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. CONSECRATION CEREMONY.
CONSECRATION CEREMONY. SERMON BY ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. SPEECHES AT THE LUNCHEON. THE BISHOP OF RIPON LAST NIGHT. The consecration of the new Parish Church of St. Mary's brings to a close an epoch of unparalleled activity in the history of the Church in Swansea. It was on the 22nd day of December, 1884, that Chancellor Smith, then a Nottingham vicar, was instituted to the living of St. Mary's. Other men had laboured zealously before him, notably Mr. Squire, whose zeal for education is still seen in the schools which he built, and the late Dr. Morgan but it was e/ident that Church accommodation was lamentably insuffioient, and that a vigorous effort must be made to keep pace with the iicreasing needs of the town. It was soon discovered that fcr the particular work which was most needed, no butter man could possibly have been chosen. Canon Smith entered upon the great work cf his life with that determination which we have all by this time grown so accustomed to. The rap dity with which the four churches of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Thomas, and St. Gabriel's were built was a proof of the vigour with which the work was prosecuted, and also clearly showed that the need was keenly and gener- ally felt. But in addition to these churches which have since become the centres of separate ecclesiastical districts, mission churches were planted at St. Jude's and Port Tennant; viuirage houses were bu;lt for the newly-formed districts, and provision was made that both churches and mission rooms should be adequately served with clergy. The result has been satisfactory. The churches are filled with worshippers paro- chial work has been well organised, and in every case a vast amount of social and religious work has been done in the districts .in which the churches were planted. Judge the Church in Swansea by what standard you will, it w iIJ stand as a monument of a wonder- fully vigorous and progressive body. But it must not be supposed that the work 79 completed. If the question of bricks and mortar alone is considered, it is safe to say that much requirej to be done. It seems strangely overlooked, for instance, that one blot still remains in the very heart of the town. The parish of St. Matthew's, with a population of cloae upon 6,000, has no parish church, for the pressnt church has been given for the use of the Welsh-speaking people. Clearly this is not as it should be, and the time cannot be far distant when a separate church must be bdilt for the use of the Welsh congregation, and the church of St. Matthew's devoted to the fervice of parishioners, who •ought to be its lawful owners. And it is necessary to remember that the concentration of energy upon the stupendous task of strengthening the position of the Church in ihe town, and particularly of re-building the Parish Church, has not been without some attendant losses. Swansea is surrounded with important industrial districts, and it is .here that the loss has been somewhat felt, for it is not too much to say that in most, if not all of these, the Church 0", weak and inadequately represented. Gocd work has been done in many of them during the past ten years. The parieh of I'^yf-Uch has "witnessed the restoration of the old Parish Church, the building of a new church at Morriston, and two mission rooms elsewhere but it has a population 0f 30,0. ), and much remains to be done. But there at.3 other districts where nothing has been attempted. Oystermouth, with its one church and scattered districts, Pon<a?dulais with a population of 7,800, and Clydach with over -6,000, are fair samples of districts where the -church accommodation is insufficient, and where much careful wOLk will have to be done. In the town it3elf evidently what is wanted is more concentration of energy and greater thoroughness in work. The clergy of the Church of Eagland, unlike their Noncon- formist brethren, have to play many parts, and they are often held responsible for carrying on the whole machinery of religion down to the smallest details. We are not sure that this is an advantage to them. It certainly seems to lead to weakness in their ministry, as it gives them less time for thought and study, and certainly the clergy cannot, afford to dispense with these any more than any other public teachers. It may be, indeed, that we in Swansea ar3 not given to much reading or high thinking but we cannot escape the current thoughts and difficulties of the age, and it would see m as though there were signs that definite con- victions on matters of faith are somewhat losing their hold on certain sections of the community. We have no doubt that Chan- cellor Smith and his colleagues are fully alive to this danger, and that° they will see that in the new work which will gather round the Mother Church of St. Mary 's now restored and completed, the intellectual as .well as the moral side of religion and belief will be given its due prominence. The epoch of church building was fitly consummated by yesterday's impressive ceremony. Other work now remains, and if only the Church will enter upon this with the same courage as she has upon the task just completed, then she bids fair to fulfil the sacred mission entrusted to her. AERIVAL OF THE ARCHBISHOP. A CORDIAL WELCOME. The Primate, accompanied by Mrs. Temple, and his chaolain. the Rev. E. R. Ridge, arrived at Swansea at half-past eight o'clock on Wednes- day night, when they received a warm welcome. A large crowd assembled at the Great Western -Railway Station. The down platform was reserved and barricaded off at the lower en the public beirg excluded. The platform had been richly carpeted nearly it? whole hngth by the Great Western officials, the carpet, which i 1 used at a number of other special occasions, being sent down from London. Awaiting the arrival of his Grace were the Rev. Chancellor Smith, vicar of St. Mary's Revs. William Evans (St. Thomas), D. Watcyn Morgan (Morriston), W. Watkins-Edwards (St. Mark's), J. G. Mathias (Kilvey), T. L. Richards (St. Matthew's), J. H. Watkins-Jones (Christ Church), E. J. Wolfe (St. Nicholas), T. M. Willipms (Llanartb), J. A. Harriss (Holy Trinity), J. Pollock (St. Gabriel's),Dr. J. G. Hall, Dr. Evans (St. Thomas), Mr. Joseph Hall, Mr. T. P. Richards, Mr. D. M. Glasbrook, Mr. J. W. Lake, Mr. D. Jones Powell, Mr. R. G. Cawker, Mr. C. H. Glascodine, Dr. Latimer, Mr. T. Thomas, Mr. H. A. Chapman, etc. The Arch- bishop travelled from London by the ordinary train, but on arrival at Landore a special train was in readiness to convey the party to Swansea. When the special entered the station, it drew slowly up to the centre, the district superinten- dent of the company, Mr. John Rees, and the stationmaster, Mr. T. Hawkins, being present to receiveSthe train, and give necessary instructions, etc. Chancellor Smith gave the distinguished party a cordial welcome. His Grace heartily acknowledged the salutations of those present, who remained bareheaded, and then pleasantly remarked, I hope we shall have a. great day to-morrow." We hope so, your Grace," responded ceveral, and then Chancellor Smith's earnest voice was heard remarking, I am sure we are greatly indebted to his Grace for under. taking this long journey." The sentiment was ( neartily confirmed by the general company, whereupon his Grace smilingly said, Now, now you musn't thank me until after I have done to-morrow." Rev. Chancellor Smith then offered hislarm to Mrs. Temple, and conducted her to Sir John Llewelj a's carriage, the Archbishop walking behind. The distinguished visitors then entered the carriage and drove to Penllergaer, where they are the guests of Sir John and Lady Llewelyn. AT THE GUILDHALL. The new church of St. Mary's Parish, Swansea, was consecrated yesterday (Thursday). The important event excited deep and widespread interest. Unfortunately, the weather was some- what unpropitious; but this did not prevent large crowds gathering in the neighbourhood of Wind-street, the Guildhall, and the Church. At the Guildhall the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Bishop of St. David's, and others were welcomed by the Mayor and Coiparation. There were also present: Ei: J. T. D. Llewelyn, Bart., M.P., Lord Windsor and Lord Jersey, Rev. Evan Owen (warden of Llandovery College), Rev. J. Pritchard Hughes (vicar of Llantris- sant), and Prebendary David Williams, forming the chapter of the diocese the Lord Bishop of St. David's, the Bishop of Swansea, Sir Arthur Blomfield (architect of the new church), Pre- bendary Garnon Williams, Canon Williams (Archdeacon of Cardigan), the Archdeacons of Carmarthen and Brecon, the Archdeacon of Llandaff, Sir Robert Morris, Bart., Rev. Chan- cellor Smith, Mr. C. H. Glascodine, Mr. D. M. Glasbrook, Mr. Ba.ker Haynes, Mr. Juo. Thomas (Town Clerk), Mr. Mayou, Mr. J. Coke Fowler (Stipendiary), Alderman Walter Lewis, Colonel W. Pike, Mr. Baker (Carmarthen, registrar of the diocese), Councillors Daniel Edwards, Howel Watkins (ex-Mayor), Morgan Hopkin, John Skidmore, W. Watkins, J.P., David Davies, W. P. Wearne, David Matthews, Aldermen Fred Bradford and Walter Lewis, Mr. Griffith Thomas (chairman of Harbour Trust), Alderman W. H. Edwards, Mr. Villiers Meager, Mr. Rhys Williams, and others. In addition to the clergy and others who accom- panied the Archbishop and Bishop, the boys of St. Gabriel's Church Lads' Brigade turned out in force. Smart, clean, and soldierly, they attracted much attention as, headed by the band, they walked through the streets. The St. Gabriel's lads were augmented by detachments from other districts. The officers in command were: Capt. H. A. Latimer, Lieuts. C. Donald- son, F. Cole and T. Thomas; band-Ir.aster Lieut. Fielder Aberavon contingent, Capt. L. Jones, Lieuts. J. C. Jones and T. 8. Groslin Margam, Lieut. Clark; Llandaff, Capt. Will- cox; and Maesteg, Capt. Adjutant King, Capt. Nash, and Lieut. Llewelyn. Lieut. T. Thomas and half a dozen or so of the lads formed a special escort for the Archbishop from the Guildhall to the Church—and right proud did they appear of their important charge. THE MAYOR'S W ELCOME. When all had assembled in the Council Chamber, Sir John Llewelyn introduced the visitors to the Mayor, and his Worship most graciously received them. Then he delivered a brief speech of welcome. He wfshed, he said, on behalf of the ancient town > Swansea to offer a most hearty greeting- to the, Archbishop. They desired in Wales to pay due reject to the occupant of the dignified and anment office which his Grace so well and worthily filled. They acknowledged and read with great interest the important position he held, and had held for forty years, in this country, both in the Church and as a leading light in the moral, and especially in the temperance, world. (Applause.) On behalf of the town of Swansea, he felt very much comforted that his Grace had found the time, in the midst of his hard and arduous duties, to visit the town, and assist their worthy vicar, and give encouragement to him in the great work he had undertaken. (Hear hear.) In Wales there were many who were not'of his Grace's fold. He was one of them. Though they might be divided in creed, yet in faith and feeling they might harmonise and accord more perhaps than the outside world might think (Hear, hear.) Although not of the Church of England, he still wished his Grace to accept their appreciation of his coining to Swansea and desired to assure him that the welcome he tendered was of the heartiest character. (Applause.) THE ARCHBISHOP'S REPLY. The Archbishop replied as follows •—Mr Mayor,-I entirely appreciate the kindness which has dictated every word you have said on behalf of the town of which you are at present hoad 1 shall always leel giacl to acknowledge the services which the civil authorities every- where render to the cause of truth simply by the" discharge of the duty ot their office./J Ih Jl readiness to acknowledge the claims you have SpresLd OK behalf of those who d„ "J belong to the Church ot ^Jand, of which I my. self am a member. It would oe tar from me to entertain anv desire in any way whatever tuat the liberties of Englishmen to worship God ln the form that seems to them most suitable to their owa spiritual life should ever bi encroached upon. (Hear, bear.) I am heartily glad to come to the town of Swansea, and very heartily glad to receive such a welcome as you have just given me, and I shall long remember your kind- ness to-day. It is not, ot course, very otten that it is possible for a man in my position to come even to such an important place as tins, because the work that I have to do occupies so very much of my time and Swansea, however important, is a certain distance from my home. (Laughter.) And so it requires, therefore, some expenditure of the time at my disposal to visit Swansea at all. But coming here, I am very heartily pleased with you sir, in the good- will you have expressed, and in reciprocating that goodwill. (Hear, hear.) I acknowledge your kindness, and I assure you vvitn all my heart I return it (Applause.) Sir John Llewelyn proposed a vote of thanks to the Mayor for his kind welcome, and remarked that the one object the Church and Nonconform- ists had m view should be the promotion of the welfare of those who were yet to come into the great town ot Swansea. (Hear, hear.) The Rev. Chancellor Smith seconded, and fully reciprocated the large-hearted words let fall by his Worship the Mayor to whom he paid a warm tribute. (Hear, hear.) r The motion was accorded with acclamation The Mayor briefly replied. The Archbishop and Lord Bishop of St David's were followed in carriages, from the Guildhall to the Church by the following The Warden of Llandovery (Rev. Owen Evans) the Vicor œf Llantrissant (Rev. J. Pritchard Hughes); the Rev. M. L. Smith (son of Chancellor Smith, and marshall of the clergy) P, mncillor E. G. Protheroe. The Rev. Prebendary David Williams, Aberystwith; Canon Trotter, Councillors W. Abraham and ill. Hophin. The Rev. Prebendary Garnon Williams, Principal Bebb, of Lampeter; Aid. Walter Lewis and Councillor David Davies. The Archdeacon of Cardigan Canon Williams, Mr. Griffith Thoma,s and Councillor H. Watkins. The Archdeacons of Carmarthen and B.-econ, Alderman Bradford and Councillor W. Pike. The Bishop of Swansea, the Bishop of Llandaff, Councillor D. Edwards and Councillor J. Skidmore. Lord Jersey, Sir A. Blomfield, Alderman D. Harris and Councilor D. Matthews. Sir Robert Morris, the Ctiancellor of the Diocese (Rev. A. Smith), the Registrar and Secretary (Mr. Barker). The Mayor, the Lord Lieutenant (Lord Windsor), Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn, and the Town Clerk (Mr. John Thomas). The Archbishop, the Bishop of St. David's, and two Chaplains carrying the pastoral staffs. AT THE CHURCH. By 11.15 a.m. the church was crowded o excess. Every available seat was utilised, and the crush at the various doors was great. Perfect order prevailed, however, thanks to the thoroughness of the arrangements. Amongst the large and influential congregation we noticed Lord Jersey, Lord Windsor, Sir John Llewelyn, M.P., Lady Llewelyn, Mrs. Temple, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Venables- Llewelyn, Miss Llewelyn, Miss Gladys Llewelyn, Sir James Hills-Johnes, SIr Arthur Blomfield, the Rev. Montague Welby, Mrs. Welby, Col. J. Crow Richardson, Mr. Arthur Gilbeitson, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gilbertson, Mr. Gilbertson jun., Mr. Illtid Thomas, Mr. Edward Stnck, Miss Vivian, the Mayoress of Swansea (Mrs Aeron Thomas), Mr. and Mrs. B. Evans, Mrs Ronald Bill, Miss D. Bill, Mrs. Allan Smith, Miss Smith, Mrs. J. Clarke Richardson, Mrs. Lewis Mrs Picton Turbervill, Miss Dixon' Miss Fowler, Mr. and Mrs R. W. Beor, Mrs. Hugh Bellingham, Mrs. Ebenezer Davies, Miss Davies, Mrs. D. Arthur Davies, the Misses Talfourd Strick, Dr. and Mrs. Latimer, Mrs. Sroail, Miss Smail, Mr. W. J. Rees, Dr. J. K Couch, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Webber, Mr. vi. Stone, J.P., Miss Stone, Dr. J. G. Hall, Mr. Joseph Hall, Mr. G. Baker Haynes, Mr. and Mrs. John WhiteMiss Lindsay, Mr. J. C. Fowler, Captain and Mrs. Eady, Mr. Thomas Elford and Miss Elford, &c. In the pew of the Lay Rector in the Chancel — Sir Robert and Lady Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Felix H. Webber, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Byng Morris, &c. At the entrance to the Church the Archbishop was met by the following clergymen, who had robed in the MarketRevs. W. Davies (Llanfi- hangeb Abercowin), —. Jones, J. Thomas (Laugharne), S. Jones (Vicar of Llangunon), D. Francis (Llandugywdd), J. Lloyd (Llanpump- saint), T. R. Walters (Vicar of St. David's, Carmarthen), T. B. Williams (St. Paul's, Llanelly), J. D. Jones (Vicar of St. Issels), D. D. Evans (Llandyfriog), D. Howell (Vicar of Llanwinio), D. D. Jones (Vicar of Kidwelly), Owen Jones (Cockett), Lloyd and Lewis (Llanelly), D. Roderick (Vicar of Cockett), H. Evans (Vicar of Pembrey), T. Edmunds (Vicar ot Trefilan), J. Pollock (St. Gabriel'"). T. L. Richards (St. Matthew's). G. E Roberts (Rector of listen) F. G. Millar'(St. James'). J-. Jones (Vicar of Gwynfi), T. Morris and E. J. Davies (St. Mary's), Jenkins (Christ Church, LIanelly), p. Owen (Morriston), Jenkins (Pembrey), J. Davies (BuVryport), Robert Jackett (Gowerton), D. Price CDunvant), A. Griffiths (Rector of Llanelly, Breconshire), W. Uncood (Llanrhidian, Gower), J. Griffiths (Vicar of Brynmawr), A Evans (Waunarlwvdd), H. Jones (Llansamlet), 1. Phillips (Vicar of Pembroke Dock), A A. Mathews (Vicar of Blaenavon), E. J. Wolfe (St. Nicholas), W. Hedlev (Gorseinon), H. Edwards (St. Jude's). J. Rees (Vicar of Treherbert), D. 1. Jones (Rector of Loughor), T. MeredIth WIllIams (Vicar of Llanarth), B. WiHirms Cwmayon), j Williams (Abergwili), L. Hughes jRec or of Khosilly), A'han & SSw. nfiaG1S ftfis- D. Bankes Williams (Cwmavonj G F Richaids (Baglan). W. Jones (LIanaf a^ pV,!t h m-n'ul'. Jones (Vicar of Mydnm), • ru.llr„u\ T M RI I E''™ (Potitardawe), H. Stri^Aborayon), P- *«*»» ««»»»**&. O. F.O™ (Vicar of St. Clear,') and S. W. Jenk™» (Oswich). The Archbishop s train-bearers were Masters Quick and Parker.. The clergy and choir robed m the new Market, and at 11 0 proceeded through the west gates to the west door of the church. There they waited for the Archbishop and Bishops. Upon the arrival of their lordships they took up their places behind the beneficed clergy, and preceded by the choir entered the church. Upon arriving at the chancel steps the clergy opened out and lined the middle aisle on either side, remaining there until the petition for consecration was read. The well-known hymn— "The church's one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creatIon By water and the Word; From heaven He came and sought her To be His Holv Bride, With His own blood He bought her, And for her life lIe died." was sung, the huge congregation heartily joining. The Lord Bishop of St. David's having said Peace be unto this House and to all that dwell in it. Peace be to those that enter it and those that go out from it. Peace be to those that love it and that love the name of Jesus Christ our Lord," a petition was delivered to the Bishop praying him to consecrate the church. The petition was read by the Registrar of the Diocese, and the Archbishop, the Bishop, the chaplains and the principal clergy went up the middle aisle to the Communion Table, repeating the 24th Psalm alternately as they walked, the Bishop one verse and they another. After the Psalm the Archbishop, the Bishop, the Chaplains, and the principal clergy went within the rail, the Bishop to the north side of the communion table. His lordship then said a prayer, after which the congregation kneeled and sang "Come Holy Gl103t, our SOil: inspire, And lighten wit i celes inl tire." Subsequently, the sentence of consecration was read by the Chancellor of the Diocese (Mr. Ollivant, a son of the late Bishop of Llandaff). It was signed by the Bishop and by him ordered to be registered, after which it was laid upon the communion table. Canon Smith said the Morning Prayer, and the choir sang with rare expression and effect the beautful anthem, "I have surely ™»ffie?a?i Mr" J- E.Jones-Powell very efficiently took the solo parts. Subsequently "Christ is our corner-stone. On Him alone we was rendered, followed by the Archbishop < f Canterbury s sermon. op (
THE SERMON.
THE SERMON. The Archbishop, preceded by his chaplain carrying the beautiful gold crosier, then walked down the chancel and ascended the pulpit. Mean- while the hymn, Christ is our cornerstone," was being sung, and at its conclusion his Grace offered an earnest prayer, and then commenced his sermon. His Grace said In the 4th chapter of St. Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians we read these words, For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." The words which St: Paul use in this place are applicable in the first instance, as he here applies them. to the spiritual life of these who are serving God. It may be that the outward man perishes. It may be that in the service of God a man may meet with a great deal which tends to take away from him all that belongs to the outward man, but all the time the inward man is renewed—renewed day by day. And this principle which is applied here in this way, and about which I have more to say presently, really runs through the revelation of God. There is a perpetual progress from the beginning of the Bible to the end. A" for instance, look at the progress which you find when you compare the teacning of the law with the teaching of the prophets in regard to all questions of true morality. The moral law is understood by the prophets in a higher, in a more heavenly, sense than it is set before us in the earlier dispensation as it came through Moses. We find higher prin- ciples, we find higher rules of conduct, we find what'marks more than anything else the end of that progress a- more constant and direct appeal to human conscience, a more constant call upon the man to live by that which is within him, planted there, the message of God, that voice which speaks to him of what is just and true, of what is high ana heavenly, that voice'which guides him in all the concerns of life, and guides him by the authority of Him who is the spring of all moral law what- ever. We find in the prophets the appeal to the conscience, speakin" concerning all the relations between man and man. in a fuller, in a larger, in a juster sense than we ever find before. And it is clear that in the later books of the Old Testament there is a demand upon all God's people to live by a higher standard, to walk by a higher rule. Earlier we find much that is very difficult to reconcile with the moral standard which "later given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Earlier we find a great deal that we cannot reconcile with the Sermon on the Mount. We find much that seems to be just, but not to be equitable. We find much that seems not to recognise the breadth of the commandments ot God given to human nature at the creation. And in the prophets we are already on a different, levei. Compare the teaching of many of the Psalms with what vou read m the great prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Compare the way in which in the Psalms the Palmist there often speaks of his enemies and of the prayers which he offers up that his enemies may suffer. You can, of course, interpret them m a Christian sense, but there can be question that thev did n-,t shock the consciences of the man in^Tho?e ti"ne they were thoug-h it be the W J es us Christ. And of God was uot the so 0 GrJd, yet the clear, was not then so heav/iWaS not then so you come later down AnJ y'iMLltlS wbrn history of the Jews you « f t progress in the moral >. fi"d .also not only a but you find that littJ::evelatl?n that IS made, are learning logons wV u y«llttle the people learn through the they were slow to people were perpetuSllv fQii^es '■ J^e chosen Then comes the terr? ble lesson of^thp -f' t Babvlon • and wh< lesson ot the captivity at thev are'nnr^ nf lu 7 rct"m trom Babvlon they are purged of that gross offence. We don't find that they are r'dolaters any longer. Thev are far ffoni perfect in their service to Him Who I created them and. called them but at any rate, f we hear no more of the worship of Baal, we hear no more of idols set up for men to look up to. We find that even the symbols of the early worship are gone. We see in the act of Hezekiah when he destroyed the serpent of brass and pronounced it to be Nehushten, how he recognised—although he was still under that old rule—that it was I necessary to take a step higher than before, and inasmuch as this ancient symbol had given rise already to idolatries, rather would he destroy it, though it had been made by the command of God, I than continue it after it had become a temptation I to the nation. And in this way and in many others we see that at least our Heavenly Father steadily led His people upward until the t'me came when the Son of God was revealed and manifested to destroy the works of the devil and make us indeed the sons of God. And as this runs through the whole of the Old Testament, so, too, in the New, where the same principle is applied to individual life, it is recognised again and again. How striking it is sometimes to come across passages like that we find in the Epistle to the Romans, where they are called upon to put on the new man. Put on the new man They were Christians already. They were converted they were baptised surely they had already put on the new man But the Epistle calls upon them still to put on the new man, because it is not enough to put on the new man once, but it must be done again and again, and again and again through all the course of life. And so, whenever in the spiritual life of any Christian there is slackness, there is coldness, there is a falling back, there is also a call from the conscience once more to rise up and press forward, and no man is to be content with him- self whatever standard he may have reached, he must still go on still further, for he is not any more than St. Paul, who was yet content to do what the Lord required of him. St. Paul, late in life, when he had served God for long, and when he had preached in manyparts, when he had already lit the torch of the Gospel and carried it into regions which had never before been enlight- ened yet he tells us that he could count himself not to have apprehended. He does not considerthat he has yet attained. Still he is pressing for- ward pressing forward, forgetting things that were behind, reaching forth to the things that were before, pressing forward toward the mark for the prize of his calling in Christ Jesus. He was pressing forward, forgetting the work that he had already done, forgetting the persecutions he had already borne, forgetting the churches that he had already founded, forgetting the dis- cipiine whereby he ha.d taught himself to keep under the body and bring it into subjection lest perchance, after all his work, he must be cast- away. Still he must be pressing on. And good reason why he should. He was pressing toward the 1mark for the prize of the high calling of God m Christ Jesus, the prize which John speaks of as Christlike, tbe prize of being like the Lord to ba like Him—to be like Him when we come to His eternal and glorious kingdom. Well may a Christian acknowledge that he has yet to press forward; to press forward far, to press forward earnestly, if that is the aim he has before his eyes, the aim of being like the Lord. To be like k°rd What can be so glorious an aiiT-; What can demand more of the Christians exertion ? And through his life he still must he pressing on. And as this is the case that every Christian soul that sleeps, whether it be that for a time he has slipped back, or whether it be that a+-ii f18 ^oes on conscience reveals to him 1 ?rther progress to be made, whether it 13 tuat he needs a fresh repentance, or whether 1 ^"at though he has been pressing with all his earnestness, he feels that there is J*e^ more ln. the road before him. Whichever it's, the Christian cannot be still. He must be ever moving onwards. And what applies to the life of the individual applies also to the life of the Church and to the life of every portion of tlJe O lurch. There will be slackness here and thrre will be times—we have known such times in our Churcti of England—there will betimes when Ii,6 ,service °f God is cold, when it seems as it the true worship was so faint and feeble that ^"e can hardly recognise it to be worship at all. there will be times when the true Rervant, ot God seem, as it were, hid away. They are to be found still, no doubt; some here, and some there, living holy lives, quite quietly and unconscious that the church to which they belong is not so active, not so animated by God's Spirit as she ought to be. There will be times when, as it were, the light of the Church seems to be hId away, and then, if it please God, there comes, nevertheless, the renewal of which the Apostle speaks, and the Church °nc.e more becomes conscious of her high CA^~ ing; once more awakes to look. or something higher, truer, and more self-sacrificlug. And it is shown by the labours both of clergy and of people and both clergy and people seem sjmehow to be animated with a new spirit, to be going forwards with a new hope. Both clergy an,d people are fuller of devotion, showing in their conduct and in their language, and in all they ,10 in the service of God, that their hearts are drawn to Him as they have not been drawn to Ibm before. We have seen it. We have seen how the Church of England has aroused herself in la,ter years to press forward as St. Paul was pressing forward. We have seen how this church of ours has gradually awoke from her slumbers, and everywhere that you go you find her ministers showing more devotion, showing more untiring labour, showing a higher and more unearthly aim. You find her clergy followed in all this by many of the people who strive to attain some- thing better for the church to which they belong than has yet been attained. You find both clergy and laity pressing onwards with real determma- tion, with holiness of life, and sacrifice ot all that is earthly for heavenly purposes and these prevail more and more throughout the whole body of which they are members and ministers. And this day marks one of those points in such a history which shows progress, as it were, by single events that cannot o er- wise be forgotten. Here in this town, us church ha s been built with a beauty anT, a glory that; had not been seen here before __Lha old church has been removed, but the new church is, after all, the old church in a higher, in re beautiful, in a more suitable shape. church is a proof that here in Wales the Church of England is alive to her duty, and as It IS a pledge in regard to the past, so is it a pledge in regard to the future. Will the work stop here ? Will you have done because you have built this great, church? Will you think that having done this no more is called f or-that you may be content? No no. It is not so, that a.ny forward progress can be dealt with according to the teaching of the Testament of Christ. It is not so. that we can use any advances that God has called upon us and enabled us to Jiake. Because we have done anything in His service, is just the reason why we are called upon to do still more. There are other churches to be buift. There is more zeal still to be shown, the duty of each district of the Church, the duty of every congregation to win for the service of the Lord, more and more all those who may now be standing outside that service, living for the world. Nay, it is the duty of the church to do more than that, and to win not only the world. but those who, though they love God, yet do not worship Him in the Church which He has established. It is the duty io win them and hov? To win them by loving them, to win them by showing- them that we love them, to win them by setting before them what a great Church can really do. and what it could be: to win them by making them feel that if they claim that everything must be spiritual, they shall find that the spiritual life is with tis supreme that if they olaim that we are calling upon them to accept what they are not yet able to accept, we are willing to wait until they can see with us, and that meanwhile we shall acknow- ledge that they arc the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ even a/s we are, and that if there are mistakes, there are mistakes assuredly on both sides, and that we, too, know that we have to rise above what we are yet, and that we. too, know that we have faults to correct, that we have higher service to render, because there is still much which the Lord demands from us which we have not yet given to Him. This is the call upon the Church in such days as these the call upon the Church to win men on all sides, and to win them by the only way that can win them permanently, to win them by exhibiting before them an earnest seal, an earnest self- sacrifice, a fullness of tru-t in the Lord Jesus Christ, an acceptance of His ordinances because they are His—not trusting in any degree for themselves, but simply following His lead as far as we can see it. recognisinsr to the full that in this He Himself is constantly inspiring all that we do in His ssrvice. The service has not yet attained to that which it ought to reach. Press forward, my brethren, press forward. Press forward in the service of the Lord. Whatever befalls you, press forward, for be sure that if that spirit is animated from love, though outward things mav pass away, yet the inward man is renewed day by day, and the Lord Jesus Christ is with us always, as we desire to be one with Him and to surrender our lives to His guidance. Fear not, brethren. Fear not that you will fail in this endeavour. Fear not, that you may find that it is not easy—for it will not be easy—to hold high a standard of a holy life. Fear not, that though it may be a task requiring perpetual reminders given to ourselves from the spirit that is within us. Fear not that we shall fail in such an endeavour as this. The Lord Him- self inspires what the Church is doing. The Lord Himself is really the animating spirit that penetrates through our work, and the more we give ourselves to the Lor I, the more will that work prosper in our hands-because it is really in His hands. And we shall know by the Power which will speak within our souls. We shall know that in the fulfilment of the task that He has givea us, in the use of the ordinances that He has ap- pointed in the observance of all the Command- ments that He has set before us, in the endeavour in our use of all ordinances to make Him first and highest, and to put nothing between us and Him in the endeavour to fill every part of the Church's [ service with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In that endeavour we shall certainly not be beaten. Whatever else may happen to us, this is at least certain to come That the inward life of the Church shall be renewed day by day, that inward life which transforms all that is outside into both the symbol and the pledge of true worship and of true devotion—so pressing on, so endeavouring, abiding in Him so that we shall find that He abides in us. For He is indeed the head of His body, the Church the whole communion of saints receives its heavenly life from the Power which, passing from that Head, thrills through all the members. We are His; we are His, and He will not. He cannot, fail us. And in that memory let us go forward in His name. We shall assuredly obtain His fullest promises, for He never promises in vain. During the singing of "Lift the strain of hijjh thanksgivtrg, Tread with songs the haUow'd way," the offertory was taken up. Tho Archbishop then pronounced the blessing, and the clergy and choir passed out of the church singing "Christ is the Foundation of the house we raise; Be its walls salvation, and its gateways praise! May its threshold lowly to the Lord be dear May the hearts be holy that shall worship here," and the service concluded. The service was most impressively conducted, and the singing was excellent. Mr. Arthur Hey, Mus.Bac.. F.R.C.O., presided at the organ, Mr. H. Radcliffe conducted the choir, while Mr. W. F. Hulley's string band also took part in the service. Col. Mutch marshalled the procession from the Market.
LUXCHEON AT THE ALBERT HALL.
LUXCHEON AT THE ALBERT HALL. After the ceremony, a luncheon took place at t?e Albert Hall. The Mayor of Swansea pre- sIded, and he was supported at the tables on the platform by the Mayoress, his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Temple, the Lord Bishop of St. David's, Lord Windsor (the Lord Lieutenant), Earl of Jersey, Sir John and Lady Llewelyn, Sir John Jones Jenkins, Sir J. Drummond, Archdeacon Pryce (Car- marthen), General Sir Jas. Hill Johnes, V.C., Iv?e 4-rehdeacon of Brecon, Sir Owen Scourfield, the Archdeacon of Cardigan. Sir Chas. Philipps, i Arthur Blomfield, the Archdeacon of Llan- daff, Sir Robert Morris, the Bishop Suffragan of Swansea, the Rev. Chancellor Smith, D.D., and Nrs. Smith, Mr. J. Coke Fowler, Mr. Arthur lhlbertson, Mr. Ollivant, Chancellor Oliphant, ^-ady Scourfield, Mrs. Owen, Mrs. Lloyd, Mr. ^hointon and Mrs. Thornton, Professor Bebb, Mrs. Picton Turbervill, and others. The catering was done by Mr. Fitt, of the yrand Hotel, who served an excellent luncheon. After the tables had been cleared, the Mayor submitted "The Queen and the Royal Family," which was musically honoured. Sir John Llewelyn, in proposing the Arch- t"shop, said they were all grateful to his Grace '0I> coming to Swansea on so important an occasion. The church which had been conse- Crated that day was not the end of church ^ork in Swansea, for he claimed on behalf of Chancellor Smith that they would not be satisfied until several new churches were built and several new incumbents appointed to fulfil the constantly growing duties, St. Mary's Church had in the past been the church of the people, and it was most touching to see the way in which the people had come for- ward to help it. (Cheers.) The Archbishop of Canterbury, who was loudly cheered on rising to respond, said he was grateful for their reception of the toast, becau-e he looked Upon it not merely as an evidence of kindness to him, but also as an expression of appreciation of the office which he held, and of their hearty sym- pathy with his discharge of the duties of that office. (Cheers.) They were Welshmen aid he Was an Engiishman-a Cornishman. The Cornish were somewhat akin to the Welsh, and he claimed for himself something of that Keltic sympathy with one another which he found both in the Principality and in the Dukedom. He had always considered the Ccrnish and the Welsh were very much bound up with one another, and it was delightful for him to come amongst so many of them and see what they. were doing and bear what they proposed to do, and understand their aims and labours. (Cheers.) What they had done in Swansea in building ti at church was a very great gratification to him. It marked not merely the erection of a very beautiful building, on which he could not but congratulate his old friend, Sir William Blomfield, but it expressed the feeling which prevailed towards the Church throughout Wales, and the determination of the Church everywhere to do its utmost to fulfil its duty to all people witnin its reach. (Cheers.) There were those who not belong to the Church. They knew, for instance, as the Mayor said that morning, when he was kind enough to receive him at the Town Hall, that there were a Rreat many who worshipped in a different fashion from them-elves. But if that be so, let there be a rivalry in the service of the Lord. (Applause.) Let them banish everything like angry feeling. do away with everything like quarrel. Do not let them trouble themselves with great con- troversies. but let them see which should serve the Lord in the fashion most like the New Testament. He claimed that the Church in Wales had a real desire for the good, and he might add also for the good-will, of the Nonconformists. (Cheers.) They asked in all sincerity that the Nonconformists should feel to them as he honestly desired that they (the Church) should feel towards Nonconformity. (Cheers.) Of things that contributed to the service of God, putting aside the genuine liberty of conscience, there were very few indeed that had more permanent spiritual effect than the recognition on the part of every man of his neighbour's desire to serve God. It was with that spirit that he should wish the whole Church in the Principality to be animated towards those who were conscientiously staying outside their fold. They (the Church) thought themselves on the whole able to serve God in a better fashion than they, and the Nl nconformists on their part —-and he had no donbt quite rightly—thought that they served the Lord in a better fashion than the Church. Well, they must retain that opinion "0 long as they were parted by any differences. But they should not make it a reason for not being hearty in their relations with one another and not acknowledging on all hands that they were still worshippers of the same God, looking to be redeemed by the same Saviour, and looking forward to His return to take them to live with Him lor ever in Heaven and as they knew they should not quarrel there, do not let them eVer allow themselves to quarrel on earth. (Cheers.) Of all things they had on earth, there Was nothing more certain than that they could not carry their quarrels into Heaven, and the sooner they shook them off the better should they he able to serve the Lord here and hereafter. (Cheers.) When his grace had concluded speaking, the Welsh hymn, "0 Fryniau Caersalem. was sung, and the Mayor subsequently repeated the remark dropped by the Archbishop There are ^ery few things in this world better than a Welsh hymn. The Earl of Jersey proposed the Bishop of St. David's. He said that was a grand day in the history of the diocese. A great work had been effected by the indomitable perseverance of Chancellor Smith, and no augury could be better In the early reign of the Bishop of St. David's than to realise what could be done by church work in this country when there willing, per- severing men. He could not imagine anything more gratifying, or more inspiring to churrhmen lrt a diocese than to know that they had at their head a Bishop who himself spared neither his ability nor his time, nor his strength in the service of the church. (Cheers). And he could imagine nothing more inspiring or more satis- factory to the Bishop than to know and realise loathe had amongst h's clergymen who would themselves work hard and in the most untiring manner. His grace a few days ago referred to the ha.rd work of be clergy in the dioceses of London and Canterbury, weil, he believed it was Perfectly true that the clergy in those dioceses worked hr.rp and in difficult circuinstences, but none the less hard and none the less difficult were the circumstances In which many of the clergy in Wales had to Work. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the Bishop of St. David's he had an authority which would "ot be denied in this put of the country. The illustrious lady by his side (Lady Llewelyn) had t'»ld him how hard he worked, and she told him also that he was the right man in the right place. (Cheers.) He would not spoil that terse and expressive sentence by any words of his own. He would only say that their work for and admiration of their own Church could not be limited, that they could work for their Church, and at the same time have deep respect for the Work of others engaged in the cause of Christianity. The Church which had just been consecrated would not be of so much use as it could be unless it was something more than a eentre of the Church of England. It ought to l1,;e, as he felt sure it would be, a sign of the desire of our generation to do something in the interests of widening the cause of true religion ami Christianity. (Applause.) He envied the Lishop cf St. David's, a young man, in the work he had Lefore him, not because it was an easy work, but it must be pleasant for him to think what it was in his power to do and he hoped he would be supported on all sides in his endeavour to make his episcopacy one that would be remarkable even in the history of St. David's. (Cheers.) The Lord Bishop of St. David's, who was enthusiastically received, said he need hardly tell them that he was a Welshman, and that Welsh people were emotional. It was a very great Lapp ness to him to receive the kindnesses bestoweu upon him that day—and in every part of the diocese-SIllce he had become the Bishop, The work of a Bishop could not prosper without that sympathy and co-operation on the part of the clergy and laity, which he was happy to say so far he had been privileged to receive. Nowhere in the diocese had he received greater kindness than in Swansea. They were fortunate to have such a large centre of population like that. Most of the parishes in the diocese were small, isolated, rural parishes, and it was a great thing to have had another fine church added to the many that the diocese already possessed. They all agreed that Sir Arthur Blomfield had, in this particular iustance, kept up his already illus- trious reputation. Reference had been made to the progress of the Church in Swansea, es- pecially since the diocese had been strengthened by the presence of a man from the Midlands, his friend, Chancellor Smith. (Cheers.) In no part of the province of Canter- bury itself bad the Church maae greater progress than in Swansea, and he was happy to say that the progress of the Church in Swansea was not an except.on in the diocese of St. David's. In every centre was found general progress, and he was confident that the work done in the majority of parishes was equally sterling and deserving of honour. As a Welsh Bishop, he was greatly delighted with his Grace's remarks about the importance of cultivating gool-wH towards the Nonconformists- He was glad to see the Arch- bishop at a luncheon with a Nonconformist Mayor in the chair. He would be able to tell everyone, judging from the congregation he had preached to that monrng, that the Church in Wales was not dead, and, from having been present at the luncheon, where he noticed several Nonconformist gentlemen, thattbeClmrch inWales did not spsnd their time quarrelling with the other portion of the community. (Laughter and ap- plause.) The trouble had been that people thought they must agree in opinion before they could have mutual goodwill. It was the greatest mistake in the world. In Swansea, thanks very largely to the respect which Nonconformists had for the sterling character of Chancellor Smith and the other clergy, and thanks, too, to the Stirling character of the Nonconformist ministers of Swansea, there was ever-growing goodwill between Nonconformists and Churchmen. (Ap- plause.) They had lived in mutual suspicion quite long enough, and now they wanted to show- to the world that Welshmen could love one another. (Cheers.) The Bishop Suffragan of Swansea submitted The Mayor," and said he could recollect Mr. Aeron Thomas at three periods of bis life: — first as a schoolboy—a steady, plodding, hard-trained, level-beaded boy, who was certain to get on. He remembered him next when he used to come to the neighbourhood in which he (the speaker) lived, with a blushing face. There was a young lady there-(laughter)—and he was very glad to see at that table that the Mayoress filled her office with great grace and wonderful ability. (Cheers.) Tne Mayor, in returning thanks, said that when with some diffidenee he consented to preside at that meeting, he felt he would be doing his duty and showing to some extent a breadth of view and sympathy with the work which his Grace represented. The work Chancellor Smith had carried on in Swansea—he did not want to be offensive and he said this at the risk of being so—was a great deal copied from the Nonconformist system. The Arch- bishop told him that it was a very good thing. He could assure them that the religion of well- doing formed a great part of the work, and with every confidence he could say that Chancellor Smith was a man late and early energetically engaged in well-doing. (Applause.) He wished him God speed" in that work, and would hope that all parties would join together to fignt the battle of Protestant faith in this country. When he told them that Canon Smith was respected for his intellectual and energetic efforts on behalf of his Church, they would accept it from him as a true and sincere observa- tion. (Applause.) His Worship concluded by proposing the health of the "Vicar of Swansea," The Rev. Chancellor Smith, D.D., who was most heartily cheered on rising, said his first note that afternoon must be one of most devout thank- fulness to Almighty God for what He had been pleased should be accomplished that day. He (Canon Smith) had learned one truth during hi» ministry here. It was that if there was a strong hold in sincerity upon an arm above, the trust was not in vain. He sincerely thanked his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury for coming to open and preach at the Con- secration of the Church. He believed his visit would be a great power for good, not only to the Church, but to the town and district generally, They had heard in years gone by of effeminate Christianity. His own belief was that in his Grace they had the embodiment of manly Christianity. (Cheers.) One of the best criticisms he had heard of his Grace was made a.ter he had addressed the policemen in the north of London soon after his appointment to the Bishopric of London. When asked their opinion of the Bishop, the answer of one police- man was: I reckon it wonid take two of u, to run him in." (Laughter and applause.) That was the kind of man they wanted at the head of the Church of England. Chancellor Smith went on to thank the Bishop of St. David's for the way in which he had supported the town. In him they had a iraa whom they loved — (cheers) — a man whom they respected, and a man whom they meant to try to follow. (Cheers.) He had to thank Sir John and Lady Llewelyn for their generous support. If Sir John had not come forward and started the scheme with a thousand pounds, he did not know how it would have been started. The way in which Sir John and Lady Llewelyn had stood by him was beyond all praise. He thanked all those who had attended the service and the very large number of subscribers who had been the means of raising the sacred edifice. They had not quite done yet; he should like them to remember that they wanted another £6,000. That had been a day of untold satisfac- tion to him, and he hoped the clergy would try and learn a lesson, not from him, but from the Church work in the town of Swansea. If only one went forth in the spirit of faith, and trust, and perseverance, nothing, in one sense. was impossible. Soon after he came to Swan- sea he was told that Swansea was the black spot in the diocese. His determination was that such a designation should not be deserved, and he hoped in some degree it had been removed, and he hoped that the new church would be an object lesson for other parts of the diocese. (Applause.) Sir Robert Morris, the Lay Rector, submitted The Architect and Contraetors," and Sir Arthur Blomfield and the representative of Mes-rs. Cornish and Gayner responded. The Welsh and English national anthems brought the proceedings to a close. The decorations at the Albert and Shaftesbury Halls were carried out by Messrs. Ben Evans and Co., who also snpplied the chairs for the church. In addition they have executed considerable cabinet work. The kneelers were made by the firm as was also the magnificent vestry table, made'of wainscot oak and to special designs and drawings prepared by Sir Arthur Blomfield.
EVENING SERVICE.—SERMON BY…
EVENING SERVICE.—SERMON BY THE BISHOP OF RIPON. The church was again crowded at the evening service. The clergy attended in large numbers, walking to the sacred edifice in procession. The service was intoned by the Rev. J. G. Mathias (St. John's), and the Rev. D. Bankes Williams read some of the prayers. The lessons were real by the Rev. Owen Evans (warden of Llandovery), and Archdeacon Protheroe (Cardiff). The musical portions of the service were very hearty. They included Handel s Hallelujau Chorus," which was splendidly sung by the choir, accompanied by Mr. W. F. liulley's band and Mr. Arthur Hey, Mus. Bac., at the organ. The Bishop of Ripon took for his texu the following words from the Gospel ot St. Matthew' Then one of them which was a lawyer asked Him a question, tempting Him and saying, Which is the great command- ment of the law? d^w'tb nil' Thou shalt love the Lord thy ^d y^h a thy heart, and with all thy sou and w all thy ^a reminder to tSe congregation that thS was an opportunity for their liberality stot i» th,- habits ot which tbe love wmch must animate all Christian souls should ever be the inspir- ing cau-e — that would mean a more con- sistent and persistent generosity than before \ddressin°- himself to the text, and preaching" with a beautiful and rapid flow of language and with the gestures of a polished orator, the Bishop said it was not unfit- upon that occasion that our thoughts should go bacK to the very simplest matters. Because it was a day of growing controver- sies and large discussion, it was well that we should penetrate deeper, and try to realise that below the heart of things there was to be found that heart of hearts which could give us the solution of many of our difficulties. It was not by argument but by spirit that the victory of the world arid of faith would be won. Sometimes the very simplest things were the most readily forgotten, and those things which were really the essence of religion were the things least con- sidered. There were some people who hal the idea that there was something more fundamental in Christianity than Christ and His words. If there should be any amongst the congregation he would ask them to take up the simplest words of Christ, to think what i Chri. had beeij to the rhurch "hi" author of its oxiatencc, to think what lii had beeJL to the souls of the multitudes of men who had life enlivened and enlightened by His presence, and had found in Him the Saviour of their souls; to think what He had been to humanity at large. To the multitudes who did not enter into the heart of Christianity, Jesus Christ had nevertheless been the teacher of the ethics of mankind. Whatever view a man might take, still they had a right to recall this to his mind that Jesus was the supreme teacher of mankind; and even accepting his utterances on that, which they might call almost the lowest, ground, he would be unworthy of being considered acquainted with the ethics of the world who did not pay deference to the teaching of Christ, and acknowledge that on all great ethical questions He bad a supreme right to be heard. There were certain distinguishing characteristics about the teaching of Christ, as about that of others. There were uncertain teach- ers, whose inspiration was casual and intermittent: and there were teachers who instructed but never inspired—the low level of good common sense. But turning to the teaching of Christ, the wonderful part of it was that it never approached mere intermit- tency in its method. Truth to Him was always the same, and His teaching was harmonious, elevating and constant. There- fore, when Christ answered the question, What is the great commandment of the law ? He did not answer at random. It was not a sudden inspiration, but the eternal expression of an eternal conviction. What was the force of the application of that command to human life ? He (the preacher) held that it gave us a supreme principle of existence, which was calculated in a wonderful way to promote the perfection of human development. The conditions under which human beings must develop were four. (1) He must grow according to the law of his being: "To every seed his own body," said the prophet, and the development of the body must be in harmon- with the nature of the seed. Development was never perfect or true unless it be uuder subordination to some clear and existing law. (2) Seeing that we were beings and not trees, the development of our being must be according to the con- dition of our freedom. It must not be merely a development according to our law, but according to liberty, otherwise it would be that of the dead thing, not of the living man. (3.) It is to be a de\elopment according to life, not according to deadness. It must have the force of individual activity in it developed from the centre to the cir- cumference, and not from the circumference to the centre. (4.) It must develop accord- ing to the law of relationship, for we are not isolated beings, but subject to the solidaritv of mankind. It must not be the develop- ment, the perfection of the individual regard- less of the influence which that individual exercised upon others, but development ac- cording to a law by which the perfection of the individual ministered to the nutriment, growth and perfection of other beings around. The commandment of Christ put the key of those four laws into our hands. Dealing seriatim with the four conditions of the development of the individual, the preacher said that the men who did not sue- ceed in life were deficient in the strong dominant force of character. The man who went into the world rudderless, without fixed purpose, would not succeed. Tbe man who succeeded was the man of one purpose, because he put all his powers under the domination of one impulse—he cared not for the moment whether it was good or bad if a man was determined to be rich, and the desire for wealth was the dominant pas- sion of his life, he must be a fool if he did not succeed. The one motive man succeeded. It was the history of the Conqueror, of Julius Csesar, of Napoleon Bonaparte—the man who stifled the plea of pity in his heart because the victory must be gained, because success must be placed before anything like the hesitations of conscience. Every great teacher that had ever lived, every great religion that had ever existed, had tried to base its teaching upon one dominant principle. Moses gave it in the idea of law, Mohammed in sovereignty, Budda in renunciation, and Jesus Christ expressed it in love. Love gave us the opportunity of developing according to free- dom. The cause of revolutions in states was the want of harmony between the spirit of the people and the spirit of the laws which governed them. Jesus Christ asked obedience to his laws not on compulsion, but on spontaneity, and by bringing the soul of man under the domination of love, he brought it into harmony with the laws of God which governed him. For the development of the human being external law was perfectly powerless, and Christ was directing us to go into the heart of things and make the foundation a living power. Individualism was excellent, but after all we were beings who only knew ourselves by our relationship to others. Jesus gave another law: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The spectacle of that phenomena of Church-life, when men fled from the habi- tations of other men and set to cultivate their souls in the desert, was a great and noble influence from the standpoint of those who were thirsting after righteous- ness. But it was only, in the nature of things, temporary It could not satisfy, and the hermit system decayed because it was too much self-inclosed. When he looked at nature, and saw nature as the handiwork of God, he could understand something of His object, and in the rapture and ravishment of his spirit, he began to understand faintly and dimly how perchance he might love God; but when he turned to man, he did not see that which lifted him up. Nature was magnificent, majestic, terrible. But she was never contemptible. But when he went amongst men, that worst shadow which could haunt the spirit of man came—the shadow of contempt. For how mean they were! how shabby' how puerile! How men capable of reading their Shakespeare and understanding, his noble thoughts, taking an interest, perhaps, in the science round about them, feeling that their souls could rise high at the sight of a star, were yet found more eacrer in the little hot-bed of some gossiping corner, and more greedily devouring the paltry paragraphs in newspapers which spoke about the wrong-doings of their fellow men. How could he rid "himself of that contempt ? Jesus Christ said the only remedy for con- tempt was 1 hou shalt love., He saw what could be developed out of the crude stuff of humanity about him. Let them think that in this England of ours there was an income of fourteen hundred millions a year, and then think of what they sent out to foreign missions, two mill inns', and of what they gave to ehariSe objects. let we were the people who believed that the supreme command of God is. 1 hou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. lie knew of no words hotter than those for Christian people to think and prav over in such times as ours, when the conditions of thought made changes of opinion frequent, when the eagerness for wealth was strong and passionate, and when ore at changes, commeicial and political were storing us in the face. Where, if we wanted an anchorage of the soul, and the strength of the spirit, and the resurrection power ° over jUt" Christian life, where could we find it I"xcept m asking that the divine spirit should sued abroad tne lnve of God in our hearts that so we map fulfil the one command Him who did a for us, and love the Lo-1 our God with all our hearts.
[No title]
P^TCniox.—The anniversary LNOLISH CH AN(J Swansea District ru the branch of the English Church h n;on and 'wde members, associate mem- Lnion, win cjatc3 was held at Oystermouth. hers, ^f^Vner day. At 7 p.m. there was a solemn eVen-^ff and procession preceded by and banner, at the parish cirarch of All a when the service was intoned by the Rev S^etan Jones, M.A vieir The first lesson was read bv the Kev. I L. bcott M.A.. St. Cath- eritie's ColI-\7ei and the second by tne Key. D. D. Evans, M.A., curate of Cadoxton Parish Church, Neath.' An eloquent sermon was delivered by the llev. Dr. T. W. Belcher, icar of Frampton. Cotterell, Bristol, from 1 Corinthians, xiv., 8- If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who sli.ul preyiarc himself to the battle.' There were also present the Bev. D. ^atevn Morgan. B.A., Vicar of Morriston, and others. After the service the Te Deum was sung by the choir of Christ Church, Swansea, under the leadership of Mr Crewg, the organist.
-----------------.--IOLD ST.…
I OLD ST. MARY S CHURCH. I -+- HISTORY AXD ASSOCIATIONS. In cays u lien the adiance between the Church and the State was closer in spirit and in fact, the parish church was the natural centre of the life of a community. Side by side, the church and the community passed through varying fortunos, fluctuating from prosperity to adversity, from adversity to prosperity with the Fidei Defensor and his sovereignty. Did complete records exist, the history of the old parish church of St. Marv's would probably be found to be identical with the history of the village which grew steadily into a town of importance around it. Pr.or to the Norman Conquest, the church of St. Marv's is not known to have existed, and the evidence that the first church was built in ihe Norman period and in the Norman siyra 01: architecture is strengthened by the fact that in the doorway which gave access to the old tower were buiit in with the masonry stoaes carved in tne early Norman style. This was the only vestige of the original chfireh apparently, too, it was tne earliest style of architecture that the building contained. Swansea was not, however, according to recent researches, without a church beiore the Norman conquest. Col. Morgan, in his exhaustive inves- tigation into the origin of the name Swansea, has come to the con2ius;on that a holy man called Cyngar built two monasteries in Glamorgan, one at Caerphilly, and the otner at Swansea, and he was afterwards kLown as St. Kenetu the Hermit. He was buried at Swansea, aud the body removed in after times to Bardsay Island. The first church at Swansea was called after him Cyngar Tr^sgardi, and the Abbot cr the Monastery was a diocesan Bisuop. The parish was afterwards known as Llangennie ^Kenneth's Churcb), and the Monast ry was destroyed by the Danes ill 985 and probaoly never reouiit. The Norma:.s divided tins large parisn into two parts, ana called them St. Mary :s and St. John's, and the utme from that time disappears especially as tnev had carved a new parish (iu western Gower) probaoly out of Lianaewi, and dedicated it to St. Kenneth. So ail the history ot the old Liaugenbie was transferred to the new one. The Normans also formed a district round the old Monastery, called alter it Sotii Henyd, and, as was almost invariably the cu-com, they called the principal cas.le after the district and rejected the Welsh names. Thus they caded Aber Tawe, Sein Henyd, and the latter is the the name given to it by Historians. In common parlance it soon became shortened to Sweynes "ei' an iulet was then aadeu to it, and after various changes it became Swansea. If it has not absolutely succeeded, Col. Morgan's attempt to give Swansea an earlier ecclesiastical glory than most authorities have accredited to her was at least interesting and plausible. We need not fallow tue inviting controversy which the Crenels interstmg theory has given rise to. Wuether there was a previous cnurcn in the town or not, it is pretty clearly established that St. Mary's was built by tne Normans and rose, with the town, under the protection of the Castle. Its arcnitectural history has been one of decline extending over many centuries. Most authorities have placed the earliest mention ot tue Swansea Churcn in the Taxatio of Pope NiChoiaslV. when he granted to King Edward 1. the tenths or tithes of ali the ecclesiastical benefices in England and "Wales for six years, from 1291, towards defraying the expense of au expedition to the Holy Land, in that document the value oi the church of Swansea is computed at £10. Amongst the Penrice AiSS. is the Inquisition aCl quod Damnum respecting the foundation by Henry de Guwer, Bishjp of St. David's, of a cna:l; ry III Swansea dated 1331. This documeut makes mention or tile advocacionem ecclesie Sanots lHar10 de Swcinesey," and it has the following passage which, in all probability refers to the first William de Breos :—" Ee quod dicta ecclesia lougo tempore preterito de cujus lapsu dicti juiau ignorant per quondam Willelmum de Brenose tunc doiumum Gowerie data fuit aobati ecciesie Saiicti laurini et monachis de Langenyth et successoribusimperpetuuamiu proprios u-us et m purain et perpetuair elemo^inam.' Assuming that this passage refers to the hrst Whliam *de Breos, the first mention of St Mary's Church would thus be ante-uated to a liwe before his death, wmch occurred much earlier m tiie thirteenth century than the date of t:.8 Taxatio. The first church of St. Mary's, then, was prob- ably built at the end of the 12th, or at the begin- ning of the 13t:i c-entary, a period of some moment in tae history ot tne diucese of St. David's. For the Bishop had been engaged in a uispiiie wita his newly-appointed brot.Jer of Llandaff ( Urban), and South Wales was flooded with Papal bu.is which, amongst other tilings ordered the clergy and laity ot Gower to receive Bishop Urban, ihe times were stormy and the existence 01 life and property alike precarious. It was necessaiy ior Wm. de Breos ir ir,e Charter which he conferred upon Swansea m 1305. to give the church right of sanctuary or Becuruy from arrest. The Lord Marc tier had nou yet learned to restrain the hand which the Conquest had intoxicated. De Breo" and his underiings were a. law unto themselves in Gower until, when once more the King began to trrip the reins of lawful authority, they were brought to book by Parliament. Now, apparently, things were quieting down, and in the first few decades of the 14th century, Bishop Henry de Gower not only re-built the Castle 1ur Aiiua de Mowbray, but he also restored St. Mary's Church. l'he work of the great architect-bishop became obliterated by the disasters and defacements which took place m subsequent years, and in t'ae structure which has lately disappeared there remained little to indicate that t:ie hand of the architect of the stiii-surviving Portions of Swansea Castle had been also employed Oil tae church. Near St. Mary's Church, Bishop Gower founded the Hospital of the Blessed David in 133J. for the aged and decayed priests and laymen of the diooese. As years went on it was a curious circumstance of mediaeval land-tenure that the value of the land decreased instead of increasmg Ihe endowments of the Hospital became insuffi- eient, and its estate was increased even to the inclusion of tbepansn of, Oystermouth and of some of .he tu.es ot >s r,^ the Keiormation wnicn nm-t hare made only f w uJ1.S pan °f tee Priucipantv. ft, Hn fiital tl escaped the fate of I 6,!? vM ie-lat('' ^eh, according to Col. 0 £ ).0K Lr'ie Monastery of Swansea in itg '^e estates of the Hospital tv Chnrr>v,e"cU ruin and the Reformation ot tvliiio Was. xh« pretext for its extinction. Parish church stood sacrosanct i venation, the beautiful monument of nevoience raised near by was allowed to decay, +■ i°n lts ruins at a later day was reared a ?°j,telrJr. the Cross Keys, with fewer, less beauti- .pf1^ iess romantic associations. earlieu vicars of Swan-ea are unknown; but if we may infer it from a passage in the deed of tne foundation of tue Hospital of St. David, the t-tle of Vicar was not always held by the incum- bent. In that deed, dated loo2, the name ol Walter de Penderton is referred to as quonuam rectoris ecciesiae de iswaynes. Pemberton was probabiv the game man who, in 1302, as consta- I ble of Kermerdyn," served a summons upon William de Brewuse at nis Castle at Srveyne- seye to come and answer the plaints of his peo 'ie." It was in redressing these grievances, of wihch he himself was tne cause, that this Lo"d jjarcher granted tj St. Mary's Church tne 1-iu-ht of sanctuary. a The next vicar of whom we have any trace was Will el mo Smyth, Vicario de Swayii$ev such is the description of one of the wiin»s«es to au "Acquittat.ce by David ap Hopkvns j of a Burgage in Swansea," dated 1422 Nearly a century intervenes before the next vicar is discovered m the person of Sir m ap BhyS who came to the living in 1531. to be succeeded, in loyO by JoLn after in 1697. by Kobert lhomas aud m lodl. by Wm. Edwards. They filled the period of transition in an the influence ot tne Pope to -he Supremacv of the Britx-n Crown All around great events were happening Martin Lutner had sent the wave of reformation ro¡llng from Wit: en berg north- ward until it engnlphed Scotland, and south- ward until it beat in vair. acamst the Pyrenees, onlv increasing tho vigilance" of the Inquisition. In England, Henry had arrogated to mms df a title winch his character contradicted. The monasteries were plundered and suppressed, ihe natred of Koine grew stronger 1;1 the English mind. Under Edward the liturgy was reformed, and the proclamation ior the removal of images was made. Under Mary. Popery was restored and Protestantism persecuted. Cramner atuned fer his repeated aposiacy by meeting his uoom, with Latimer and Kidley, infinitely nobler men, in the flames at Oxioro anu human fuel fed tne flames of Smithheld. It was left for Elizabeth to inaugurate a new England, with a religious freedom as broad as the seas, of which she became the mistress, and to establish the sturdy spirit of independence which brought disaster upon the dynasty of the Stuarts and } the dearest privileges upon the nation. These, indeed, were stirring times. Yet, through all the changeful kaleidoscope of the national life, the history of the Swansea Parish Cnurch pursued the even tenor of its way, like the rude forefathers who slumbered beneath the clustering tombstones. In Wales—the destined stronghold of Nonconfoimity !—the light of the I Reformation penetrated slowly through the •.CONTINUED ON PAGE 6.]