MATINS AT ELEVEN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Snt,—Bishop Christopher Wordsworth wrote the hymn about Sunday which begins 0 Day of rest and gladness, and those
sentiments have been accepted by the people, only for them
rest means an extra hour or two in bed when they have had to be at work at 7 or 8 each morning of the week, and gladness means time to enjoy their gardens or small cars. That these things were not in the mind of the hymn-writer should not condemn them. And if the clergy are going to keep on the Late Victorian tradition of Holy Communion at 8 a.m. and Matins and sermon at It a.m. the churches will get more and more empty, for the people will go on resting and indulging in gladness of their own making.
Fortunately an increasing number of parishes are holding their services about 9 or 9.3o a.m. with the result that their congregations are growing quite remarkably. As to what services are held the answer is the Prayer Book services in the Prayer Book order—i.e., Morning Prayer and Litany said about 9 a.m. followed by Holy Communion with simple music and a brief sermon about 9.3o a.m. In some churches the times will be a little earlier, in others a little later. Some parishes also arrange to serve a sithple breakfast (at a small
cost) in an adjoining hall after service : this is appreciated by many communicants and incidentally stimulates friendships.
It is all a question of what is most helpful for the people, for there seems no sense in making Sunday worship more difficult to attend than it need be.—Yours faithfully,
S. Michael's Cottage, Camberley. L. B. TOWNER.
Previous page
