SOME EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH LIFE IN ENGLAND.

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 October 1933, Page 3

SOME EXPERIENCES OF CHURCH LIFE IN ENGLAND.

"And did those feet m ancient times, Walk upon England's mountains green, And was the Holy Lamb of God, On England's pleasant pastures seen." These lines of Blake's are often used m England. To wander around

the Ruins of Glastonbury and hear the legends of early Christianity there, makes one wonder at times, if it were not really true. "Whether tfiis is so or not, at least to travel about England and see, m remotest villages, industrial towns and big cities, whereever you go, the spires and towers of "Old England's Glory," speak for themselves that England is indeed for Christ, even if He did not walk the "pastures green." If we have not seen these glories, we have no conception of the influence the Church of England has upon the life of the nation, or tho priceless treasures she possesses m them, dedicated to the glory of God. But let us study an individual parish and gather some helpful suggestions. A parish with a population of some 15,000 people, the boundaries of which you could walk comfortably m half-an-hour, is a little more congested than any parish we have m New Zealand. The population consisted of, from wealthy folk, who were fast removing to outer London, to very poor, and their response to the financial underr takings of the parish was very consistent, everyone" did their share, and the regular giving of small sums on the part of the working people did a great deal to help. In the course of seven years this parish contributed over £1000 to the building and furnishing of a much needed Church m Queensland; but m no way did this undertaking hamper the finances of the parish. It was real giving with much sacrifice on the part of many. I remember one old lady of very poor circumstances, givingj the whole of her savings of a number of years, £5 towards this new Church oversea. One of the special features during the Sunday nights m Lent, was a dialogue, between the vicar and one of his assistants. In the course of the vicar's sermon the assistant would interrupt him and ask for a proof of ?. certain statement to which the vicar replied by asking him to read certain passages of Scripture. By this means quite a lot of useful instruction was given to the congregation. One has many opportunities at "Home" of hearing some of the foremost men of the Church to-day.

Canon Quick of St. Paul's, a comparatively young man, is no doubt one of the ablest men of the Church today, to hear him lecture was one of my privileges, but one needs to be very much alert m mind to follow his quick thoughts. Kenneth Kirk is another, one of the outstanding leaders m that branch of study called: "Moral Theology." The Bishop of London, though ageing, is not m any way abating m his enthusiasm, and keeps abreast of the times. It is not an uncommon sight to see his car gliding through the streets of London en route to some important meeting, with the Bishop at the back reading one of the latest books, he uses every opportunity for reading m that very busy life of his. To meet and hear these and other leading men m England is an inspiration and tremendous help, which we are not able to have, unfortunately, m New Zealand. It was my privilege on several occasions to be present at St. Paul's Cathedral, the Parish Church of the Empire. I remember, on one occasion ' being one of 900 clergy, all from the Dioceses of London, present at a great service for the Diocese. The Litany sung m procession was ended before the last part of the procession had left the crypt of the Cathedral. Another great occasion was the reopening of St. Paul's. Each Archdeaconary had a day of the week to observe the occasion m the Cathedral. The procession headed by the Cross and m turn following the cornet players and; trumpeters, the choir and clergy, proceeded from the west door to the Chancel, where a very beautiful service was conducted before a packed congregation. Of recent years there has been a great revival m England, of the ancient custom* of holding religious plays m Church. Plays of the Nativity and passion of Our Lord have proved their worth, but it demands great care and preparation and as is dono at Home, careful study of detail if the desired effect is to be produced. Not a few whom I have known have been led to a greater knowledge of their Savipur and a more earnest desire' to follow Him, through the witnessing of such plays.

In many parishes the practice of confirming children at an early age from 10 to 14 years, is becoming more common. I believe there are more points m favour of this practice than against, and m my own experience I found it was very much worth while. In connection with this, however, I must add that the practice is for the young folk to attend their Eucharist, usually held about the hour of 9 a.m., Sunday morning. This service was becoming more and more popular. C.E.H.