Page:The first report, etc., of the Lichfield Society.djvu/22

18 ought to be deep and screened off, as in the Middle Ages, others, maintaining that in the primitive times the Altar was brought nearer to the people, and that our own Church expressly orders that the consecration of the elements should take place in the presence of the congregation.

Then as regards the place from which the prayers are read—commonly called the desk—the right principle seems to be that the lesson and exhortation should be read by the Minister with his face towards the people; and then when he addresses prayers to Almighty God—he should turn away from them. Also with respect to the singers, the usual, but not the best plan is to place them in a gallery at the western end. I have seen a much better effect produced by placing them in the middle of the church amongst the rest; so that the voice of thanksgiving appears to arise, not from a select body of singers, but from the whole congregation, who are by those means encouraged to join. A very fitting place, also, seems to be to range them on opposite sides between the chancel arch and the altar rail.

All these things are very far from being unimportant. We should lay it down as a maxim that "nothing is little in God's service" nothing which can contribute to the more decent, and orderly, and reverential performance of Divine worship ought to be neglected. At the same time, these things have been so long unthought of, and people have been accustomed in many places to such different modes—that much charity and mutual forbearance must be exercised, by those who desire to restore a fitter state of things.

In church-building, as in other things, but in church-building especially, our rule should be "that all things should be done to the glory of God." No one will dispute that the more we can throw ourselves into the spirit of the ancient models, the more beautiful, and, therefore, the more worthy of their object will be our churches. But while we imitate the beautiful Architecture of the Middle Ages, it does not follow that we are servilely to copy them in their plans and arrangements. Our modern worship differs in some respects from that of the English Church of the mediæval times—our population is much greater—we have many arts and inventions, also, which might be profitably and rightly applied to increase the beauty and convenience of churches.

It is in the promotion of these objects, by inquiry and information, that this Society hopes to do good service. We have already entered into friendly relations with the Cambridge Camden Society; the Oxford, Exeter, Bristol, Durham, and Down and Connor and Dromore Societies; which have been recently instituted for the same