel, bless and sanctify thy servant Edward, who, by our otliee and ministry, is now to be anointed with this oil (here the Archbishop lays his hand upon the ampullal, and consecrated King 'of this Kealtn. Strengthen him, O Lord, with the llolyUhost, the Comforter confirm and stablish bim with thy tree and princely Spirit, the spirit of wisdom aud government, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness, and fill him, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now aud forever. Amen.'* The choir then sings the anthem "Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king, and all the people rejoiced and said: God save the King; long live the King; may the King live for ever. Amen. Hallelujah." At the commencement of the anthem the King rises from his devotions, goes before the Altar, attended by his supporters, and assisted by the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Sword of State being carried before him, when the Lord Great Chamberlain divests His Majesty of his crimson robe, which is immediately carried by the Groom of the Robes into St. Edward's Chapel. The King then proceeds to KING EDWARD'S CHAIR, which is placed in the midst of the area over against the Altar, covered with cloth of gold, with a faldstool before it, and sits down to be anointed.

WINDSOR CASTLE. The most historic Royal Residence in the world.

Wren's superb creation, and now the chief Anglican Church of the Empire.

Four Knights of the Garter—summoned by Deputy Garter—hold over His Majesty a rich pall of silk of cloth of gold, delivered to them by the Lord -- Chamberlain, who has received it from au officer of the Household. The anthem being concluded, the Dean of Westminster, taking the ampulla and spoon from off the Altar, holds them ready, pouring some of the holy oil into the spoon, with which the Archbishop then anoints the King, in the form of a cross, on the crown of the head and on the palms of both the hands, pronouncing the words:— "He thou anointed with holy oil, as king*, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed King, of Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be you anointed, blessed and consecrated over this people, whom the Lord your God hath given jou to rule and govern, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.' THK SPURS AND SWORD, AND THE OBLATION OF THE SWOKD. The spurs arc brought from the Altar by the Dean of Westminster, and delivered to the lord Great Chamberlain, who, kneeling down, presents them to the King, who forthwith returns them to to be laid upon the Altar. The Sword of State is delivered to the Lord Chamberlain (who gives it to an officer of the Jewel House to be deposited in the Traverse of King Edward's Chapel), and receives another sword, in a scabbard of purple velvet, which he delivers to the Archbishop, who, laying it upon the Altar, says the following prayer: "Hear our prayers, 0 Lord, we beseech Thee, and support our servant, King Edward, that he may not near the Sword in vain, but may use it as the Minister of God for the terror and punishment of evil doers, and for the protection and enrouragement of those that do well, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."

The Part of the Tower Precincts from which Colonel Blood attempted to Escape with the Crown of England. It was near this south-east corner that he was stopped. The ciown rolled from under his arm into a puddle in the roadway.

The Arehbißhop takes the sword from off the s j Altar, and (the Archbishops of York and Armagh, ; the Bishops of London, Winchester, and others i going along with him) delivers it into the King's • right hand, saying " Receive this kingly sword, brought now from the Altar of God, and delivered to you by Ihe hands of us the bishops and servants of God, though unworthy. With this Hword do ■ justice, stop the of iniquity, protect tiie holj Church of (>od, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what J is in good order; that, doing these things, 1 ou may be glorious : in all virtue; and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Chriiit in I this life that you may reign for ever with lliin in the life which is to conic. Allien." J The King rises and goes to the Altar, and re- | turns the sword as ait evidence of his loyalty. It I is then taken by the Lord Chancellor, who draws the sword from its scabbard, and in this form it is i borne before the King during the remainder of the i solemnity. THIO INVKSTIiNfi WITH THK ROYAL ROIJK AN 1) THK DKLIVKRY OF THK ORB. i The King rising, the Imperial Mantle, or Dal- ! matic Robe, of cloth of gold, lined or furred with ! ermine, is, by an officer of the Household, delivered | to the Dean of Westminster, and by him put on the King, standing; the King, having received it, sits down. The Orb with the Cross is brought | from the Altar by the Dean of Westminster, and i delivered into the King's right haud by the Archj bishop, pronouncing this blessing and exhorta | tion : "Receive this imperial robe and orb, and the Lord vour \ ! Clod indue you with knowledge and wisdom, with majesty I j and power from on \ of righteousness, and with the garments of salvation. And | when you see this Orb set under the Cross, remember that i the whole world is subject to the power and empire of Christ our Redeemer ; for He is the prince of the Kings of the earth, | King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. So that no man can reign happily who derives not his authority from Him, and directs not all his actions acoording to His laws." The King delivers the Orb to the Dean of Westminster, to be by him laid on the Altar.