you, hoping to find you in good health; and also to let you
know that I am still alive and well, and (thanks to your kind
teaching) I am living a sober and quiet life, and have done so
since I came out here. But I should very much like to see you
again, and also dear old S. Agatha’s. I am making Melbourne my
home when I am on shore, and I attend Christ Church, South Yarra
(Canon Tucker). Do you know him? He is a good man. I have quite
lost sight of W----. I think that he must either be dead or gone
home again. The times are getting better out here, as there are
thousands of people flocking to the West Australian gold-fields.
But they die there by hundreds. I want to ask you one favour. I
should like to have one of your cabinet photos like you used to
sell at the shop. Do send me one. So now I think I must draw to
a close. With kind regards to all and best wishes,
“I remain, yours faithfully,
“W. H. L----.”
And here is a letter about a boy whom we emigrated three years ago,
about whom we were extremely doubtful, but who has done so well that he
is trying to emigrate his family.
“EAST END EMIGRATION FUND,
“_March 26th, 1896_.
“DEAR SIR,
“You will be glad to hear that I received the following report
from our agent in Montreal with reference to this family:--
“‘I went three times to Bluebonnets to see Stigant before I met
him. He married a few months ago; he and his wife seem very
happy and comfortable. He has only two rooms at present, but
has rented a good house for the 1st May. He is quite confident
he can procure work for Stevens and his brothers on arrival. He
seems an earnest, steady fellow, and I think his people will get
along very well with him. They might come on the first ship,
arriving here about May 1st.’
“I feel sure that you will be glad to hear this satisfactory
report of young Stigant.
“Yours truly,
“WALTER BARRATT.”
I do not suppose that anyone considers that the Tractarian movement, in
its later developments, has been a pure gain to the Church of England.
I can remember, when I was a lad, a week’s preparation for the monthly
Communion, in which all the family shared, the mentioning of it at
daily family prayer, the putting off of engagements during the week,
the private talks both with my father and my mother, and thanksgiving
at family prayer the night after. We who talk so condescendingly of the
past have very grievous need to ask ourselves whether, while religion
has increased, piety has decreased; and whether the multiplication of
weekly communicants really and truly means better Communions, and does
not often mean a Communion without preparation before, and without
thanksgiving after. God forbid I should say that this is the case, but
we all know that every privilege entails an increased responsibility,
and that the body is in danger just as much from over, as from
undernourishment, unless that nourishment be perfectly assimilated
to the whole system. At any rate, I endeavoured to keep this thought
before me when planning our only parochial society, which we called
our Communicants’ League. It was unique, at any rate, in one respect:
it had no rules. I have so oftentimes found, in hearing confessions,
how burdensome the rule becomes even of saying a daily collect, and
there is nothing more fatal to the progress of the soul, especially to
the timid soul, than incurring unnecessary responsibilities. I believe
that no member of the League ever passed a day without thinking of
S. Agatha’s, and oftentimes among the ignorant, who have so little
power of expressing themselves, thoughts are the best prayers. But the
League had four suggestions: first, to be present at Mass every Sunday;
secondly, to prepare for Communion on the first Sunday in the month,
if conscience taught, to go to confession, and, if possible, making
the Communion; thirdly, to make it fasting, if possible; fourthly,
to contribute something to the expenses of the parish every quarter,
the sum being left wholly to the conscience of the contributor. None
of these rules were obligatory, but they were almost universally
kept, except as regards making the Communion, because some only came
to Communion once in two months. In order that there might be no
difficulty about the preparation, there were services on Mondays,
for women alone, at 3 p.m.; on Wednesdays, for lads, at 9 p.m.; on
Thursdays, for girls, at 9 p.m.; a general preparation of conscience,
for women, at 8 p.m. on Fridays, for men at 8 p.m. on Saturdays; and I
sat in church practically the whole of the last four days of the week
to hear confessions. The preparation of conscience was very valuable.
I said aloud a commandment, then asked eight or ten questions about
it making a little pause after each question; beyond getting drunk,
doing wrong as they call it, and stealing, the poor have very little
knowledge of what sin is. This system of examination prepared many
for their first confessions. The League has 441 members. On the first
Sunday in the month everybody gives their name as they come into
church, and their Communions are marked in a book. We are able thus
to test their attendance, and also mark change of address, a very
important matter in a migratory parish. The League was responsible,
also, for the Day of Perpetual Intercession, of which I have spoken,
and for a service for men alone on Sunday afternoons.
Once a year, in S. Agatha’s week, we kept a great festival, when we all
supped together, anyone sending what they liked in the way of food.
Sometimes there was too much, though our appetites were generally good.
Sometimes we had not enough. But that was all part of S. Agatha’s
system. At these meetings the whole of the secrets of the parish for
the coming year were disclosed. How splendid our great gymnasium
used to look, filled with tables covered with all kinds and sorts of
things, the most curious puddings, the most extraordinary cakes, in the
funniest plates and dishes. Such an intense union and harmony amongst
us all. Even when I had to say, as I often had, hard, really hard,
things, with what love, what tenderness, were they accepted. I, at any
rate, shall never see the like again, for it is seldom granted twice
to a man in his life to be called to a work like this, for they were
all, in the truest sense, my own children; I had begotten them nearly
all in Jesus Christ, and they have proved their loyalty not, I thank
God, to me, but to our common Master. When I had to leave, all our
farewells were said in church. During those last few days, when they
saw us in the street, they went within doors themselves. And yet, with
all that, not one was absent from their duty to the priest who came to
take temporary charge. No single one said, “Because Mr. Dolling has
left I leave.” They knew their duty was to Christ and His Church, not
to me. And yet it was a very grievous trial to them, so grievous that,
to many of them, it almost meant shipwreck. I think I am committing no
breach of confidence if I let you read one or two of the letters which
I received just after I left.
“DEAR FATHER,
“I went to church on friday night no stations of the cross. I
went on Sunday it looked nice to see the Bishop their for he
looked like us very much cut up. our text was Jesus weep and God
shall wipe away all tears from every eye. it do not matter were
we look weather up high or down low the very bricks seem to say
you cannot do without him but we are all going to be very good
to this father because he speaks so good of you so you must make
haste and get better. I hope Misses Dolling are better.
“I remain yours truly.”
The Bishop referred to is the Bishop of Southwell.
“DEAR MR. DOLLING,
“You didn’t come to see me before you went, and my heart was
too full to come and see you. I have not been to Church yet,
for I have been very poorly, for this job have pretty nigh
broke me up altogether, after sitting under you for ten years,
and never have been inside another church nor chapel since,
and I hope the Bishop won’t close his eyes to go to sleep till
he sends you back again, for I can’t sleep, and I don’t see
for why he should, but, please God, I shall go up to Church in
the week, and go to receive my Communion on Sunday the same as
usual, but I don’t know how I shall feel not to see you there,
nor Miss Dolling, nor nobody. You are gone, but you will never
be forgotten by me. Give my love to Miss Dolling and Miss Blair
and Miss Geraldine and Miss Rowan, and if we do not meet in this
world, I hope we shall in the next, where there won’t be no
sorrow.
“Yours affectionately.”
The Bishop referred to is the Bishop of Winchester.
“Dear rev. farther, the new priest that come is so nice he do
ofer up some beautful prayers and speaks so nice to us all but
ther will never be on that will be nearest our hearts as you
dear farther. O I bless the day I ented St. Agathas that wer I
was first converted and O how your prayers have reached my heart
I have cried may a time over them I have blessed you and I praye
for you and your dear sisters for they was always good and kind
to me a unworthy sinner but my dear Jesus will bless you all for
what you have done for me for he knowed I was one of his lost
sheep that was lost. O my dear Jesus good to me a sinner to take
me back to his foild. I often think of the text the Bishop gave
us. Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore
with loveing kindness have I drawn thee and it is quite true for
my dear Jesus how gently have he drawn me when I have been in
any trouble I have heard words in my ear ask the Savour to healp
you and he will carry you though, I never mean to neglect my
dear Savour any more I will allways bless him not only with my
lips but with all my live. so no more till I have the pleasure
of writing to you again.
from your most humble servant.”
The Bishop referred to is the Bishop of Guildford, who confirmed her.
“DEAR FATHER
“According to your request I am sending a few words, they will
be but few. I have not been to Church since Thursday Evening
until the 11 celebration this morning. It will, I know, greatly
please you to hear that the Church was quite full, mostly our
own people, and it was a very nice service, ‘Alike, but, oh, how
different.’ How my heart ached to see another priest in your
place, my heart and eyes were full, but I remembered that we had
to trust, wait patiently for the answer to the loving prayer
that was going up to God from every heart of your people, and,
oh, we do hope and pray that the time will soon come when we
shall have you all back again with us. We cannot let you stay
away from St. Agatha’s. Our best love and respects to you and
all the dear ladies. Trusting, dear Father, you will remember us
in all your prayers, I remain in all truth and loyalty,
“Your deeply grieving child in God.”
“DEAR MR. DOLLING,
“It seems like a dream to-day, more than ever, to be at St.
Agatha’s, without our good Father Dolling and other dear faces,
yet the fact remains but too true, and yet not without you in
the truest sense, for we met together in the Spirit this morning
in the blessed Sacrament, and may our united prayers ascend
to Almighty God to support you and yours and the whole of St.
Agatha’s in this our fiery trial and affliction, and that we
may come forth purged and glorified, and win the victory by His
dear mercy. Hoping yours and dear one’s health may be good, even
after the difficult task of leave taking. We have already made
the acquaintance of Mr. Bull, he is a very nice man indeed, he
preached a very appropriate sermon this morning from 1 Cor.
iii. 13. I think we had a good number of communicants this
morning at 7 o’clock, we were about 20 or 30, and, I believe,
many more at 8. This evening, instead of the Mission Service,
all the communicants who can will meet Mr. Bull in Church for
further acquaintance. Now, with earnest hope of seeing you back
at Portsmouth again very soon in good health, and with prayers
for your own and dear St. Agatha’s welfare,
“Believe me yours very sincerely.”
“DEAR MR. DOLLING,
“It is not an easy thing to be off with the old love before you
are on with the new. The new clergy are here, and they appear
to be very earnest priests. Of course, one cannot judge how
things will go along yet, but I hope for the best. God never has
deserted St. Agatha’s, and never will. Knowing you will have a
great number of letters to read, I will not bore you with a long
one.
“Yours very truly.”
There was hardly a word of complaint out of four hundred letters,
because they knew it would vex me; but everyone testified to the
heartiness and affection with which they had met the tact and kindness
and sympathy of Fr. Bull. Perhaps I ought not to write all this, but I
feel so proud of them, so thankful to God for them. You will forgive me
inserting a letter which Fr. Bull wrote me after he left.
“RADLEY VICARAGE, ABINGDON.
“DEAR FATHER DOLLING,
“I cannot leave the work at S. Agatha’s without writing to tell
you how deeply impressed I am by all that I have seen during
my six weeks’ charge. I came to the work with many misgivings,
expecting to find your people made sore and irritable by all
the troubles which brought your ministry at S. Agatha’s to a
close. But nothing could have been more beautiful than the
patience with which they bore their sorrow, and the loyalty and
courage with which they carried on the work of the parish.
“The points which made the profoundest impression on me were, I
think, these:
“1. First, the true depth and reality of their love for our dear
Redeemer. I dare not try to describe the manifestation of so
sacred a feeling, but it is enough to say that it made itself
felt in every detail of work and worship, sanctifying what is
sometimes looked upon as secular, inspiring every movement of
ritual, and filling the outward forms of religion with a real
outpouring of the heart.
“2. Then the very healthy type of devotion. It was ‘Jesus only’
in every variety of service; no wandering from the narrow way of
true devotion into the sentimental bye-paths of ‘fancy’ religion.
“3. Real faith in the power of prayer. People at S. Agatha’s had
thoroughly realised that prayer has a great influence on the
course of events, and they prayed with a readiness and fervour
unknown in those places where the spirit of prayer has been
strangled by _the exclusive_ use of unvarying forms. I am
sure that your people learned to pray so well, chiefly in the
training of those services supplementary to matins and evensong.
“4. The combination of discipline and independence. This was
most striking. Men of strong will and very decided character
worked together in perfect harmony, and carried on the work of
the parish with strength and vigour, because they recognised the
difference between liberty and licence and the duty of loyalty.
I found the parish practically self-working.
“5. The happy relationship between priest and people. The people
look on their priest as a father and a friend, and not merely
as a relieving officer to the parish. The account of your life
and work among them, which, I believe, you are preparing, will
explain how this was accomplished. But it will be a joy to you
to know that the lessons you taught are not forgotten, and that
your people readily extend the same confidence and love to any
priest who brings them the same faith and sacraments. This is
only one of many signs which show that you won these souls to
Christ, and not merely to yourself.
“6. I cannot conclude without bearing witness to a fact which
forces itself constantly on the attention of anyone who has seen
the inside of your work; namely, that your faithful teaching of
the doctrine of the Church about the future life, and our duty
to those who have been taken from us for a time, is undoubtedly
the secret of your work at S. Agatha’s. To quote only one of
many pathetic letters I received, one man writes thus: ‘Prayers
for and with our dear ones in paradise is the only thing that
has made life tolerable to me for the last twenty-six years.’
I felt all the time that I only saw a part of that dear family
which you have gathered together round their Father’s table, and
that by far the larger part of those who shared in our prayers
and Sacrifice were wanderers over sea and land in foreign
countries, or souls at rest in paradise.
“Forgive me if anything I have said may seem to be patronising.
You know my only wish is to bear witness to the depth and
soundness of your work, which has been so much misunderstood and
misrepresented. I will not dwell on the kind way in which you
did your best to make my work easy for me, nor on the wonderful
love and patience with which your people welcomed me; it was as
overwhelming as it was undeserved.
“I am, yours very faithfully,
“PAUL B. BULL.”
Many younger clergy and people from a distance wounded by the Bishop’s
action in insisting on a change in our services which had been in use
for eight years, wrote to me about going to Rome, but no such word was
even whispered in S. Agatha’s. And this was not to be wondered at;
for neither from me, nor from my curates, nor from my helpers, had
they ever learned anything distinctly Roman, unless reservation of
the Blessed Sacrament can be so called. We tried to make our religion
manly, natural, dignified, and yet, in the truest sense, homely. Every
word from the altar was spoken plainly, so that everyone could hear it.
There were no concealments from the Bishop or anyone else. If there had
been, I should be there still.
Our one object was to translate into the new church all that there had
been in the old. My first idea of the new church was that it should be
built as plainly as possible. I, who had suffered so much from begging,
deemed it wrong to add any further burden to myself. Besides, I felt
I had already over-exhausted the generosity of my many friends. But
then, God sent Mr. Ball, the architect; and directly I talked to him
I saw how wrong this intention had been. If there is one place which
needs a magnificent and impressive church, it is a slum. He had made
a study of the church architecture which I liked best, and which I
had learned to know in Northern Italy. Directly you enter the new S.
Agatha’s you realise it is a temple of God--of God Eternal, of God
Almighty; and, as it stands now, it has satisfied all my desires.
Every act done at the altar can be seen through the whole church;
every word spoken there, or from the pulpit, can be heard. There is
no use my trying to describe it; I do not think even Mr. Ruskin ever
made us understand what a building is like. I think one of the reasons
why the people at once felt at home in it was because they had been
working for it so long. For two years Miss Wright had been directing
a number of ladies in getting the vestments complete. It is almost
impossible for me to say what S. Agatha’s owes to Miss Wright. Then the
people themselves had bought a chalice and paten, a set of Stations
which cost £140, all of the cassocks; indeed, they had contributed
over £330, all collected in small sums during the last three years.
Winchester had done some special work for us, too. A little boy in Mr.
Smith’s house, who died some years ago, gave us our oak lectern, which
cost £75. College, past and present, clothed with alabaster one of
the pillars of the sanctuary. Three houses gave me nearly £60 for the
oak panelling, on which the names from the old church are translated
into the new. The great central pillar was clothed in alabaster and
marble, and its capital carved in memory of one of my dear lads--a
middy--who died of scarlet fever on board ship, and who had made his
first Communion in old S. Agatha’s. One of the granite pillars was paid
for, and its capital carved in memory of a brother and sister very dear
to me, who died within a year of one another. There is still a debt
of £230 on the ornamentation of the church, part of it due to Messrs.
Powell, who did the beautiful mosaic work in the Lady apse, and whom
I am most anxious to pay off. It is wonderful how the magnificence of
this mosaic work harmonises with the simplicity and beauty of Mr.
Summer’s sgraffitto work. It was a great gift of God to discover an
artist who does not only superintend, but actually, with his own hands,
religiously perfects his work. I felt, as I took my last look at the
church, that it was impossible for me to express in words what I felt I
owe, and what Landport and Winchester people owe, to Mr. Ball and Mr.
Light--a debt which we can never repay. But there is a debt which we
can pay--£100 to Mr. Ball, £1400 to Mr. Light, and £350 to the Bank,
which they have advanced to me on Mr. Light’s account.
[Illustration: NEW S. AGATHA’S.]
My own pressing need of discharging these debts, perhaps, has made
me forget one special benefit of a church like ours. It practically
admits of continuous ornamentation. We have built but the roughest of
brick walls. And I feel that this is of infinite importance, that each
generation should be able to say, “my” church. That hideous desire to
get things finished is the secret of the shoddy, ugly churches which
disfigure Christianity, and having to pay nothing for them is one of
the greatest wrongs that can be done to a congregation. These great
wall-spaces of Italian architecture are designed for the very purpose
of being the ignorant man’s Bible, and the poor man’s opportunity of
offering his mite to God; and I have no doubt that S. Agatha’s people
will, by degrees, create it, what Mr. Ruskin says S. Mark’s is to the
Venetians--“an open Bible,” which even the most unlearned and ignorant
may easily read.
XVI.
=A Plea for Toleration.=
My work in Landport is finished. I hand over to the Bishop of
Winchester all necessary plant for the future of S. Agatha’s--Church,
Schools, Mission House, Parsonage, Gymnasium, Clubs, Almshouses--which
the generosity of Wykehamists and my own friends has enabled me to
build for the Church of England. I hand him over a parish with a
communicants’ roll of 441, so united that for ten years there has
never been a difference amongst us, so full of zeal for Holy Religion
that they have created admiration and wonder in the heart of that most
experienced missioner Father Maturin, and who welcomed, without one
single murmur, Father Bull, who took my place, when the Bishop’s demand
for alteration in the services caused me to resign. Into the Bishop’s
hands, and the hands of my successor appointed by Winchester College, I
place this great trust to which God appointed me ten and a half years
ago, and I pray God that they may be able to administer it with greater
zeal, self-denial, and success than I have been able.
I have taken it for granted that this book will generally be read by
those who know S. Agatha’s, and therefore I have frequently spoken
about persons and things without any introduction, knowing that these
readers would know what I meant; but for the sake of others who do
not know me or the work, I should like to make a few explanations.
In the first place “I” always stands for “we,” and “my” always stands
for “ours”; for I have had round me a body of the most devoted helpers
that parish priest ever had, not only my own sisters and the ladies who
lived with them, my fellow-clergy, and the laymen who lived with me,
but the day-school and Sunday-school teachers, the district visitors,
all who served in the church, either on the altar or in the choir,
my own personal clerks, the servants in my own and Miss Dolling’s
house, our shopwoman, and many more too numerous to mention. Every
parochial plan was well discussed by those who had to administer it;
objections were stated, differences were heard, but when once we had
arrived at what was deemed to be the right course, one mouth spoke the
judgment--one brain, one hand, executed it. There was no degradation of
service, there was no unstinted labour, there was no demand on heart
and enthusiasm that I have ever asked and been refused by one of my
workers. I could almost dare to use some of S. Paul’s expressions with
regard to the unselfish loyalty with which I have been supported; and
I know the parish felt that, whether it was they or I; so we preached,
and so they believed. Might I give two instances?