S. ANDREW'S CHURCH, SONNING.

X.

At Easter 1853, exactly a year after the commencement of the restoration, the works were sufficiently advanced to allow of our making arrangements for the re-opening of the Church, and after some communication with the Bishop, Thursday, May 26th, was fixed as the day of re-opening. No one who saw the Church a week before, would have thought it possible that everything could be got ready for the ceremonial, for until the day before, the stone pulpit was not completed, and the whole Church was in the utmost confusion. A great builder in London, who has had large experience in Church work, says that he is quite satisfied if the last workmen leave the Church by one door, as the head of the procession comes in by the other. We were not so hard driven as this, for everything was ready for the service of the next day, late on the night before. The last things procured were the curtains within the Sacrarium, and the new altar cloth of crimson velvet, richly embroidered, which had been worked at Birmingham. It was certainly a great delight to look round on the altered state of things, and to survey the Church in its renewed beauty. It was almost impossible to recall the old galleries and pews, and the white-washed walls and ceilings, when we saw the fabric restored to its ancient comeliness, and disencumbered of the hideous disfigurements, which had so long marred its admirable proportions. Thursday, May 26th, was a lovely day, with a bright sun. The service was fixed for half-past eleven o'clock, but did not begin till past twelve, when the Bishop of Oxford, accompanied by the late Bishop of London (Dr. Blomfield) arrived. The procession was formed at the Vicarage. There were between seventy and eighty clergy in surplices, and the choir of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, attended by Dr. Elvey, the organist. As the procession moved from the Vicarage to the Church, the 84th, 87th and 122nd Psalms were chanted by the Choir and Clergy, and those who attended the service in the Church on this day will not have forgotten the beautiful effect produced by the singing as it was heard advancing nearer and nearer to the Church. Dr. Elvey played the organ, which at this time was placed at the west end of the South Aisle. The Choir of St. George's sat in the Chancel, and nothing could exceed the beauty of the chanted service. Prayers were read by the Vicar, and the Lessons by the Rev. John Horne, and the Rev. J. M. Hawker, then curates of the Parish. The anthem which was admirably sung was, I have surely built thee an house," 1 Kings, viii, 13, by Boyce. The Bishop of Oxford read the first part of the Communion Service, and the Bishop of London the Epistle. It was a great honour to have with us on this occasion, so distinguished a prelate as Bishop Blomfield, and every one will remember the impressive tones of his rich and most melodious voice. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of the Diocese, from St. John vi, 2, " And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased." It was one of his striking and eloquent sermons, and our readers will be glad to read a few extracts from it, referring to the work of restoration.

"We are met together," the Bishop said, "to celebrate the completion of what is indeed a very great work for this Parish. All of

you who know what was the state of the Church before its recent alteration, and can compare that state with what it is at present, must, I think, at once see how far more suitable it is now for the common and public worship of the Christian people dwelling in this Parish. That after all is the greatest and chiefest object which we have in fitting up our Churches, and so to fit them up that rich and poor may meet together to make common prayer, offer up common praise, and hear together the word of God, to be and to feel that they are one spiritual body, that here in God's presence, the necessary distinctions of rank and station do not separate them, but that they can meet together as being indeed one great body in Him, foreshadowing that final gathering when all the people of God shall meet as one in His heavenly kingdom. Besides the mere fitting up of this place, which has been made far more suitable for the worship of God, we may rejoice together over the great beauty with which it has been adorned. It is a thing for which to thank God, as we have done in the special prayers this morning, when those who have the means of aiding by their substance, do freely and ungrudgingly give of their best to Him, and desire to make these Churches of His grace, fit in their beauty as well as their simplicity, for the glory of His great Name. Thus, as it is an evil symptom when men are willing to spend lavishly upon their own houses, and yet allow the House of the Lord to lie desolate and waste; and think that anything is good enough, that things which they would not bear in their own well furnished chambers, are quite good enough for the Lord's House, so on the other hand it is a good sign when they begin to care for the House of God, and feel it an honour and a pleasure to spend of that abundance which the Lord has given them, for the outward provision for the honour of His name. It is indeed matter for rejoicing, that God has put it into the hearts of His servants dwelling in this place, to offer up their best to Him, and honour Him by making this ancient building again so beautiful as our eyes behold it at this time. This, truly, is a matter of Christian joy and thanksgiving to God. And so we have assembled together to-day, not only the parishioners of this parish, but others from neighbouring parishes, as well as neighbouring pastors, coming from their several cures, in order that they may join their voices of praise upon this happy day, and not merely these, but we are even favoured with the honoured head of our chiefest Diocese, leaving his daily burden of care, coming down to join with us in the songs of praise with which we have magnified the Name of our God."

The whole sermon was listened to with profound attention. At the close of it the Bishop made an appeal on behalf of the restoration fund, announcing that there was a large deficiency in the funds. The collection amounted to £184 14s. The Holy Communion was administered to above 200 persons. The Church was thronged from end to end, and has never since been so full, till the Choral Festival of last June. There was service again in the evening at half-past six, when the sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, then Head Master of Harrow School, and now Master of the Temple, London. It was an admirable sermon, from Acts xx, 7. The collection was upwards of £20, making the whole amount over £200.

The ceremonial of the day was all that could be wished. Every one admired the re-arrangement of the Church, and the beauty of

Mr. Woodyer's work, and after thirteen months in which we had been shut out from the Church, it was indeed a satisfaction and a great joy to resume our services there once more, and under circumstances so different from what we had been long accustomed to.

We used for the first time at the re-opening service, our new Communion Plate. The old plate consisted of a very large silver flagon and two silver chalices, of such great size, that it had been found impossible to use them in the celebration; there had in consequence been substituted for them two small chalices of an inferior material. There was also a very handsome silver alms dish, and a silver paten. The flagon and chalices being both unwieldy and of bad design, we determined to have them melted down, and remoulded. All the plate was put into the hands of Mr. Keith, in London, who, under the direction of Mr. Butterfield, the eminent architect, has remodelled most of the Church plate in our day, We have now a beautiful flagon, and two chalices silver gilt, (the second chalice having been given at a later period), in addition to the paten and alms dish, which were both re-worked, and are also silver-gilt.

The alms-dish was given, I presume, by Sir Thomas Rich, as his coat of arms is engraved upon it. The engraving was originally in the centre of the dish, but Mr. Keith has very properly removed it to the reverse side. We do not know who gave the rest of the plate, but there was on it the very admirable inscription, "For the service of Almighty God," without the name of any donor. This inscription we have retained.

A word must now be said as to the expenses of the restoration. The general subscriptions from friends and parishioners amounted to about £1,500, and the whole of the rest of the expense, amounting to no less a sum than £4000 at least, was borne by R. Palmer, Esq. and his family. There have been additions made since, such as the painted windows, the new organ, choir desks, &c. all of which we shall mention in our next paper.

It may interest our readers to know the exact dimensions of the Church :

It is of course very unusual to find in any Church the Chancel as long as the Nave, but I have no doubt this is to be accounted for in the case of our Church, by the fact that it was from the earliest times connected with the See of Salisbury. The residence of the Bishops of Salisbury at Sonning, up to the time of the Reformation, must have brought a large addition to the Clerical staff of the Parish, and the whole body of Clergy, and Choir, together with the Bishop and his attendants, would have conducted the Services in the Chancel.

H. P.

To be continued.

BAPTISMS.

SONNING CHURCH.

Nov. 14th.-Albert Ernest, son of William and Ann New, Woodley. Martha, daughter of James and Mary Spencer, Sonning Eye.

Clara Elizabeth, daughter of George and Elizabeth
Johnson, Sonning Eye.

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH.

Nov. 14th.-Robert, son of James and Ellen Herridge, Dunsden.

SONNING CHURCH.

MARRIAGES.

Oct. 23rd.-Charles Smith to Elizabeth Challice, both of Dunsden. Oct. 30th.-William Street to Rebecca East, both of Dunsden.

SONNING CHURCH.

BURIALS.

Nov. 10. Sir Henry Rich, Baronet, aged 72.
Nov. 10.-John Wetherall, of Sonning, aged 78.

Bibles, Prayer Books, and Hymn Books, may be obtained at the
Boys' School, Sonning.

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