A Century of Christian Service: Kensington Congregational Church, 1793-1893Horne, C. Silvester (Charles Silvester)
History
A Century of Christian Service: Kensington Congregational Church, 1793-1893
Horne, C. Silvester (Charles Silvester)
Congregational churches -- England -- London; Kensington Congregational Church (London, England)
Our Sunday Schools to-day are such a notable feature of Kensington
Chapel, that it is interesting to find a record of this kind, dated
February 22nd, 1814: “Resolved—In consequence of no other place being
found so convenient as the _vault_ under the chapel for a Sunday School,
that we take the same into consideration.” We are sometimes tempted to
complain of the discomforts of our present buildings, but those who began
the work had to do it obviously under difficulties of which we know
little. The managers, however, could not finally consent to bury the
Sunday School in the vault,—and hence, by the removal of the staircase, a
room was fitted up under the back gallery, and here the Sunday School was
very narrowly housed. This important question having been thus disposed
of, a more serious problem arose—that of music. There was at this time
no organ; but it was natural that one so distinguished in the musical
world as Mr. Broadwood should desire the introduction of a suitable
instrument. Mr. Broadwood not only desired it; but he was liberal enough
to offer to present an organ to the chapel. The conscientious objection
to instrumental music in religious buildings is now, for the most part,
ancient history. But feeling ran high on the question in the days I am
writing of, and one “true-blue Presbyterian,” as Dr. Stoughton calls him,
would have none of the new-fangled methods, and retired with his family
from the scene, entering his protest against the whole proceedings in
stout British fashion. Mr. Broadwood gave the organ; and the treasurer
had great difficulty, apparently, in paying the organist; and, what with
periodical discontinuance of the organ on the score of expense, and
criticism of the organist by the congregation, the musical affairs were
far from smooth and pleasant for some time to come. Kensington music has
never ceased to be a source of anxious solicitude to the Church from that
day to this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account