ST. MICHAEL’S AND ALL ANGELS’ CHURCH, NOTTING-HILL.
The new Church of “St. Michael and All Angels” embraces the northern part of the District of All Saints’, Notting-hill, in its new extension towards Kensal-green, in the Ladbroke-grove-road. No doubt, just at this spot, there will, in time, be a middle-class population sufficient to fill the church. But at present the property is new, and, therefore, it would seem St. Michael’s must for some time to come draw from a distance. The Vicar Designate, the Rev. Edward Ker Gray, was formerly curate to Dr. Robbins, of St. Peter’s, Kensington-park, and has family connexions in the neighbourhood, who have largely contributed to his present enterprise; and the plot of land on which the edifice stands, and that on which a parsonage is yet to be built, are the gift of Messrs. Blake and Parsons, who are freeholders in that part. The style of architecture adopted differs from that of most churches, being what is professionally known as the “Romanesque of the Rhine,” and is executed chiefly in terra cotta and ornamental bricks, by Mr. Cowland, of Notting-hill, under a contract (exclusive of tower and fittings) for 4,300l. The architects are Messrs. Edmeston of Crown-court, Old Broad-street; and the plan consists of a nave ninety-nine feet long, exclusive of chancel and western apse, by forty-three feet wide, roofed in one span, with an eastern, western, and southern apse, leaving a northern apse to be added at some future time. On the north side the church is hidden by houses, and it is seen to best advantage at the south-west angle, where it will form rather a picturesque object, when the grouping of tower, turret, apse, and gable are added to the view. The interior is yet unfurnished, and only sufficiently fitted up for the performance of worship. The pulpit, desk, organ, and chancel furniture are all temporary. The contract for the decoration is given to Messrs. Howland and Fisher, who decorated St. Peter’s, Bayswater, which is considered one of the handsomest church interiors in London. About 1,000 sittings are provided, applications for which are requested. The occasion of our visit was the service of consecration, in May, 1871, conducted by the Right Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London. There was a good congregation present; and immediately after the entrance of the Bishop, Mr. Shephard, the Registrar of his Lordship’s diocese, read the petition of the Vicar, Churchwardens and parishioners praying for the consecration of the church. The Bishop having replied, “I am ready to consecrate this church, according to the prayer of the petition,” a procession was as once formed, headed by the parish beadles with their staves, followed by the churchwardens, Bishop, and clergy, who slowly walked round the church, the Bishop repeating the usual service. On returning to the Communion Table, the deed of conveyance was formally received and laid upon the table by the Bishop. The prayers for the ordinary morning service were read by the Rev. Mr. Gray, the Psalms, Te Deum, and hymns being chanted by a choir of good voices, male and female, blending well together, under the direction of Mr. Sydney Naylor, organist. On ascending the pulpit the Bishop took for his text, John xvii. 6, “I have manifested thy name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world,” &c. The subject was divided into three parts: 1. What name he manifested. 2. How he manifested it. 3. The character of the persons to whom he manifested the name of his Father. These topics were worked out with great clearness of thought and felicity of utterance; the Bishop steering delicately through the difficult problem of Divine predestination and human free will, and rendering the point as satisfactory as it ever can become to mortal reflection. A very feeling individual application of the subject to the congregation concluded the discourse. It is about twelve years since we had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Jackson at a confirmation service in a small town in Lincolnshire, and it is gratifying to observe the same doctrinal safety and thorough practical bearing in his ministry which struck us at that time. He also bears his increased years well, displaying a freshness in his appearance and a vigour equal to if not superior to himself more than a decade since. A collection was made after sermon from pew to pew towards the organ and church expenses, and the remainder of the Communion Service and the benediction concluded the whole. It ought to be noticed that a number of the local clergy were present, and that the Rev. Dr. Robbins read the first lesson—the consecration of the Temple by Solomon—in a most impressive manner, and the Rev. J. S. Gell the few verses which compose the second lesson. The Bishop’s chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Fisher, also assisted in the service within the chancel rail.
Mr. Gray’s ministry is reported Evangelical in its character, and his service lively and devotional, without Ritualistic features. The congregation gradually increases, and it is hoped that ere long the furnishing will be completed, and that the church will answer all the purposes for which it was built in that rising population. The Churchwardens are Captain N. W. Boyce and J. D. Cowland, Esq., and the services are: Sundays at 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Weekdays, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m., the Litany, Holy Communion, at 9 a.m. every Sunday, and after the 11 a.m. service the last Sunday in every month. Baptisms at 2.30 first Sunday in the month, and at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday.