MEMORABLE SERVICES.
During my chaplaincy there were several memorable services in the English
Embassy Church. The first of these was the funeral of the late Earl of
Lytton, Her Majesty’s Ambassador of France.
Lord Lytton died in November, 1891, at the Embassy. His death was
unexpected and sudden. Upon hearing the sad news I called at the Embassy
and saw Lady Lytton, who was naturally very much affected. I remember
that she took me by the hand and led me into the chamber of death, and
we both knelt down, and I prayed with her. The Earl was very little
changed by death, and lay as if asleep. Each morning afterwards, until
the funeral, I went to the Embassy and conducted family prayers. The
relatives had gathered, and I had quite a large number. Several of the
Balfour family were present, amongst whom was Lady Betty Balfour, the
eldest daughter of Lady Lytton, who has since, as is well known, edited
her father’s classic letters.
[Illustration: BRITISH EMBASSY CHURCH, FROM THE RUE D’AGUESSEAU.]
The funeral took place on Saturday, November 28th, and was most imposing.
The late Earl was very popular with the French, so much so that it
had been decided that the funeral must be public, and of the “class”
usually accorded to a Marshal of France. The scene in the church was
very remarkable. The Embassy had taken the body of the Church for the
Diplomatic Corps and the high officials of state of the French Republic.
One gallery was reserved for the special and intimate friends of Lady
Lytton, and the other gallery was the only space available for members of
the English Colony generally. The body of the Church presented a striking
appearance. All the Foreign Ambassadors and their suites were present
in full diplomatic dress, and the Military and Naval Attachés in their
brilliant uniforms. I remember that Colonel the Hon. R. Talbot (as he was
then) was especially remarked in his English scarlet dress. The French
Government, the Political, Naval, Military, and Civil Administrations
were all represented, and many of the most distinguished men in art,
science, and literature had come to pay the last tribute to the deceased
Ambassador.
The outer coffin was quite plain, in accordance with Lady Lytton’s
desire, and bore the inscription “Edward Robert, First Earl of Lytton,
born November 8th, 1831, died November 24th, 1891.”
The British Chamber of Commerce and the Hon. Whitelaw Reid had sent
flowers (evidently not knowing of the order “No flowers”), but the only
emblem in the Church was a simple wreath of laurel, which rested on the
coffin. The Church was draped from ceiling to floor in black and silver,
and the effect was very striking.
I have a record by me of some of those who were present, and it is an
interesting list of names. There was the Prince of Monaco, M. Ribot (with
the staff of the French Foreign Office), General Brugère, M. Fallières
(then President of the Senate), MM. Jules Ferry, Léon Fay, Goblet, and
Flourens. Then I saw Barons Alphonse Gustave and Edmund de Rothschild,
Comte Armaud, Prince de Sagan, the Marquis de Breteuil, Alexandre Dumas,
the Marquis de Jaucourt, and Comte de Portales. These are but a few of
the well-known French names. In the gallery amongst many others were
the Baroness Morenheim (wife of the Russian Ambassador at that time),
the Countess Hoyos, Madame and Mlle. de Freycinet. I heard that amongst
others a telegram of sympathy was received from Madame Sarah Bernhardt,
who was in America. The pall bearers were the Count von Munster (the
German Ambassador), Mr. Egerton, C.B. (Minister Plenipotentiary at the
British Embassy), Sir E. Blount (representing the English Colony). M.
Ribot (French Minister of Foreign Affairs), and MM. Jules Claretie and
Camile Doucet, representing literature and science.
I shall never forget the scene in the streets. It had been arranged
that the body of the late Earl should be taken from the Church in Rue
d’Aguesseau to the Gare St. Lazare, to be conveyed to England. All the
traffic was stopped between the Church and the railway station, and
the streets were lined with military and police, and many thousands of
spectators. It was said that 3,000 soldiers were employed, and that the
procession took thirty minutes to pass any given spot. The demeanour of
the immense crowd in the streets was most respectful and sympathetic, and
all heads were bared as the coffin passed.
When we arrived at the railway, the hearse drew up at the entrance gate,
and then followed a most impressive demonstration. I, with the other
clergy and the sons of the deceased Ambassador, stood in front of the
hearse; grouped round were the Ambassadors and State Officials, and
now the entire body of the French troops filed past in review order and
saluted the bier. I noticed that as the regimental flags were borne past,
the Military Attachés saluted them and the civilians uncovered. The
interment took place at Knebworth. We had a memorial service in Paris,
and I made reference in the sermon to the distinguished services of the
late Ambassador, and by request of Lady Lytton the sermon was published.
It was said at the time that the Earl of Lytton was the first Ambassador
who had died at his post in Paris, but this is, I believe, not quite
correct, as James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, was Ambassador for Queen
Mary and King James I. at the French Court, and he died in Paris in 1603.
Curiously he was known as Jacques de Bethune de Balfour—the name Balfour
being thus common to both families.
But a few weeks afterwards, and a second impressive and public service
for the burial of the dead was held in the Embassy Chapel, this time as
a memorial to the Duke of Clarence and Avondale. His early death had
evoked a world-wide sympathy, and Her Majesty’s Chargé d’Affaires in
Paris, Mr., now Sir E. H. Egerton, requested a public service. Upon this
occasion the gorgeous diplomatic and military uniforms were not worn, as
etiquette only prescribes the wearing of uniform at a funeral service in
the case of a reigning sovereign, or of an Envoy Plenipotentiary. This
fact, however, did but add to the solemnity of the scene. As was the case
at the funeral service for the Earl of Lytton, the body of the Church
was reserved for the French officials and the Corps Diplomatique, while
the unreserved part was filled with members of the British Colony, all
the ladies being dressed in mourning. The Church chancel and pulpit was
draped with black and silver hangings, the porch outside being similarly
decorated, the Royal arms being emblazoned in the centre. There was a
large gathering of distinguished Frenchmen on this occasion: President
Carnot was represented by Colonel Dalstein; the Prime Minister, M.
de Freycinet, by Colonel Pamard; the Minister of Marine by Captain
Thomas, of the Navy; and General Saussier, Governor of Paris, by Colonel
Courbebaisse. M. Ribot, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, was present,
and among other Frenchmen of prominence were M. d’Ormesson, Master of
the Ceremonies; M. de Mahy, Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies;
M. Poubelle, Prefect of the Seine; the Duc de Luynes, and the Duc de
Mouchy. Among the Diplomatic Corps I noticed Count Hoyos, the Austrian
Ambassador; Colonel de Fréedéricksz, Military Attaché of the Russian
Embassy; M. de Schön, of the German Embassy; M. Delyanni, the Greek
Minister; Missak-Effendi, who replaced his chief, Essad Pasha, kept at
home by influenza; the Baron de Almeda; M. Jusserand; Mr. Vignaud, of the
United States Legation; General Meredith Read, and others. The members
of the British Embassy were present “au grand complet,” headed by Mr. E.
Egerton, Chargé d’Affaires, and Mr. Austin Lee.
I conducted the service, assisted by my valued colleague Rev. J. C. Pyper
and two other clergymen, and preached from the text “Weep with them that
weep.” Before closing I took occasion to thank those of other Nations
for their kind expression of sympathy on the sad event. The guests were
received at the Church door by Sir E. H. Egerton and Lt.-Col. the Hon.
Reginald Talbot, the British Military Attaché, as we had no Ambassador
yet appointed to succeed the Earl of Lytton. Real sympathy was very
manifest through the whole service.
The following year (1893) there died in Paris a remarkable man, Rev.
Whitaker McCall, the founder of the McCall Mission among the French
people, whom it was my privilege to know during the last four years of
his life. For twenty-three years this devoted man had worked in the
lowest parts of Paris with remarkable success; so much so that in 1892 he
was accorded the Cross of the Legion d’Honneur by the President of the
French Republic as a mark of appreciation of the work he had done. He was
also given the medal of the “Société libre d’Instruction et d’Education
populaires,” and that of the “Société Nationale d’encouragement au Bien.”
I believe he was the only Englishman who has thus been honoured, and this
is the more remarkable as his work was purely and altogether religious.
The Salles des Conferences scattered through Paris and the Provinces are
a lasting tribute to his memory, and remain centres in which the work is
still carried on. The funeral was held in the Church of the Oratoire in
the Rue de Rivoli. A vast crowd filled the large building in every part.
This church is remarkable from the fact that it was given to the French
Protestants by Napoleon the Great, and at one time—before the Church in
the Rue d’Aguesseau was bought—was used for English Church services on
Sunday evenings. My friend Dr. Pigou, the Dean of Bristol, tells me that
he frequently took services there when he was connected with the old Rue
Marbœuf Church.
I was asked to take part in the funeral service of Mr. McCall, as
representing the English Colony. It was a scene not easily forgotten.
The immense crowd, the hymns sung in French, and the addresses—of which
I gave one, in both French and English—were listened to with wrapt
attention. It was the last and a loving tribute to one who has probably
done more than any other to place the Word of God in the hands of the
French people.
[Illustration: BRITISH EMBASSY CHURCH (INTERIOR).]
The following year was marked by public services of a different kind.
It was the Diamond Jubilee of our late Queen, of glorious memory,
and the British Colony in Paris—and there is none more loyal to the
throne—determined to mark it in a special manner. Public meetings were
held in the Hotel Continental, kindly lent for the purpose, and it was
decided to raise a fund which, after deducting the expenses connected
with the fête, should be devoted to the various British charities of
Paris without distinction of creed. It was also decided to give a fête
to the children of the Colony and a dinner to the working classes. I
consulted with Sir E. Monson, our Ambassador, who arranged with me that
there should be services held in the Embassy Church corresponding with
the services in London on Sunday, June 20th. An official service was also
arranged for the afternoon of the same day to which the Diplomatic Corps
were to be invited. The following is a description of the services:—
“At the Embassy Church, in the Rue d’Aguesseau, there were two
thanksgiving services, one at eleven a.m., at the close of which the
Rev. Dr. Noyes, who wore the scarlet cassock of a Doctor of Divinity,
delivered a touching and eloquent address. He stirred a deep chord in
the heart of those who heard him by reminding them that, though in a
foreign land for the time being, they were in communion of thought with
millions of their countrymen at home, and many more millions of their
fellow subjects in distant regions, even in the most remote corners of
the earth, in offering their thanksgivings for the blessings the Queen’s
reign had conferred on England and the British people.
“The official thanksgiving service also took place at the Rue
d’Aguesseau, at three o’clock in the afternoon. The admission to the
church was by tickets, as a large portion of the nave had to be reserved
for the French officials and the members of the Corps Diplomatique; but
the English community was also present in large numbers, and the church
was densely crowded. The Corps Diplomatique, with the exception of the
United States Ambassador, whom etiquette compels to wear evening dress
on State occasions, were all in full dress. Our Embassy received the
various officials and Diplomatists, and showed them to their places.
There were present, representing England, Sir Edmund and Lady Monson (the
late), Mr. Gosselin, Colonel Dawson, Mr. Clarke Thornhill, Sir Brook
Boothby, Mr. Marling, Mr. Barclay, Sir Berkeley Sheffield, the British
Consul General and Vice Consul, Messrs. Percy Inglis, and Mr. Falconer
Atlee. President Faure was represented by the captain of the frigate
Serpette, and the French Government by M. Hanotaux and M. Mollard. The
German Ambassador and Countess Marie de Münster, the Russian Ambassador
and some of his Attachés two of whom wore the splendid uniform of
the Chevaliers Gardes; the Austrian Ambassador, in whose suite was a
Hungarian magnate in a splendid national dress, the Italian Ambassador,
one of whose Attachés was attired in the picturesque garb of a Colonel
of Bersaglieri; the Persian Ambassador, Munir Bey, and his Staff, decked
in gorgeous uniforms, contrasting strangely with the unpretending fez,
which, of course, they did not remove; the Chinese Ambassador and a
couple of quaintly dressed Mandarins, filled the nave of the unpretending
little church with a glittering array of gold lace such as I think was
never before congregated within its walls. The rest of the nave and the
galleries were filled by the ticket-holders, and they were all obviously
English, ladies largely predominating. The service was shorter than that
in the morning, but there was no sermon, and at the close the choir sang
the first and last verses of the National Anthem, in which the English
part of the congregation joined. The Ambassador and his Staff then
took up places at the entrance of the nave, and shook hands with the
diplomatists and officials as they passed out.”
There were some very striking testimonies in the French papers to the
Greatness of the Queen, e.g., in the “Gaulois,” M. Imbert de St. Amand
wrote:—
“Queen Victoria has not only been a model Sovereign, she has also been
the model of all wives, of all widows, of all mothers. She might be
described in a very few words—virtue on the Throne. As a rule, long
reigns generally end in sadness. Charlemagne wept at the sight of
the Northmen’s galleys scouring the coasts. Charles V., weary and
disheartened, sought the living death of the cloister, and was present
at his own funeral service. Louis XIV. remarked to Marshal Villars after
his last defeat, ‘We cannot at our time of life hope for good luck.’ None
of these precedents holds good in the case of her Britannic Majesty. Her
reign, after sixty years, seems to defy the efforts of time. There are
no signs of decay, but of a permanent renewal of life. The popularity
of the Queen grows with every year added to her reign, and the joy and
enthusiasm with which her three hundred and fifty millions of subjects
acclaim it are the crowning and most touching feature of her Diamond
Jubilee. The Queen fully merits this apotheosis, since she is the noblest
incarnation of all the leading qualities of the Anglo-Saxon race—love
of her home, firmness of purpose, energy in effort, unswerving devotion
to duty. England sees herself mirrored in her Sovereign, and takes just
pride in the presentment. She and her people are one.… Every class of
French society, without any distinction of party and origin, unites in
respectful greeting of the Sovereign who stands out as the grandest
womanly figure of her century—the heroine of duty, whom not only her
children, but her whole people venerate as the most intelligent, the most
devoted, the best of mothers. Like our neighbours, we shall all say, ‘God
Save the Queen,’ and with all our hearts take part in the Jubilee, which
is at once the triumph of the woman and the triumph of the Queen.”
And again M. Comely in the “Matin”:—
“It is impossible for a civilized being to refrain from a feeling of
deep admiration at this splendid result of the past sixty years. But
it is difficult for a Frenchman not to feel some bitterness when he
compares the situation of England with that of his own country. Queen
Victoria has known one King of the French, one Emperor of the French,
and six Presidents of the French Republic. From her steady, unchanging,
Royal observatory, she has beheld the rise and fall of eight Sovereigns!
This stability of England, compared with the instability of France,
is sufficient in itself to account for the reason why France has been
growing less while England has been growing greater; the one has been
shrinking, the other has been expanding.”
The fêtes were a great success, and a grand testimony—if it were
needed—to the loyalty of Britishers living in France. About fourteen
hundred applied for tickets. St. Cloud, a favourite suburb of Paris
on the Seine, and the Restaurant du Parc—the scene of many British
fêtes—were decided upon. Four of the “Hirondelles” boats were chartered
to convey the party down the river. As each boat reached the jetty,
the band of the Pavilion Bleu, a well-known restaurant, struck up the
National Anthem. After dessert the following telegram was read, which
had been sent by Sir E. Blount, then the “doyen” of the Colony, to
Her Majesty Queen Victoria: “We your Majesty’s most loyal and loving
subjects, venture to offer our heartfelt congratulations on this
auspicious day, and pray for the continuance to your Majesty of those
blessings which have shed such a lustre on your Majesty’s glorious
reign.” The following reply was received: “The Queen desires me to
thank you and Her British subjects in Paris for your kind message and
congratulations. Bigge.”
Mr. A. Percy Inglis, the highly-respected Consul-General in Paris, made
a patriotic speech. His proposal of a toast to the Queen was received
with the utmost enthusiasm. I also made a speech on the occasion, and
took the opportunity of explaining the history of the “Union Jack,” at
which the audience seemed greatly pleased. Paris joined heartily in the
celebrations, and the Rue de la Paix was a mass of flags, and parts of
the City were illuminated. The English business houses all displayed
flags in profusion.
In January, 1900, there was a remarkable gathering in the Embassy Church
at the funeral of an English governess. It was the time of the Boer
War, and it was said that the well-known firm of “Creusot” had supplied
the guns which had done such execution against us in South Africa. This
lady had been a governess in the family at the head of the firm, and was
greatly respected. The firm paid all the expenses of the funeral, and
attended in such large numbers that the body of the church was filled
with men. It was a remarkable coincidence that at such a time the English
Church in Paris should be filled with those who had, it was understood,
supplied the munitions of war used against us, to pay a tribute of
respect to a British subject, the service being conducted by an English
clergyman.
In 1901 came that sad event which plunged the Nation into mourning—the
death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The sympathy of the French people
with us in our sorrow was very marked. I consulted with Sir Edmund
Monson, our Ambassador, who desired that special and official services
should be held in the Embassy Church at the time of the funeral in
England. The following account of what was done in Paris appeared in the
“Galignani Messenger” of that date:—
“Rarely, if ever before, has the little church in the Rue d’Aguesseau
held a more august assembly than it did yesterday morning, and the
service, in its grandeur and simplicity, was in every way suited to the
solemn occasion. It consisted of a few prayers; Psalms xc. and cxxx.; the
favourite hymns of the late Queen: ‘Hark, hark my soul!’ ‘Lead, kindly
light,’ and an anthem, ‘All ye who weep,’ with Gounod’s music. No address
was given, but the two final prayers—one in memory of the late Queen, the
other invoking the Almighty’s blessing on the new King—were specially
written for the occasion, and went home to the hearts of all present. The
Rev. Dr. Noyes conducted the service, assisted by several other clergymen
resident in Paris, and the choir, consisting of about fifty voices, was
heard to great advantage.
“The church was sumptuously decorated in black drapery and silver,
but, possibly, the effect would have been more impressive if the large
monograms V.I.R., in bright yellow, and the Royal Arms in colours, had
not figured so prominently.
“Lady Monson was early in attendance, and Sir Michael Herbert, assisted
by Mr. Austin Lee, Commercial Attaché, and Mr. Colville Barclay received
the numerous and influential congregation.
“Mme. Loubet, accompanied by Mmes. Dubois and Combarieu, was amongst
the early arrivals, Colonel Nicholas in attendance. The President was
represented by M. Combarieu.
“Mme. Loubet, upon her arrival, was conducted to a seat near the choir,
by the side of Lady Monson.
“One side of the church was reserved to the Diplomatic corps, every
member of which was present, save, of course, the Papal Nuncio, and the
Russian Ambassador, who was unwell, and was represented by his First
Secretary. On the other, all the members of the present Cabinet, who
without exception were present in person, including M. Waldeck-Rousseau,
President of the Council, MM. Dupuy, Delcassé, Pierre Baudin, General
André, etc., also M. Paul Deschanel, President of the Chamber of
Deputies; M. Fallières, President of the Senate; the Military Governor
of Paris, the Prefect of the Seine, and a great number of Deputies, MM.
Hanotaux, Le Myre de Viliers, R. Bompard, etc.
“The lower gallery at the back of the church was reserved for
representatives of Royalty: Prince Roland Bonaparte, Princesse Mathilde,
Princesse Marie of Mecklenburg, and the Baron Machiba, representing the
Countess d’Eu.
“Amongst other notabilities present were: Baronne Faverot de Kebrech (Née
Seymour), Marquis de Lau, Marquise de Peralt, Comte de Vettre, Comte de
Ganay, Baron Edouard de Rothschild, Baronne Decases Stackelberg, Comte
and Comtesse Jean de Castellane, Vicomte Léon de Janze, Mr. John K.
Gowdy (American Consul), MM. Crozier (Chef du Protocol) and Mollard,
Marquis d’Harcourt, MM. Picard and F. Arago, Comte Greffulhe, Comte de
Clermont-Tonnerre, and M. and Mme. Benjamin Constant.
“The English Colony was represented by: Sir Edward and Lady Sassoon,
Colonel Mapleson, Mr. Henry Blount, Mr. (now Sir) T. Barclay (President
of the Chamber of Commerce), Mr. T. Hounsfield (Vice-President), Messrs.
Inglis (Consul,) J. (now Sir John) Pilter, W. C. Robertson, P. Lammin
and Mrs. Lammin, Messrs. Spearman, Ablett, and C. E. Lord, Captain
Churchward, and Messrs. Brigstocke and A. Coleman.
“At the close the organ pealed forth the well-known Dead March in ‘Saul,’
the effect of which was marred by the departing congregation, who, after
the French fashion, shook hands with Sir Michael Herbert and the other
attachés to the Embassy, who stood in a row near the porch.
“The afternoon service was of an equally simple character, in fact it
was like the one held in the morning. But instead of officials clad
in their showy uniforms, it was composed of the English and American
Colonies—those who felt that they had lost one who was very dear to
them. The service seemed far more solemn than that of the morning, and
handkerchiefs and tears were by no means scarce. The Rev. Dr. Noyes again
conducted the service, and as the deep-toned sounds of the organ rolled
out the Dead March, the faces of many of those present showed that, as
the laureate has so beautifully expressed it, ‘She is dead; and the World
is widowed.’”
The same evening I received the following letter from the Hon. Michael
Herbert (now, alas, no more):—
“British Embassy,
“Saturday Evening.
“Dear Dr. Noyes,—
“Before the end of this memorable day I must write you a
line to express my appreciation and that of the Embassy of
the manner in which the two services in the Rue d’Aguesseau
Church were conducted to-day. The music was excellent, and both
services seemed to me worthy of this sad and solemn occasion.
“I fear many people were unable to find places at the afternoon
services, but I trust they will be able to secure room
to-morrow.
“Yours very sincerely,
“M. H. HERBERT.”
The late Hon. M. Herbert was first Secretary of the Embassy, highly
respected, and one who took a keen interest in all that concerned the
British Colony. The services were continued on the following day. Sir
Edmund Monson, our Ambassador in Paris, was not present at the services,
owing to the fact that he had been summoned to London to attend the
funeral service. Services were also held in the Roman Catholic Church for
English members of that Communion, in the Russian Church, and in several
other places of worship. Indeed, an atmosphere of sadness seemed to rest
over the whole city. All the English houses of business were closed, many
exhibiting draped flags. Groups of people would stand under these flags
conversing in an undertone, and many were the kind remarks by the passing
crowds. I heard one say, “She was a good mother to all her people.” I may
mention that I asked the Rev. P. Beaton and Rev. J. Milne, Presbyterian
clergy in Paris, to take part in the official service, and each read a
lesson.
In 1902, the English Colony in Paris were looking forward with the
greatest interest to the all-important event fixed for the 26th of June,
the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII. It had been decided that
a service should be held and a fête given to all the British working
classes and poor resident in Paris, and extensive preparations were made.
Then on June 24th came the startling news that the King was ill, and the
Coronation ceremony had been postponed. The first intimation we had was
a telegram which was posted at the Bourse. The excitement was intense,
and the sorrow and anxiety in the British Colony seemed intensified
from the fact that we were residents abroad and far from the centre
of interest—the Palace where the King lay. As soon as I heard of the
telegram I called at the Embassy, and found that the news was only too
true, and that all had been postponed. As is well known, instead of the
Coronation Service in Westminster Abbey, an Intercession Service was held
in St. Paul’s Cathedral. We decided that a corresponding service should
be held in Paris, and I shall not soon forget the solemnity of that hour.
The church was well filled, all the staff of the British Embassy being
present. We all sang the National Anthem kneeling, and never, I believe,
was prayer more earnest that God would spare our beloved King. During
those anxious days every item of news was eagerly sought, and great was
the relief when we heard that the operation by Sir Frederick Treves had
been successful, and that our prayers had been answered in the safety
and then recovery of His Majesty. There was at that time no “Entente
Cordiale,” but the sympathy and anxiety of the French people was very
manifest. News was published hour by hour, and in the evenings, on the
Boulevards, the latest bulletins were given in immense letters, shown
by electric light from the office of the “Echo de Paris.” The month of
August—when happily the Coronation could take place—is the holiday month
in Paris, and the city is supposed to be empty. As a matter of fact
almost the whole of the British Colony is then away. In view of this it
was decided to postpone the fêtes until the close of this memorable year.
We held, however, special services in the church, when I took occasion to
comment upon the Coronation Service, and to explain parts of this solemn
religious ceremony. The fêtes came off in December, and were a great
success.
In 1903 we had a visit of Members of the British Parliament to Paris.
As they were staying over a Sunday, and many ladies—wives and daughters
of Members—were in the party, I wrote to the Secretary proposing that
a special service should be held. Sir E. Monson very kindly fell in
with the suggestion, and arranged for the service at three p.m., with a
reception at the Embassy, a few yards away, to follow the service. About
three hundred persons were present. I preached from the text: “Render
therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s, and unto God the
things which are God’s.” I never had a more attentive congregation. Many
of the Members at the subsequent reception were kind enough to express to
me their appreciation of the service.
Later we had an official visit from the London County Council, which left
very pleasant memories; and in 1906 the City Fathers came over, headed by
Sir Walter Vaughan-Morgan, for whom also I held a special service. I have
given some details of this visit in another chapter.