It is also to be observed that the different ecclesiastical schools in the Church, by mere dint of rivalry, have done comparatively little in this great work. There are three or four decidedly Ritualistic Churches; two or three High Church; two Broad Church, which affects doctrine chiefly; and all the others are really and truly Evangelical Churches, and varying but very slightly, if any thing, in form and ceremony. Church extension may, therefore, be regarded as a genuine and earnest out-come of English protestant Churchmanship, prompted by higher motives than those connected with Ecclesiastical disputes.
Among the nonconforming bodies, the Baptists are by far the most numerous here. It is, however, very observable that they do not appear to base the strength of their cause upon their denominational views as to Baptism by Immersion; but in every case except one, and that a very small Church, have what is called “open communion,” and admit to fellowship Christian believers of good repute generally, even though they disagree on that denominational point. They are, therefore, to be distinguished from the Ana-Baptists, who insist upon re-baptism before communion; whilst they are equally far removed from the Particular Baptists, who preach particular Redemption. The peculiarities of Calvinism are rarely, if ever, heard from their pulpits. The body, then, that have obtained in Kensington, it may be of some importance to remember, are the General Baptists, who are characterized by liberality of sentiment, both as it regards Church conditions and doctrinal teaching. The largest of these Churches is that of Westbourne Grove, under the pastorate of the Rev. W. G. Lewis.
Congregationalism is not largely represented in Kensington, and mainly centres in one or two Churches, viz. that presided over by the Rev. Dr. Stoughton, in Allen-street, formerly of Hornton-street, and that at Horbury Chapel, under the Rev. W. Roberts,—the former being the older and larger Church. This is highly vigorous and prosperous, and has been progressively so under the now lengthened ministration of Dr. Stoughton. Aided by the well-known Catholic sentiments of this minister, Independency, in the parish of Kensington, has received a breadth of sympathy with Christian people of other denominations which enables it to maintain the most friendly relations with all.
Wesleyanism has not hitherto displayed the popular adaptation here by which it is characterized in many parts of the country, not excepting the chief centres of population. Its efforts, however, in this direction, are yet young, and cannot be expected to have gathered the strength and influence of age. It finds, moreover, at least in this part of the metropolis, abler, keener, and more active rivals than in rural parts, or in most provincial towns. The Wesleyans, from their connexional principle, have an immense advantage over other bodies, as it regards the mere building of places of worship, for which, if they chose, they need not be in the least dependent upon mere local effort. If recommended by Conference, a general subscription for a first-class chapel in Kensington would be opened in the connexional organs, and closed in a few weeks, with surplus funds at the bankers, over the amount actually required for the purpose. This is a wonderful material facility for any Church to possess, and if the raising of material fabrics were necessarily signs of real success, then it is quite certain that no nonconforming body in the land could compete with the Wesleyans. But in the present condition of society, and distribution of the Churches and Church influences, if there is not sufficient interest in any given locality to build a Chapel wholly or mainly at its own cost, there is but little probability of creating a sufficient interest for the future by simply making it a present from a distance. It might or it might not succeed; but the probability is that it will not. One body of Christians cannot be every where, and there must be some points at which it will be weak.
Scotch Presbyterianism is also without vigorous expression in Kensington. Always and every where an exotic Southward, it does not seem greatly to flourish. It is a mission, established mainly for the benefit of Scotch residents or travellers, and was never intended to interfere with our native religious and Ecclesiastical growths. Yet we are glad to see it among us. It is a great way of showing how united the United Kingdom is, and our Scotch brethren, with their northern crispness and rigidity, ought to be perfectly at home with us.
In touching on Romanism, we have it in this large suburb in all the strength and fascination with which it has hitherto been imported into the metropolis. Here the wealth of its richest English adherents and foreign residents combine with the talent of its foremost men to give it popular effect. This has been accomplished to a limited extent only; for the result at present is by no means commensurate with the efforts put forth. Yet Protestants may not slumber upon this fact. Romanism here is making a distinct and anxious bid for popular sympathy and local influence, and presents a calmly active energy and fertility of resource which might awaken vigilance if it need not create alarm. Its preachers are eloquent and earnest, its Churches and ritual are gorgeous and costly, its music is enchanting, its monastic orders, its conventual settlements, and all their attached agencies are quietly and ceaselessly at work, and their schools, are diligently plied. Just as we go to press, the foundation stone of a new “Home” is laid at Kensal New Town, and with it, ground taken up for a large Church. This is hard by the new Protestant Church of “St. Andrew’s and St. Philip’s” on the one hand, and the Baptist Chapel on the other. No stone is being left unturned; and should Ultramontane projects fail in this part of the suburbs, it will be a grievous discouragement to it all over London. It was the promised land marked out for Romanism by Cardinal Wiseman, and Archbishop Manning is striving to lead the people up to possess it. Should he ever succeed in a conspicuous degree, it will be owing as much to Protestant shortcomings as to his own efforts no doubt; but at present there is, on this head, but little reason to complain as far as building of Churches and Chapels is concerned.
CHURCH BUILDING.
That we live in a Church-building age is made manifest in the foregoing pages. Of the fifty-three Churches and Chapels in Kensington, fifteen have been erected and opened within the last five years; sixteen others within ten years; and in all within the past twenty years there have been no less than forty-three erections. Five Churches and Chapels are over twenty years of age, three over thirty, and two have stood for a century,—and still remain. The old St. Mary Abbotts has succumbed to the weight of years, and a new and splendid fabric has just taken its place. A half a million of money is represented in these structures, by far the larger half of which has been raised and expected within the last decade. Whatever the verdict of posterity may be upon these buildings from an artistic point of view, it will not hesitate to accord the high merit of distinguished energy and liberality. As to Architecture, some few of these erections embody and will hand down to future times examples of the improved taste of our day; but for the most part they have been erected under pressure of urgent necessity, arising from the rapid and overwhelming outflow of population towards the western suburbs. The question has been all along how places could be erected with sufficient speed to save new communities from habitual forgetfulness of the Sabbath and public worship for the mere want of places in which to assemble. Never has been in the past, never probably will be in time to come, an extensive suburban area like this so rapidly covered with habitations of men and all the concomitants of our social life. So recently as 1845, when the Church of St. John was erected on the crest of Notting-hill, the eye ranged from that eminence north and west only over open fields, and it was thought at the time that the Church had been placed too far in the country. Yet St. John’s now stands in the centre as it were of a vast city, the unbroken lines of which stretch around and away for miles. St. John’s would never now be thought or spoken of as “in the fields” any more than St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge, or St. Mary’s, Paddington. The same is true of many other Churches first erected on the border-land; and it is not until we realize the extraordinary rapidity with which this mighty change has been wrought, that we can understand the comparative hurry in which some of the Churches have been built; but in most cases they are substantial buildings, and offer scope for further decoration and filling up of the Architect’s original designs as opportunity offers.
The province and purpose of the Temporary Iron Church has been most marked in Kensington. There are but few exceptions to the rule that, as to the later erections Iron has been the pioneer of stone or brick. It is utilized for the first formation of districts and sub-parishes, and for the collection of congregations. The young clergyman settles himself down to a new locality, puts up the Temporary Church at a small cost,—in the midst of bricks and lime, heaps, and scaffolding all around; the houses, however, are soon completed and occupied, and in two or three years he feels himself strong enough to turn his attention seriously to a permanent erection, and in many cases in an incredibly short time the work is accomplished, and the useful Iron friend is sold or hired out to some brother minister who wishes to imitate the process in another place. Of course the Iron Church comes in for its share of contempt from the fastidious. It is “dingy-looking,” unattractive in every architectural respect, and denounced with its so-called “tin-kettle” bell as a disfigurement to the neighbourhood, and offensive to the ear. But it does a good work notwithstanding, and ought to be highly prized and respected for its work’s sake. There are, moreover, instances in which some of the objectionable features can be got over, and, at least, the interior of the Iron Church be made elegant and inviting. The nicest individual ought to feel pleased with an interior like that of St. John the Baptist’s Church in Holland-road; where Mr. Edmeston, the Architect, has displayed a taste and contrivance which almost impose on one the idea that he is in a well-built permanent Church instead of a temporary one. He had previously exhibited great taste in his treatment of the interior of St. Peter’s Notting-hill, which is considered one of the most beautiful in London; and with a far inferior subject at St. John the Baptist’s has not been wanting to himself. Indeed, we could scarcely have believed that so good general effect could have been wrought out between iron walls. The people at that Church can well be content with their lot for some little time to come, should it not yet be convenient to build in a more costly and enduring style.
We are glad to be able to supply in these pages views of a number of the principal Churches and Chapels, which will give the reader a better idea of the state of Church Architecture among us than any pen and ink description without their aid. To begin with the new parish Church; both the exterior and interior are seen as reduced for this work from larger drawings, by permission of the Architect, Mr. G. G. Scott, by Mr. Avery, the photographer, of the Ladbroke-road. They make beautiful pictures, and show an edifice which, when all complete, will be in every way worthy of the Court Suburb. We have also a capital drawing of the old Church—In Memoriam—taken expressly for the “Index,” that it might not be quite lost sight of amidst the superior splendour of the modern temple. And to complete the series, Messrs. Hill and Son, of the Euston-road, have enabled us to introduce a woodcut of the magnificent new organ they are building for the Church, and whose tones will be heard at the opening in a few weeks’ time. These illustrations of themselves would have been sufficient to give unusual interest to the work; but we are favoured with many more. Kensington Churches, as a whole, are so fairly and fully illustrated, that nearly every style of building is seen that has hitherto obtained among us. St. Peter’s, Onslow-gardens, through the esteemed favour of the founder and patron, C. J. Freake, Esq., shows a fine interior as well as neat exterior; and St. Jude’s, South Kensington, the same—only in the latter case the spire represented is not yet built. St. Paul’s, Onslow-square, is a specimen of plain unambitious gothic, in great measure purposely so, as according with the order of things instituted there; but partly, also, from the necessity existing at the time for making haste with the work. St. Mark’s, Notting-hill, is an example of another kind, and by the kindness of the Rev. E. K. Kendall, the Vicar, we are enabled to introduce an excellent engraving. Mr. Keeling has here displayed professional skill and freedom,—as also in St. George’s, Campden-hill. The picturesque effect both in outline and detail is boldly sought, and successfully obtained; and we have a good view of the exterior. Mr. Varley’s Tabernacle, as will be seen, is putting on a very improved countenance, under the hands of Messrs. Habershon and Pite, and from being utterly devoid of attraction, will be henceforth recognized as an ornament to the neighbourhood. The beautiful Church of St. Barnabas, one of the very best specimens of Ecclesiastical Architecture in the parish, together with its useful appendage the “Church House,” are seen by favour of the Rev. Dr. Hessey, who has kindly supplied the blocks for the purpose. The “Church House” is capable of being converted at any convenient time into a building of greater parochial importance; and, in fact, considering the popularity of the Church in that immediate neighbourhood under the good influence of Dr. Hessey, the time may not be far distant.