THE Roman Catholic Oratory stands within an enclosure of high brick walls
and gates, above which its plain brick, warehouse-looking south gable is
visible, and if it were not that the said gable is surmounted by a plain
Latin cross, there is nothing to indicate an ecclesiastical structure.
The interior (in effect reminding one of a large music-hall) is Italian
in its style of the simplest kind, painted and gilded. The nave or body
of the church is very long, roofed in one span, and covered with a plain
panelled ceiling. The northern end is occupied by the high altar, richly
decorated with artificial flowers and burdened with candles. The altar
stands considerably elevated and enclosed by dwarf balustrades, and
flanked by rather ornate benches or sedilia. The nave floor is entirely
occupied by mean wooden benches, intersected by a centre and two side
passages, the latter giving entrance and exit also to numerous recesses
or bays, which serve as chapels, in which are erected altars to saints;
and also to a number of confessionals, by which last we infer that the
practice of confession is carried on to a great extent by Oratorians. As
to the saints, those represented at the Oratory have their altars all
duly supplied with pictures, candles, and flowers, and have their
particular admirers and devotees. A large platform kind of pulpit is on
the west side, in which the preacher is accommodated with a chair. The
font is very plain, close to the main entrance doors in the bay called
the Baptistry.
The “Oratory of St. Philip Neri,” situate next to the South Kensington
Museum on the one side and Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, on the other,
was dedicated to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary” in the year 1854. It had
previously been established in King William-street, Charing-cross, since
1849, in the building now known as the Charing-cross Theatre. But the
more eligible site in Brompton offering, it was embraced; and this centre
of Roman Catholic propgandism in West London was transferred from amidst
the shops, warehouses, and _cafés_ of the Strand, to a scene of
retirement, wealth, and fashion. The interior of this church is laid out
in the most elaborate style of Roman Catholic art. On entering, the high
altar in the distance—north—strikes the eye irresistibly. It has upon it
a high cross and six tall candlesticks with candles lit. There are also
other candles and suspended burning lamps through the entire vista. The
æsthetic effect of the first glance is not soon forgotten. The details
are not less effective, considered as mere imagery addressing the outward
sense. Including the Baptistry, there are eight side chapels, or
altar-recesses, four on each side, all richly and artistically furnished.
On the left, or what is termed the “Gospel side,” the first is the
“Chapel of the Sacred Heart;” second, the Chapel of St. Eutropius; then
that of St. Joseph, and that of St. Philip. On the right, the first
recess is the Baptistry; second, “Calvary Chapel,” where there are
life-size figures of the crucified Saviour with the malefactors, and the
mother of Jesus and his brother sitting at the foot of the cross; third,
the Chapel of “Our Lady of Dolours” (sorrows); and forth, the Chapel of
“Our Lady.” The altar here, with a large image of the Virgin and her
infant Son upon it, is now profusely decorated with flowers. It is the
month of May; and the following notice is attached to the doors of the
church: “Offerings of flowers and candles will be thankfully received for
the month of Mary.” The former part of the appeal appears to have been
already liberally responded to. The bouquets are piled up to the very
feet of the image, and decorating her brow in all their radiant
freshness. The whole reminds one of a certain wax-figure display in
Baker-street: only in this instance the kneeling worshippers around the
rails of the chancels suggest that something more is involved. We saw
many of them, especially in front of “_Our Lady’s Altar_.” But they were
distributed all through in smaller numbers or in ones. The “Calvary
Chapel” is intended as a most literal rendering of the crucifixion. It
is a shocking scene to look upon—those carved images of bleeding and
mangled forms. To any one who has really in imagination conceived
something of what the actual crucifixion was, and dwelt upon its moral
import, it is likely to seem an impious mockery. But some appeared to
approach it with reverence; and a little girl, who had been kneeling by
her mother’s side, crossed over the rail, crept up to and kissed the
wooden cross on which the central image hung! These scenes are to be
witnessed after every public service, matins or vespers, or whenever the
church is open, which in fact is at all times when people can attend
either by rule or chance.
The usual services at the Oratory are numerous and continuous. On Sunday
there is Mass at 6.30 A.M., at 7, 8, 9, and 10; and at 11 High Mass and
sermon; at half past 2 P.M. “Exposition of the Sacraments,” and
“Vespers” at half-past 3; occasional courses of lectures at 4 P.M., and
service with sermon and the benediction at 7 P.M. At this latter the
meetings of the confraternities of “The Precious Blood” and of “St.
Patrick” are held, and the “Intentions of members _given out_.” This
means that each member confesses to some dominant desire or purpose then
in his mind. It may be for the comfort of a sick friend, the repose of a
dead one, the conversion of sinners or heretics, or any other matter that
may engage his thoughts at the moment. There is also the “Little
Oratory,” where there is a separate service for “Meditation and Mass,”
for brothers only, at 7.30 A.M. and 4.15 P.M. On week-days there is Mass
at 6.30, 7, 7.30, 8, 8.30, 9, 10. Sermon every evening at 8, except
Saturday; and on Thursday and Saturday a benediction at 4.30. On holy
days, High Mass, with sermon, at 11 A.M., and vespers at 4.40 P.M. The
work of the confessionals appears to be interspersed at all times between
these numerous services. The wonder is how such a machinery can be kept
always going, how it does not wear out in interest and effect from sheer
continuity of motion. We must assume that it has its flagging moments,
and sleepy rests, by which its motive energies are recruited, and that at
certain seasons and services the priests have it pretty much to
themselves.
THE FATHERS.—At the present time there are fourteen attached to the
Oratory, the majority, we are informed, having been previously clergymen
in the Church of England. Their names are as follows: The Very Rev. W.
T. Gordon (superior); the Rev. John B. Dalgairns, the Rev. Richard M.
Stanton, Thomas F. Knox, John G. Bowden, Edward G. Bagshaw, James B.
Rowe, Felix Philpin, Edward S. Keogh, W. B. Morris, Chas. H. Bowden,
Kenelm Digby Beste, Thomas Graves Law (nephew of the Earl of
Ellenborough), James Arthur V. Maude, Francis A. O. Carroll, Henry G. S.
Bowden. There is a large library belonging to the Fathers in common,
which occupies an entire quadrangle, about one-third the length of the
church itself westward, where the clergy spend such spare moments as they
can snatch from their other engagements. Little is known of these
gentlemen by the outside world. They act their parts from day to day
within the sombre enclosure of their high brick walls, and continue to be
content to move in their appointed spheres amidst the gaudy but wearisome
formalism within. On Sunday morning, May 14, it was High Mass at the
eleven o’clock service. The magnificent organ, played by Mr. Pitts, sent
forth its thrilling peals precisely at the moment. The organ itself is
considered one of the very best in London, and cost 2,000_l._ Meanwhile
four principal priests appeared at the altar, and after bowing several
times turned to face the congregation. They proceed to the front of the
chancel, the centre one waving a rod, and one on each side bearing his
train and exhibiting the rich scarlet lining of his robe. He bows lowly,
and stretches out the rod waving it right and left over the people, and
they retire again to the altar. This action in glittering vestments,
heralded and followed by bursting music, is in all respects like the
opening scene of an opera, and ostensibly not a whit more solemn or
religious. It is difficult to realise that you are in a house of prayer.
It is useless here to give a description of the whole performance.
Barring a few brief intonings of the priests in Latin it consisted
entirely of the sundry dumb and complicated bodily movements peculiar to
the Mass. If we were to criticise them it could only be to say, as we
should say of any other performing company, that this performer was more
graceful and striking in his action, et cetera, than the other. The
plentiful smoke of incense and the music made up the rest. This latter
accompanied the whole with the briefest intervals. There were solos and
choruses innumerable, and the art-pretension of the performance was its
great feature. The choir is railed in effectually from the congregation
around the organ, and consists of male singers only in plain dress, under
the conduct of M. Wilhelm Schulthes, a composer of some note. It is but
just to say that the singing was in itself excellent, if one could forget
the main object for which a church is erected. The voices were
unexceptionally good, and the parts brilliantly executed; but the whole
was _operatic_ in effect—too secular, and too much of it, to assist
devotion. But the Mass music of the day is employed with a special
regard to popularity; which, however, as a matter of fact, and as a part
of religious service, it does not succeed in acquiring. There is, after
all, an idea, however vague, in the popular mind of the moral “fitness of
things,” and if people find themselves in a place ostensibly for
Christian worship, and yet chiefly entertained with an artistic and
elaborate display of music not distinctively devotional, it does not
commend itself to their better judgment. The congregation at the Oratory
on Sunday morning appears to bear out this remark. Had the same musical
skill been announced for an ordinary evening concert in any London
music-hall it would have commanded plenty of patronage at 5s. and 2s.
6d.; but in this case (although the charge was only 3d., and 1s. for the
best seats) they were far from fully occupied. Undoubtedly, the most
rational and appropriate part of the service was the sermon, which was
preached _extempore_ by Father Law, who is the morning preacher for the
“Month of Mary”—a somewhat youthful-looking Father, but he discovers
considerable maturity of mind; and somewhat pleasingly surprised us at
the Protestant colour of some parts of his teaching. Grounding his
remarks upon Luke xix. 5: “Zaccheus make haste and come down, for to-day
I must abide at thy house,” the preacher explained how it was that Jesus
dwelt with his people. In passing, the preacher observed that Christ
dwelt with us in his Church, sacraments, and through the “Blessed Lady,”
who ruled over them that day, in allusion to the peculiar homage paid to
the Virgin at this time. But this was only in passing, and as though to
keep his Catholicism in countenance. He enlarged chiefly and with much
feeling upon what was, he said, “most important of all,” “Christ dwelling
in us by the Holy Ghost, and so abiding with us,” in our inner life. The
Rev. Father seemed for the moment to rise above the trammels of peculiar
Popish dogmas, and to conceive the fundamentals of religious life as
practicable without them. Certainly he did not say as much in as many
words, but if he did not intend it, his discourse was without meaning or
aim. It is remarkable that on the previous Sunday we listened to an
Anglican divine discoursing on the same subject, and were boldly told
without any qualification that Christ dwelt in his people “by means of
the Holy Sacraments.”
There are attached to the Oratory day-schools for boys and girls, which
are carried on in Pont-place, near to St. Luke’s Church, and are rather
numerously attended. There is also what is termed “The Nursery of our
Lady and St. Philip Creche,” at 56, Walton-street, where infants of
working people, from three weeks to five years old, are taken charge of
whilst their parents are at work in the day-time. References must be
given as to honesty and engagements before the child is admitted, and 3d.
per day is charged for each child. The church itself will accommodate
about 1,200 persons.