The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England Second edition [by Isaac Williams] |
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The Oratories.
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 | The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England |  |
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The Oratories.
CONSOLATIONS AND STRONG-HOLDS.
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut
thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment.
until the indignation be overpast.”
Isaiah xxvi. 20.
“When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret: and
thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
St. Matthew vi. 6.
These may be supposed to answer to the “little chambers” in the Temple, as above alluded to, “built against the wall of the house round about.” (I Kings vi. 5.) Their use in Christian churches, as little cells for meditation, reading, and prayer, has existed from an early period. See Bingham's Antiq. b. viii. c. 5. sect. 8.
DISTANT CHURCH MUSIC.
My spirit hath gone up in yonder cloud
Of solemn and sweet sound—the many-voic'd
Peal upon peal, and now
The choral voice alone
Of solemn and sweet sound—the many-voic'd
Peal upon peal, and now
The choral voice alone
At door of Heav'n. My soul is all unspher'd,
Soaring and soaring on the crystal car
Of airy sweetness borne,
And drinks ethereal air
Soaring and soaring on the crystal car
Of airy sweetness borne,
And drinks ethereal air
Amid celestial shapes. I hear a voice
Alone before the Trinal Majesty,
Singing the Eternal Lamb,
While Silence sits aloof.
Alone before the Trinal Majesty,
Singing the Eternal Lamb,
While Silence sits aloof.
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Twilight of unimagin'd Deity
It seems, save where, like thousand setting suns,
Heav'n's portal darkly gleams,—
He hath gone down to man.
It seems, save where, like thousand setting suns,
Heav'n's portal darkly gleams,—
He hath gone down to man.
Far hath He thrown His crown to stars of Heav'n,
And to the skies His clear empyreal robe,
To lightning His bright spear,
And to the clouds His bow.
And to the skies His clear empyreal robe,
To lightning His bright spear,
And to the clouds His bow.
A crown awaits Thee there, but not of gold,—
And who is she Thy coming harbingers?
No starry watchmen near
Creation's cradle set,
And who is she Thy coming harbingers?
No starry watchmen near
Creation's cradle set,
No kingly pursuivants. But sackcolth-rob'd
Heard stilly 'tween the torrent's fitful sound,
And wild bird's cry forlorn,
Mid rocks, and desert caves
Heard stilly 'tween the torrent's fitful sound,
And wild bird's cry forlorn,
Mid rocks, and desert caves
Repentance' voice!—Who on Thy goings wait?
No sun-bright legionry, but Sorrow meek,
Pity meek Sorrow's child,
And Peace of Pardon born.
No sun-bright legionry, but Sorrow meek,
Pity meek Sorrow's child,
And Peace of Pardon born.
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While Hope prepares her gleaming car; from high,
With arms outstretch'd, out of a golden cloud
Righteousness leaning down
Hath kissed exil'd Peace.
With arms outstretch'd, out of a golden cloud
Righteousness leaning down
Hath kissed exil'd Peace.
To gates of darkness hies black-hooded Night,
And on her waning brow lingers the Moon,
With silver bow to greet
Uprising glory's Sun.
And on her waning brow lingers the Moon,
With silver bow to greet
Uprising glory's Sun.
E'en now upon th'horizon Morning walks
Doffing to Night her mantle grey, and stands
In gold and gleaming vest,
And glittering shafts reveal'd.
Doffing to Night her mantle grey, and stands
In gold and gleaming vest,
And glittering shafts reveal'd.
Ye waiting at th'eternal gate, with robes
Of penitential Sorrow, wash'd in blood,
And odorous lamps well-trimm'd,
Your long-lov'd Lord to greet,
Of penitential Sorrow, wash'd in blood,
And odorous lamps well-trimm'd,
Your long-lov'd Lord to greet,
Lift up your eyes! E'en now His coming glows
Where, on the skirt of yon Heav'n-kissing hill,
The trees stand motionless
Upon the silvery dawn.
Where, on the skirt of yon Heav'n-kissing hill,
The trees stand motionless
Upon the silvery dawn.
Deep Ocean treasures all her gems unseen,
To pave an archway to the eternal door,
And Earth doth rear her flowers
To strew your heavenly road.
To pave an archway to the eternal door,
And Earth doth rear her flowers
To strew your heavenly road.
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The Stars on high shall be your diadem,
The Skies shall lend their rays to weave your robes,
And Iris stain the woof,
Sons of th'eternal morn.
The Skies shall lend their rays to weave your robes,
And Iris stain the woof,
Sons of th'eternal morn.
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THE DOXOLOGY.
I.
The threefold heavens, of glorious height,
Are made One dwelling for Thy might,
Set upon pillars of the light.
Are made One dwelling for Thy might,
Set upon pillars of the light.
The earth, and sea, and blue-arch'd air,
Do form below One temple fair,
Thy footstool 'neath the heavenly stair.
Do form below One temple fair,
Thy footstool 'neath the heavenly stair.
Sun, Moon, and Stars, in Heav'n's great deep
Their living watch obedient keep,
Moving as One, and never sleep.
Their living watch obedient keep,
Moving as One, and never sleep.
II.
Angels and men, and brutes beneath,
Make up creation's triple wreath,
Which only liveth in Thy breath.
Make up creation's triple wreath,
Which only liveth in Thy breath.
In fish, and birds, and beasts around,
One wondrous character is found,
The skirt which doth Thy mantle bound.
One wondrous character is found,
The skirt which doth Thy mantle bound.
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And Nature's three fair realms convey
One note through this our earthly day,
Dying in distance far away.
One note through this our earthly day,
Dying in distance far away.
III.
With Three arch'd roofs Thy temple springs,
Where music spreads melodious wings,
And all around One glory brings.
Where music spreads melodious wings,
And all around One glory brings.
And Future, Past, and Present Time,
Together build One shrine sublime,
That doth prolong the ample chime.
Together build One shrine sublime,
That doth prolong the ample chime.
While spirit, soul, and clay-born seat,
Warm'd by the living Paraclete,
Shall be Thy threefold mansion meet.
Warm'd by the living Paraclete,
Shall be Thy threefold mansion meet.
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THE ATHANASIAN CREED.
O warning voice, from Truth's eternal shrine
Proceeding, where the great Archangel sings,
Through three-fold arching piles, on sounds divine,
Proceeding, where the great Archangel sings,
Through three-fold arching piles, on sounds divine,
And the live thunder of melodious wings
Rising in adoration! Mother dear,
To thy mysterious breast my spirit clings
Rising in adoration! Mother dear,
To thy mysterious breast my spirit clings
Then most, when that appalling voice I hear:—
There at the sound of those thy stern alarms
I hide, and on the world look back and fear;
There at the sound of those thy stern alarms
I hide, and on the world look back and fear;
For she would tempt me from thy sheltering arms,
And stop thy voice, which baffled Pride disdains,
And the dread sound of never-dying harms.
And stop thy voice, which baffled Pride disdains,
And the dread sound of never-dying harms.
Vain thought! th'o'erwhelming Future yet remains,
Though Ebal and Gerizim's voice be still,
The everlasting Now and penal chains.
Though Ebal and Gerizim's voice be still,
The everlasting Now and penal chains.
And from Thine accents hide us as we will,
Death draws aside the screen. Then wherefore flee
With birds of darkness to the caves of ill?
Death draws aside the screen. Then wherefore flee
With birds of darkness to the caves of ill?
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Rather in garb of our deep poverty
Let us stand forth before Thee, not to gaze,
But tremble, with the heart's adoring knee,
Let us stand forth before Thee, not to gaze,
But tremble, with the heart's adoring knee,
Full in the light of thy meridian blaze.
Nor leave Thou us in the dark mysteries
Of our bad hearts to wander, and in ways
Nor leave Thou us in the dark mysteries
Of our bad hearts to wander, and in ways
Of our own darkness, lest we, seeming wise,
Shrine Thee in shape of some foul deity,
And in our unbaptized phantasies
Shrine Thee in shape of some foul deity,
And in our unbaptized phantasies
Think wickedly that God is such as we,—
Some Jove, or Pan, or Ashtaroth unclean,—
So we may 'scape Thy judgment.—Dread the sea
Some Jove, or Pan, or Ashtaroth unclean,—
So we may 'scape Thy judgment.—Dread the sea
Of glory which enshrouds Thee, yet unseen,
And in the path whereon Thy light doth burn,
Ere that we pass th'inevitable screen,
And in the path whereon Thy light doth burn,
Ere that we pass th'inevitable screen,
Well need we walk and fear: to Thee we turn
For help, nor on Thy glory gaze too bold.
O sternly kind, and kindest when most stern,
For help, nor on Thy glory gaze too bold.
O sternly kind, and kindest when most stern,
Ancient of Mothers, in thy barriers old
With them that love thee is best liberty!
Fain would we hide us in thy sheltering fold.
With them that love thee is best liberty!
Fain would we hide us in thy sheltering fold.
By thee baptiz'd into the Eternal Three,
Blest Arbitress of holiest discipline,
In the world's freedom let me not be free,
Blest Arbitress of holiest discipline,
In the world's freedom let me not be free,
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But follow mine own will in following thine.
To Christ our Rock with dripping weeds we cling,
While Ocean roars beneath; fled to thy shrine
To Christ our Rock with dripping weeds we cling,
While Ocean roars beneath; fled to thy shrine
May Heav'n's own Dove, on Contemplation's wing,
Be o'er us, nurturing each holier choice,
And all around thy calmer influence bring.
Be o'er us, nurturing each holier choice,
And all around thy calmer influence bring.
Then let me ever hear thy awful voice,
Deep warning, deep adoring: while we sing
We tremble, but in trembling we rejoice.
Deep warning, deep adoring: while we sing
We tremble, but in trembling we rejoice.
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FAST DAYS.
While to the tomb we tread this pilgrimage,
Sorrow will wait upon us, and be ours
E'en as our shadow, where on Life's dim stage
Falls the celestial light from Eden's bowers.
Sorrow will wait upon us, and be ours
E'en as our shadow, where on Life's dim stage
Falls the celestial light from Eden's bowers.
Then it were wise to win her for our friend,
Who must be our companion, so to gain
That she may help us to our journey's end,
So may we love her yoke, nor feel the chain.
Who must be our companion, so to gain
That she may help us to our journey's end,
So may we love her yoke, nor feel the chain.
Lest we should exile take for home of ease,
Shadows for truth, for shore the billow's breast,
Our trial for acceptance and release,
The vale of tears for mountain of our rest.
Shadows for truth, for shore the billow's breast,
Our trial for acceptance and release,
The vale of tears for mountain of our rest.
Such Sorrow is sent down by pitying Heaven,
The mantle which from Jesus fell below,
To his own chosen in His mercy given,
The last best boon He could on earth bestow.
The mantle which from Jesus fell below,
To his own chosen in His mercy given,
The last best boon He could on earth bestow.
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Nor wonder that the widow'd Church should sound
Of sadness: those are mourners Christ hath blest,
Who watch with her their annual, weekly, round,
And in obedience find the promis'd rest.
Of sadness: those are mourners Christ hath blest,
Who watch with her their annual, weekly, round,
And in obedience find the promis'd rest.
A shelter from ourselves her sacred call,
Lest the self-humbling soul might haply make
Her penance glory—lest her mourner's pall
Self-form'd, for trappings of her pride she take.
Lest the self-humbling soul might haply make
Her penance glory—lest her mourner's pall
Self-form'd, for trappings of her pride she take.
Nor deem such penance hard, nor fondly dream
Of Herod's ease in the imperial hall,
But seek the Baptist by the desert stream,
And thou shalt see the light on Jesus fall:
Of Herod's ease in the imperial hall,
But seek the Baptist by the desert stream,
And thou shalt see the light on Jesus fall:
Yea haply so be brought with Christ to pray
In His own secret mount—or in His word
Where Moses and Elias witness pay,
To watch, till Heav'n-reveal'd ye see the Lord.
In His own secret mount—or in His word
Where Moses and Elias witness pay,
To watch, till Heav'n-reveal'd ye see the Lord.
Nor deem such penance hard—thence from the soul
The cords of flesh are loos'd, and earthly woes
Lose half their power to harm, while self-controul
Learns that blest freedom which she only knows.
The cords of flesh are loos'd, and earthly woes
Lose half their power to harm, while self-controul
Learns that blest freedom which she only knows.
Thence is our hope to manlier aims subdued,
And purg'd from earthly mists the mental eye,
To gird herself with growing fortitude,
To see the gates of immortality,
And purg'd from earthly mists the mental eye,
To gird herself with growing fortitude,
To see the gates of immortality,
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Beyond the vale of woes; while far between,
In watchings and in fastings train'd of yore,
Martyrs and Saints, in glorious order seen,
Follow the Man of Sorrows gone before.
In watchings and in fastings train'd of yore,
Martyrs and Saints, in glorious order seen,
Follow the Man of Sorrows gone before.
Now sphered in orbs of light to us they call:
The eve precedes with penitential woes,
And ushers in the holier festival,
The shadow which their glory earthward throws.
The eve precedes with penitential woes,
And ushers in the holier festival,
The shadow which their glory earthward throws.
Many the gates of Hell, and every gate
Is but each vice which man's dark temper sways,
And Christ alone can raise our fallen state,
In fasting found, and prayer, and watchful ways.
Is but each vice which man's dark temper sways,
And Christ alone can raise our fallen state,
In fasting found, and prayer, and watchful ways.
| The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England | |