Edward Hoare, M.A.: A record of his life based upon a brief autobiographyHoare, Edward
Religion
Edward Hoare, M.A.: A record of his life based upon a brief autobiography
Hoare, Edward
Church of England -- Clergy -- Biography; Hoare, E. (Edward), 1812-1894
The fact that in all parochial work he was leader, not director—saying
“Come” instead of “Go”—was one of the causes of his influence with his
curates. It is related that at some wedding in the parish church, when
the bridegroom, a stranger to the place, was paying the fees in the
vestry, he made the remark, “I think the man who does the work ought to
get the pay.” This greatly tickled the two curates present, who could
not help laughing at the idea of their Vicar seated in his arm-chair
while they laboured in the parish, and simultaneously both exclaimed,
“The Vicar does more than both of us put together!”
* * * * *
The simplicity of the services at Holy Trinity have been already noticed.
The preacher wore the black gown, not that he had any objection to the
surplice in the pulpit, as he used that dress without hesitation in other
churches, but because he felt that he was too old to make changes. “I
knew many of the old Evangelical Fathers,” he used to say; “I preached
Charles Simeon’s funeral sermon in his own church at Cambridge; so that I
feel as if I were connected with them, and I will keep up the old gown
which I have been used to all my life.”
But although this seemed but a trifle to him, he never ceased to express
his disapproval of what are commonly called “musical services.” On one
occasion, at some conference or meeting of clergy, he followed the reader
of a paper who had advocated the introduction of an intoned service, and
commenced his reply with these words: “For the discussion of this subject
I possess the important qualification of being an _unmusical_ man!” He
then continued in the same strain, and impressed this point upon the
clergy, that they had to deal with as many unmusical people as musical in
their congregations. All could speak, but only a limited number could
sing; therefore, by arranging a service for the musical, they really
closed the lips of those who were not so. At another time, also in
public, he said: “The proper use of music is in praise and thanksgiving.
People are so eager in these days to introduce as much music as possible
that they have applied it to prayer, the reading of Scripture, and even
to the Creed. All this I believe to be a mistake. We delight in
thorough congregational singing, but the essence of prayer is to be
perfectly natural, to realise that we are speaking to God, and forget all
beside. Who can imagine the poor publican waiting to hear the note of
the organ, or the trumpet, before he smote upon his breast and said, ‘God
be merciful to me a sinner!’”
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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