A word must be said about the position of the monuments. The large monument to the Barker family, and that to Lady Litcott, stood on either side of the east window, and elbowed it in a most unsightly manner. Westmacott's monument to Lady Reade, filled up the whole of the arch within the sacrarium, opposite to the sculptured arch. Several tablets were fixed to the pillars in the Nave, and one of these chalk pillars, on the South side, had been so mutilated by the monuments of two former Vicars, and by the injury done by fitting the pews into it, that it had to be entirely rebuilt of stone. On the walls were several decayed and moth-eaten hatchments, chiefly of the families of Lord Stowell and Mr. Golding. I must not forget the old brass chandelier, of 16 lights, which hung in the centre of the Nave, and is now in the Boys' Schoolroom. On it is the following inscription,— "The gift of George Blagrave. of Bulmarsh, Gent., 1675.” Some will no doubt remember the interest excited by the lighting up of this chandelier for the first time that anyone could remember, on Ash-Wednesday, 1846, when we began to have a week-day evening service in Lent. Enough has now been said on these matters of detail. Though the old Church was not materially out of repair, except in parts of the roof, it bore certainly a mean and forlorn appearance. The white-washed ceilings and walls, relieved only by patches of green damp, the yellow painted wood-work, the uneven and broken brick pavement, the huge unsightly pews, the dark damp corners under the galleries, where it was difficult either to see or hear, all combined to give an impression of decay and coldness, and few could help feeling that the Church, so disfigured and so meanly fitted up, was unworthy of its high purpose, and in painful contrast with its own original beauty. So much was the Church disguised in every way, that I can well remember being told, when we were talking of the restoration, that it was vain to hope that a really fine building could ever be made out of such poor materials. We shall now be ready to proceed in our next paper to the work of reconstruction. To be continued. THE MAGAZINE. H. P. The Editor wishes it to be known that the Magazine is published below its cost price, as it was thought of the greatest importance for its general circulation in the Parish, that it should be sold for one penny only. He hopes therefore that those who can do so, will make some additional donation, as is the practice in other parishes, in order to make up the deficiency. The Magazine will be sent each month to those who wish to take it in regularly, if they will leave their names either at Sonning Boys' School, or at Woodley School; but a second number will not be sent if the one for the month past has not been paid for. BAPTISMS. AT SONNING CHURCH. Jan. 24th-George, son of Thomas and Mary Anne Dance, Woodley. Feb. 7th-Alfred, son of Thomas and Mary King, Borough. Feb. 11th-(privately), Caroline, daughter of Jacob and Caroline Webb, Sonning. Feb. 14th-Ada Mary, daughter of James and Emma Lovejoy, Woodley. Feb. 14th-Annie, daughter of John and Dinah Palmer, Woodley. MARRIAGE. Feb. 14th-At the Parish Church, George Tovey to Emma Greenaway, Woodley. AT SONNING CHURCH. BURIALS. Jan. 24th-Richard Lovegrove, Woodley, aged 72. Jan. 31st-William Dover, Caversham, aged 54. Feb. 2nd-Anna Maria Clarke, S. Mary's, Reading, aged 60. AT ALL SAINTS'. Jan. 24th-Rose Sharp, Dunsden, aged 8 months. Bibles, Prayer Books, and Hymn Books, may be obtained at the Church Services. SONNING PARISH CHURCH. Sundays, 11 o'clock in the Morning. 3 o'clock in the Afternoon. Half-past 6 o'clock in the Evening. Saints' Days and Festivals, 11 o'clock in the Morning. Daily, Half-past 8 o'clock in the Morning. The Holy Communion is administered on the first Sunday in the month in the usual Morning Service, and on the third Sunday in the month, at 8 o'clock in the Morning, and on all the great festivals. ALL SAINTS' CHURCH. Sundays, 11 o'clock in the Morning. Half-past 3 o'clock in the Afternoon. Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays in each month, and on the great festivals. Holy Baptism is administered at Sonning Church, and at All Saints', on the second Sunday in the month in the Afternoon Service. It is particularly requested that children may be brought to be Baptized on this Sunday only, unless there is some urgent reason for choosing another time, when due notice must be given beforehand. The Churching of Women will be immediately before any of the Services. THE CONFIRMATION. The Confirmation by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese was held in Sonning Church on Monday, March 1st. The number of candidates was, from Sonning 44, from Earley 33, from All Saints' 9, and from neighbouring parishes 5, in all 91. Of these, the young men numbered no fewer than 60. The Service was confined to the "Order of Confirmation," in the course of which the Bishop addressed the candidates with even more than his usual impressive earnestness. Two hymns," Soldiers of Christ, arise," and " Come, Holy, Ghost, our souls inspire," were beautifully sung ; and the organ was played softly, and with excellent effect, in the intervals between the laying on of hands. Altogether the service was one of the most solemn and affecting that it has ever been our lot to join in. We hope and believe that the day will long be remembered, and that the good impression made by it, and the resolutions it awakened, will be lasting. WOODLEY CLOTHING FUND. On the 19th of February the fourth Sale of Children's Clothes took place. These Sales were begun in the autumn of 1867, a sum of money being collected for the purpose from a few friends. The original intention was, to have but one subscription, the articles to be made gratuitously and marked for sale at low prices The first sale answered in this manner, the second not so well, for it was found impossible to accomplish the needlework without paid assistance. Last November therefore another subscription was needed, and the want was met by a most generous response; so that the goods continue to be sold at the same price as at first, whilst the annual supply of money pays for putting out the work to any one in the parish able to undertake it. Many persons have gladly availed themselves of this opportunity of shewing their industry, and it need hardly be said that the increased fund thus doubly increases the benefit. 1st Report of Autumn and Spring Sales. In the four sales, twelve hundred articles of Clothing have been sold. E. S. RIGHTON, Treasurer. HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN. It has been proposed to send a box to this admirable Institution from our Parish, and help towards it is invited. Clothes, boots, shoes, slippers, (old and new), and all kinds of toys, will be gladly accepted. Parcels can be left at the Girls' School, Sonning, at Woodley School, and at All Saints' School, on or before the 20th of April, after which time they will be packed and sent. They should be directed 66 London Hospital." Should anyone wish to help by an offering of money, the Rev. Hugh Pearson, Sonning Vicarage, will take charge of it. All the patients are received gratuitously. |