SPURGEON.
In Crown Court, Strand, is the Free Church of Scotland, a well-built and commodious edifice, where the Scottish Presbyterians attend. The pastor of this church is known all over the world by his writings and his prophetic denunciations of the coming destruction of the world, as "Apocalypse" Cumming. Thousands of pages have been written by this eminent divine, and hundreds of sermons have been preached by him, in which he has identified the Pope of Rome with the "Scarlet Woman" and the "Beast," having the mark on her forehead, yet at the call of the Ecumenical Council, he was the first Protestant divine in England, who, in a manner acknowledged the Pope's jurisdiction by writing to him for admission to the Council as a Priest or "Presbyter." Dr. Cumming is a very energetic preacher, and his services are always well attended by the disciples of his church, as well as by strangers, in London, who manifest a great desire to hear the illustrious Scotch divine.
FATHER IGNATIUS.
One of the most talked-about people in London is the famous "Father Ignatius," whose design is to bring over English Episcopalians to the Roman Catholic Church, although he does not say so ostensibly. This man is evidently sincere in his efforts to bring back the English Church to the place of its departure, for the Reformation—as far as the ceremonial goes. It is very little different, that old-fashioned church of St. Mary-le-Strand—where I saw Father Ignatius officiating one Sunday afternoon, in the midst of incense, ringing of silver bells, and kneeling worshippers, who went through all the most devout genuflections of Roman Catholicism—from the Mother Church, in its ceremonial. Father Ignatius wore a vestment, with a huge cross down the back, his head was shaved on the top like that of a monk, and his face and eyes, as he descended the steps of the altar, which was surmounted with a Gothic cross, covered with flowers, and blazing with lights, had an ascetic aspect, which is not commonly seen in the features or eyes of a clergyman of the State Church. At every motion of the body he made a low reverence to the Crucifix over the altar. This Father Ignatius does not believe in a married Clergy, or in Lay or Congregational administration of a Church—in fact he does everything that a Roman Catholic Priest does, including the hearing of confessions, yet he dares not acknowledge the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, excepting in a negative sense. He is an advanced soldier of a large and growing party in the Church of England, who gravitate with tremendous strides daily towards the Church of Rome, but do not know that they are thus gravitating, or knowing, will not acknowledge the fact. This puny, slab-faced, and livid-looking Priest, has suffered, too, with steadiness, has been stoned and mobbed by angry crowds, yet he perseveres in his work, and has many thousand followers, male and female, among the brightest, best, bravest, and most cultivated of England's aristocracy.
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
It is a strange, old-fashioned, and conservative Church, this State Church of Great Britain. It has lasted three hundred years, with its feasts and fasts, its liturgy, its prelates, spiritual peers, and Thirty-Nine Articles.