ST. JAMES’S, Notting-hill, is situated in the Addison-Road North, and is
seen to some advantage at the entrance to the road. From its central
position, its square tower and sharp pinnacles look grey and old, an
appearance which the church loses upon closer inspection. It is built of
grey brick, with moulded angle bricks and slight stone dressings, and the
low-pitched roofs are covered with slate. The plan of the church
consists of a nave and aisles, with an apsidal chancel, the tower forming
an excrescent on the south side, about the middle of the nave. This
tower acts as a porch on the lower story, and has a ringing floor on the
gallery level; these galleries surround the church on three sides,
extending to the arcades. In style the church is a revival of the early
English, and, like all churches of the period, is full of mistakes,
though as a specimen of that age it is perhaps a very fair example. But
the efforts of revivalists must not be forgotten; much of our perfection,
if it can _yet be called so_, is due to their endeavours. The iron
columns of the nave are worthy of remark, showing how very well iron
could be treated even in those days. The roofs are open, and though
rather heavy possess some fair effect. The windows are chiefly without
tracery, and the stained glass is poor. The pewing is very simple; the
pulpit high. The prayer-desk and oak-eagle lectern speak of a desire for
better things. The font is poor and too perpendicular. The organ is in
the western gallery. The decoration of the nave is not well done; it is
evidently the work of an unskilful hand. There is no need for Greek
ornament in a Gothic building; surely there is scope enough for the
ornamentalist in Gothic work without going to the Greeks for examples.
St. James’s, Notting-hill, is one of the older modern suburban churches,
having been built more than a quarter of a century ago, which is a great
deal to say as compared with a number of the churches we are now
reviewing. It accommodates 1,100 persons, and 500 of the sittings are
free, which is in larger proportion than general. It has national
schools attached to it, where 135 boys, 100 girls, and 150 infants are
instructed according to the principles of the Church of England. These
schools are kept up at a cost of about 500_l._ per annum, about 170_l._
of which is obtained by Government grant, about 140_l._ from the
children’s fees, and the remainder from subscriptions and offertories.
There are Mothers’ Meetings and a District visiting Society, with which
is connected a mission woman and a mission-house in Crescent-street,
where extra services are held. Also a Maternity Charity, and the “St.
James’s Norland and Potteries Benevolent Society,” and an “Auxiliary
Church Missionary Society.” Help is also given to the Additional Curates
Society and the Bishop of London’s Fund. All these charities and works
were well inaugurated in the time of the former Vicar, the Rev. T. P.
Holdich, and have been well sustained since his removal—three years
ago—by the Rev. George T. Palmer, M.A., his successor, and the present
Vicar. An important alteration, however, has been made in the mode of
providing the necessary funds. Formerly it was done by special annual
charity sermons; but for this method Mr. Palmer has substituted, we are
informed with some advantage to the interests concerned, a weekly
offertory, or collection taken at every Sunday morning service, which is
apportioned among all the charities and calls, according to their
relative claims. This covers everything, and beyond it there is nothing
but a church-rate, voluntarily given, amounting to about 25_l._ per
annum. From these sources and the pew-rents the clergy are maintained,
the church expenses met, and the charities supported. The Curate, up to
Michaelmas-day last, was the Rev. P. E. Monkhouse, M.A., which
appointment he resigned on accepting the head-mastership of the
Notting-hill Proprietary School, in order to devote the whole of his time
to the education of the boys entrusted to his charge. Mr. Monkhouse,
however, still gives his services to Mr. Palmer, and preaches frequently.
His successor is the Rev. I. Cammack. On the occasion of our visit the
latter read, or rather monotoned the prayers with a clear voice, and Mr.
Monkhouse read the two lessons with good taste and effect. Mr. Palmer
himself read in the Communion Service and preached the sermon. In giving
notice of the Communion for the following Sunday morning, the rev.
gentleman dispensed with the usual form, and simply made the announcement
that it would take place at nine A.M. The sermon was founded on 1 Peter
iii. 13: “And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that
which is good!”
The sermon was extempore, expository, and instructive. What it was to
follow good was well expounded; and the limitations with which the
implied promise was to be understood clearly set forth. Although the
Christian’s lot was not to be represented too darkly, it was not to be
supposed that he had no trials or suffered no evils. Yet, after all,
many of his trials did not arise from his following good, but rather from
his not doing so in some particulars in connexion with which his trials
arose. Mr. Palmer has thoroughly entered into the labours of his
predecessors. He has, however, instituted a few changes as to which some
members of the congregation, who could bear no variation from the order
of things under their old pastor, took offence and betook themselves
elsewhere—not in any great numbers, but it was sufficient to draw from
the rev. gentleman a justification in his first pastoral. Therein he
shows that some of the changes, especially in regard to the offertory,
were contemplated by Mr. Holdich; and as to the conduct of the service,
he had done nothing but what was in accordance with the Rubric. To allay
all suspicions of a Ritualistic tendency which had, he says, “unjustly,
though not unnaturally risen,” he declares to his flock his belief that
“the practices commonly known as Ritualistic are as much opposed to the
spirit and structure of the Prayer-book as they were for the most part
unknown in the worship of the Church in the apostolic age, and that every
decision in the ecclesiastical courts had made this conclusion more
plain.” There is no pretence for styling Mr. Palmer a Ritualist nor a
High Churchman. His service occupies a position between the latter and
what is known as extreme Low Church. His prayers are not intoned, but
monotoned; his music is Anglican; his chancel is freshened up with modest
ornament; the choir, although not surpliced, is very efficient; the hymns
used are “Hymns Ancient and Modern.” He considers that “a dislike to
Ritualism had in many cases produced tediously dreary services, and
painfully indecorous conduct in church,” and has been influenced by a
desire to give “heartiness” and “reverence” to the service. The words
are probably a little too strong to convey the true meaning. Tedium and
indecorum are, alas, things incidental to High service as well as Low,
and must by no means be connected essentially with a plain and simple
performance of worship. Mr. Palmer has an interesting, well-conducted
congregation of a very respectable class, with a fair intermixture of the
humbler classes, especially in the evening. It struck us that the
assembly was heartily devout; but was not yet thoroughly congregational
in the singing. The last published pastoral bears evidence to the energy
with which the minister follows out his plans for usefulness; but he has
occasion still to notice a degree of _unpunctuality_ in attendance at the
service, many not being in their places at the reading of the general
confession. It is gratifying to see a clergyman dealing faithfully with
his people and entering into the details of their practice, not shrinking
from pointing out their failings as occasion offers, but in an anxious
and kindly spirit. For this Mr. Palmer is to be admired, and his people
will love him all the more. Shortcomers have no objection to be
faithfully dealt with, if done in a genial temper; and it is a mistake to
suppose that winking at irregularities of this kind pleases anybody.
Beyond the church and church work there are few things to be noticed in
St. James’s. We have only been able to ascertain one very special matter
of interest, which was found in the book of the register of marriages.
The marriage of a certain Edward Walker and Ann Whinfield Williams, which
took place on Sept. 30, 1847, was attested by no less a personage than
the present ex-Emperor Napoleon—then as now an exile in this country. As
we read the handwriting, “Napoleon Louis B.,” followed by another, “Count
de Montauban,” a crowd of reflections rushed to our minds such as
probably our own age alone could supply.
Services on Sunday are at 11 A.M., 3.30, and 7 P.M. Holy Communion is
celebrated on the first, third, and fifth Sunday in the month after
“Morning Prayer,” and on other Sundays at 9 A.M.