TRINITY CHURCH, BROMPTON.
Holy Trinity, Brompton, is a church beautiful for situation. One cannot fail to be struck by the sudden change from town to country experienced on entering the long and pretty avenue by which it is approached, and in the perspective of which the vestry-door overgrown with ivy is seen. We know of no other church in the metropolitan suburbs thus entered, and which has all disturbing sights and sounds so effectually shut out. The church cannot be said to be beautiful as a Gothic structure, being of plain brick and stone, but in these days we are so spoilt that nothing seems to satisfy us; yet we must not forget that the church was built when Gothic architecture was not much studied and but little appreciated, so that, added to its woodland effect, it is only a wonder that it is Gothic at all. Then, too, Professor Donaldson was the architect, who is now almost the father of his profession, and as such revered and respected by all. The church has undergone very considerable alteration with regard to the interior. The old high pewing has been substituted by low oak pewing of good design. A very handsome font has been added, and three sides of the bowl are ornamented with well-cut diaper and the side towards the nave is occupied by a panel in relief, containing the appropriate figure of Jesus receiving little children. The stem is formed of stout shafts of polished marble, and the foliated caps are freely executed. A rose window in the east wall of the south gallery is a good feature added a few years since. Some of the windows have been filled with stained glass; the font and rose windows are from designs by Mr. E. C. Hakewill. The interior effect is very heavy, owing to the flatness of the nave ceiling and the galleries which surround three sides of the church; but much evidently has been done to relieve this, especially with the exposed timbers of the aisle roofs. The plan of the church consists of a nave and aisles and a recess for the chancel at the east end, with a vestry. The tower is at the west end, the space of which is occupied by the organ.
Holy Trinity was consecrated on June 6, 1829, being a district church in that part of the old parish of Kensington known as Brompton. Since then great changes have come over the district of South Kensington, which includes, Brompton. Those who knew it only then would scarcely recognise it now. Wide open space has been converted into long streets and roads, nay, a city of palaces, under the magic touch of capitalists and builders like Mr. Freake and others. The former gentleman still lives, and happily continues his labours and enterprise in the neighbourhood; and, as though it were to remind us of the fact, as we approached the church on Sunday morning, the first thing that caught our eye was a handbill upon the board at the entrance convening a meeting for Thursday evening, to consider a generous offer of that gentleman to build an infant-school at his own cost on a piece of vacant ground in the churchyard, and present it to the district. The consent of the parishioners was needed to the use of this land for such a purpose, and of course it was readily given. As we are upon the subject of schools, it may at once be stated that there are connected with the church, national schools, which were established in 1842 in the Brompton-road, a school library, and evening classes for young men. There are, also, infant schools, and a Sunday-school, held only in the afternoon from 2.30. The church will accommodate about 1,500 persons, and from 300 to 400 sittings are free. In proportion as the external appearance of that now fashionable suburb has changed, the interior has been transformed. When the late vicar, Dr. Irons, was appointed to it thirty years ago he found, as above intimated, the old style of pew and the old style of everything. There was no organ-loft or stained window, or noticeable pulpit or chancel. But under his energetic and active measures—at a cost of upwards of 3,000l.—the interior became entirely modernised. During the greater part of his time his ministry was popular, and the church filled; so that he had only to ask and to have. But there was this peculiarity about his character and relations with the district—he was in himself, by training and connexion with Oxford, essentially High Church, but experience taught him that the principal elements composing his congregation would not admit of the development of his sympathies with Ritualism. He was wise enough to regard this circumstance, and aimed at establishing a medium—a modified form of High Churchism—as a compromise between himself and the people. As all half-done things are sure to create misunderstanding and ultimately to alienate some of both sides, the case of Dr. Irons was no exception to the rule. Despite his great pulpit talent and distinguished learning, the congregations declined; and about two years ago he retired to a quiet country living in Lincolnshire.
The present Vicar, the Rev. Thomas Fraser Stooks, M.A. (Cambridge), Prebendary of St. Paul’s, and Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of London, has not, to the present time, succeeded in refilling the church. On Sunday morning last it was thinly attended, but we remembered it was a wet morning. We are, however, informed by a constant attendant that it was quite an average congregation. In that case the church is considerably behind the general run of suburban churches as to the numbers attending it. But since this statement appeared in the Suburban Press it is but right to say that the editor has received the following from the Rev. W Conybeare Bruce: “While fully admitting that, owing to a variety of causes, into which it is not our place to enter here, our church is at present ‘considerably behind the general run of suburban churches as to the numbers attending it,’ I must, with the leave of a ‘Constant Attendant,’ distinctly state that the congregation on that particular Sunday was decidedly and evidently below the average. This is a point on which I cannot be mistaken as it is my habit to take special notice of the numbers of each congregation. You may, Sir, also accept it as a fact, on which I am sure you will congratulate us, that our congregations have increased, slowly but perceptibly, since the present Vicar’s accession.”
The Rev. Mr. Stooks has, it appears, taken his stand upon the question of the services. He will have no intoning, increase of singing, or excessive ritual. With High Churchism he has no compromise; and in so far is still wiser than his predecessor. The prayers are read and the responses said, and the only touches of formality are on entering the Communion, when an Introit is sung, and in the passage to the pulpit, which is illuminated by the following of a gold-laced church beadle, bearing a massive silver-mounted staff on his shoulder. The clergy, too, in addition to the surplice, wear rather a showy collegiate hood. It is in one of a bright violet colour, and in another a rich crimson, and in a third black silk trimmed with fur. The violet hood marks an Associate of King’s College, the crimson is the Oxford M.A. hood, and the black silk trimmed with white fur is the Oxford B.A. hood. The organist, H. Lahee, Esq., did his work well, but was unassisted by anything in the shape of an effective choir. There are three curates—among whom the Vicar himself did not appear on the occasion of our visit (April 16th). The Rev. Nathaniel Liberty read the prayers, the Litany, and the Epistle very devoutly, but a little more power of voice would have made it still more impressive. The Rev. W. Conybeare Bruce, B.A., read the first lesson, and the Rev. John Bliss, M.A., Senior Curate, read and preached the sermon. The text was John xx. and 20th verse: “Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” A beautiful text and seasonable, and commented upon with piety and Christian feeling.
At this church there are three general services on Sunday, at 11 a.m., 4 and 7 p.m., and Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday at 8 a.m., and at midday. On week-days—morning and evening prayer daily at 8 and 5. Litany on Wednesdays and Fridays at 12. On holy days celebration of Holy Communion and an address, at 12. The hymn-book used is “Hymns for Public Worship,” published under the direction of a Committee of the Religious Tract Society. The church, since the abolition of church-rates, is supported entirely by the pew rents, offertory, collections, and subscriptions. The first source of income is appropriated for the clergy exclusively; one reason, assuredly, why the pews should be well occupied. The income from other sources is applied for the maintenance of the church, its services and accessories. Brompton is a fine field for Christian labour; and situated as Holy Trinity is, in the midst of a vast population composed of all classes, from the higher to the lower, and at the very next door to the Roman Catholic Oratory and the South Kensington Museum, it may—we hope it will—revive to an extent which will make it a centre of light and true religion influence to all around.
ST. PAUL’S, ONSLOW SQUARE.
St. Paul’s, Onslow-square, South Kensington, is a specimen of one of those churches built not so much for effect as for utility. A church was wanted in this locality at the time it was erected, and hence the idea it gives one of having been built in a hurry. The plan of the church is reversed, the Communion table being at the west end; but the architecture is tame and poor. It may be said to be a perpendicular Gothic,—certainly not an excellent example. The tower and spire have a stunted appearance, and would have looked better a few feet higher. The inside is in the fashion of a past age. Roofed in one space, there is no arcade; large galleries run round three sides of the church, and to enable the reader and preacher to be seen from these, a large and very tall pulpit and desk are used, which quite shut out the west, or Communion end. There is an entire absence of decoration, the church being almost Quakerlike in its simplicity, and, to the searcher after the picturesque, contains but little to interest. There is some coloured glass of geometrical patterns, but not pleasant in tone.
For this church the district is largely indebted to the Christian liberality of Charles J. Freake, Esq., of Cromwell House, a near resident, and owner of large properties in the locality. The site and two-thirds of the building fund, which amounted to about 14,000l., were entirely from this source. Mr. Freake is also the patron.
On Sunday morning, the 23rd of April, some disappointment was felt at this church through the absence of the esteemed Vicar, on rather a prolonged after-Easter holiday. The Rev. Capel Molyneux—formerly of the Lock Chapel, Paddington—is favourably known as a very popular and attractive preacher. He is, also, distinctly Evangelical in his ministry, and anti-Ritualistic in all his services, which are conducted in the plainest style of outward devotion. Yet, out of one of the most aristocratic centres to be met with around London, he has succeeded in building up a very large congregation, upon whom he appears to have impressed that form as the very ideal of Christian worship. And we cannot refrain from saying that, as far as we could judge, a more lively and earnestly devout congregation is rarely to be met with. The church, which accommodates in all 1,600 persons—inclusive of 600 free sittings—was well filled, to our eye, except in the galleries; but we were informed the congregation was by no means equal to what it is when the Vicar himself is present. His place, however, was very ably and profitably supplied by the Rev. J. F. Sargeant, of St. Luke’s, Marylebone, who performed the entire service, and discoursed extempore with much pathos and power on the 23rd Psalm. There is no intoning in the prayers, and no chanting or singing but in the Jubilate, the Te Deum, the Gloria Patri, and the hymns; the latter being Psalms and Hymns based on “The Christian Psalmody” of the late Rev. G. Bickersteth, as compiled by his son, and sold by Dean and Son, Ludgate-hill—one of the very best of all the collections extant. The organist, Mr. Carter, uses an instrument by Bishop to good effect, and is accompanied in the vocal parts of the music by a rather numerous and full-voiced choir in, of course, plain dress. There is one assistant clergyman—the Rev. T. Burrows—who was not present on the occasion. On Sundays there are three services—at 11 a.m., 3.30, and 7 p.m.; Holy Communion on the first Sunday in the month after the morning, and on the third after the evening, service, and on the last Tuesday evening in the month. There is a usual week-day service on Thursday evening at seven, and on the first Monday evening in the month, at eight, there is a special service for working men, when all the seats are thrown open. This, we understand, is a most interesting and important service, and usually well attended.