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Article THE CHURCHES OF WORCESTER ← Page 4 of 4 Article DR. MARK AND HIS LITTLE MEN. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Churches Of Worcester
tion . The lahdable effort of the dean and chapter to remedy to some ex « tent this state of things , by opening the nave of the cathedral for special sermons , is Worthy of commendation ; but it must be evidentthatif the parish churches are to remain encumbered with pews , frequently and the available accommodation of our vast cathedral is confined , as at present , to some 800 free sittings , these special sermons will be of little 5
practical utility / If they " have prosduced any eifoct , it ought to become apparent in the presence of increased congregations in the parish churches . Arid supposing a large number of the attendants at the special services , moved by the preacher ' s advice , had afterwards gone to some of their parish churches , would they' have found the same accommodation for all , without regard to worldly station , With liber ^ pleased , as at the cathedral , without being bandied about by those officious
nuisances pew-openers ? Would they not father have found the sacred building partitioned off into high boxes , carefully guarded with doors , arid otherwise distinguished as private property ? The probability is that these people would have returned home with the conviction that their presence was not desired , and under such circumstances they would most 1 & up ; the attempt to participate in the ordmances of religion . For thfa the selfish and unchristian conduct of the middle and upper classes , in
appropriating the church to their own use , must be held answerable . Even if the appropriated seatsremain empty , poor persons would not feel at home in them , knowing that the owners , so called ^ might at any time drop in themselves ; for in matters of this kind the poor are very sensitive . It is of little use , said Mr . Walker ^ to have sermons in the open air or in unauthorized places , so long as our consecrated buildings are rendered unavailing for the service of God by the system of appropriation . Where it
is not possible to have all the seats of a church free , it should be so divided that the free and the appropriated seats might be equally well / placed . If all the pews were to be cleared out of one of the churches , now so indifferently attended—or even one half , as an experiment- —and convenient chairs substituted , there is every reason for believing the result would be highly satisfactory . Then it might be hoped that the example Avould be followed in others , and that the cathedral nave would likewise be made available for worship by the removal of the cumbrous organ screen . If these internal
improvements were combined with services of a hearty and congregational character—not the monotonous recitation of priest and clerk—and earnest preaching , no more would be heard of the emptiness of churches .. Our church being thus shown in its true light , would be found by the working classes to be indeed the poor man ' s church , and they would gradually become attached to her services , and interested in her welfare . A beneficial effect would thus be exercised upon the other classes of socixrty , and an increased zeal for the propagation of true religion would be generated amongst the teeming populations oi large towns .
Dr. Mark And His Little Men.
DR . MARK AND HIS LITTLE MEN .
In our advertising pages will be found a notice of an entertainment bearing the above title , and as Dr , Mark is himself a worthy Brother of the Craft of Fremasons , and his purpose , moreover , thoroughly Masonic , inasmuch as by carrying it into elfect he is decidedly u rendering himself more extensively serviceable to his fellow-creatures , " we are anxious to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Churches Of Worcester
tion . The lahdable effort of the dean and chapter to remedy to some ex « tent this state of things , by opening the nave of the cathedral for special sermons , is Worthy of commendation ; but it must be evidentthatif the parish churches are to remain encumbered with pews , frequently and the available accommodation of our vast cathedral is confined , as at present , to some 800 free sittings , these special sermons will be of little 5
practical utility / If they " have prosduced any eifoct , it ought to become apparent in the presence of increased congregations in the parish churches . Arid supposing a large number of the attendants at the special services , moved by the preacher ' s advice , had afterwards gone to some of their parish churches , would they' have found the same accommodation for all , without regard to worldly station , With liber ^ pleased , as at the cathedral , without being bandied about by those officious
nuisances pew-openers ? Would they not father have found the sacred building partitioned off into high boxes , carefully guarded with doors , arid otherwise distinguished as private property ? The probability is that these people would have returned home with the conviction that their presence was not desired , and under such circumstances they would most 1 & up ; the attempt to participate in the ordmances of religion . For thfa the selfish and unchristian conduct of the middle and upper classes , in
appropriating the church to their own use , must be held answerable . Even if the appropriated seatsremain empty , poor persons would not feel at home in them , knowing that the owners , so called ^ might at any time drop in themselves ; for in matters of this kind the poor are very sensitive . It is of little use , said Mr . Walker ^ to have sermons in the open air or in unauthorized places , so long as our consecrated buildings are rendered unavailing for the service of God by the system of appropriation . Where it
is not possible to have all the seats of a church free , it should be so divided that the free and the appropriated seats might be equally well / placed . If all the pews were to be cleared out of one of the churches , now so indifferently attended—or even one half , as an experiment- —and convenient chairs substituted , there is every reason for believing the result would be highly satisfactory . Then it might be hoped that the example Avould be followed in others , and that the cathedral nave would likewise be made available for worship by the removal of the cumbrous organ screen . If these internal
improvements were combined with services of a hearty and congregational character—not the monotonous recitation of priest and clerk—and earnest preaching , no more would be heard of the emptiness of churches .. Our church being thus shown in its true light , would be found by the working classes to be indeed the poor man ' s church , and they would gradually become attached to her services , and interested in her welfare . A beneficial effect would thus be exercised upon the other classes of socixrty , and an increased zeal for the propagation of true religion would be generated amongst the teeming populations oi large towns .
Dr. Mark And His Little Men.
DR . MARK AND HIS LITTLE MEN .
In our advertising pages will be found a notice of an entertainment bearing the above title , and as Dr , Mark is himself a worthy Brother of the Craft of Fremasons , and his purpose , moreover , thoroughly Masonic , inasmuch as by carrying it into elfect he is decidedly u rendering himself more extensively serviceable to his fellow-creatures , " we are anxious to