Galleywood’s First Sermon
Thanks to eyewitness accounts, we have been able to reconstruct the sermon preached at the first (dedication) service at St Michael and All Angels, Galleywood, September 29 1873, by Bishop Claughton. Words in italics are direct quotations from a source.
Incidentally, we also know that the bishop was a big man (so overweight he could hardly walk), that the organ drowned out the voices of the congregation, that one congregation member wasn't very impressed ('twaddle’ is the word she uses), and that a fight almost broke out when some of the poor sat in an area reserved for the rich.
I: The Angels
My theme today is the cherubim, who wait on God's dear Son. For are they not ministering spirits? Whenever you look up to this glittering spire on the top of this breezy hill, you may say "there dwell the angels." Heaven is very close to this holy place. The bells are holy, the plates are holy, the offerings will be holy, the table is holy. We have set this place aside as separate from sin, and close to heaven. Anticipate each week your visit through the angels' door to this place of angels: say to yourselves with fond and true affection and holy ardour: "There dwell the angels, there they wait to chase our griefs away! O, when shall this week's toil be over and we shall once again touch heaven! O, this Sunday, may the angels of God meet us."
II: The Congregation
And what of the men who will congregate here in this holy place? Are they not ministering spirits also? Are they not commissioned, visibly to people this our troubled earth with worth - even as the silent angels do so unseen and unfelt? Are they not holy, therefore? Are they not ministers? Are they not a flame of fire? Are they not servants, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation? - And heirs of salvation there will be in this vicinity, by the grace of God. Every time you leave this holy place, say "may the angels go with me as I live this week as a servant of God and a minister to the heirs of salvation." Then descend to the dark valley round about, where sin is rife and heaven is far away. You can say to your neighbours: "Look up, look here, when sunlight falls upon the spire, the roof, these walls - the church signifies for you that God by his people has encamped among you and entreats you to come near, to seek him and find him."
III: The Lord
For we laid this stone not for the angels, not for the ministers, not even for the heirs of salvation, but to glorify our God, and his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. And to his glory, not our own, we dedicate it. For it was not to the angels that God said "Thou art my Son", but to the Lord Jesus. Thou, Lord, hast laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; thou art the same, and through all the years of this church thy years shall not fail. Now to God the Father, to God the Son and to God the Holy Spirit be all glory in his church, now and forever. Amen.
Two things are particularly worth mentioning.
First, the “dark valley” - this is a reference to the Galleywood Racecourse, which encircled the church at that time. If you come and visit St Michael’s Church (and we hope you will!), you’ll see the racecourse still laid out - but no races have been held there since the early 1950s. Perhaps Bishop Claughton would have seen this as vindication of the mission of the church. Personally, I’ve always thought that, faced with certain social evils which did indeed attach themselves to nineteenth century racecourses, Jesus would have bought himself a bookie’s hat and gone to love the crowd on their own terms, rather than erecting a large building in the middle of the racecourse and encouraging those who frequent it to see the church as somehow closer to heaven than the trackside, but perhaps I’m wrong. If Vicars fall into two categories - those who are concerned that more people from the community aren't coming to church and those who are concerned that more churchgoers aren't going out into the community to do it some good - I guess Bishop Claughton was in the first category and the leadership at St Michael's today is in the second.
Second, though, those of us who worship today at St Michael’s Church are in continuity with that first congregation. The original prayer book is still on the original lectern, the bells mentioned in the sermon are still rung, the sunlight still falls upon the spire, and we try (in the bishop’s memorable but not entirely lucid phrase) to “people this our troubled world with worth.”
Thanks to eyewitness accounts, we have been able to reconstruct the sermon preached at the first (dedication) service at St Michael and All Angels, Galleywood, September 29 1873, by Bishop Claughton. Words in italics are direct quotations from a source.
Incidentally, we also know that the bishop was a big man (so overweight he could hardly walk), that the organ drowned out the voices of the congregation, that one congregation member wasn't very impressed ('twaddle’ is the word she uses), and that a fight almost broke out when some of the poor sat in an area reserved for the rich.
I: The Angels
My theme today is the cherubim, who wait on God's dear Son. For are they not ministering spirits? Whenever you look up to this glittering spire on the top of this breezy hill, you may say "there dwell the angels." Heaven is very close to this holy place. The bells are holy, the plates are holy, the offerings will be holy, the table is holy. We have set this place aside as separate from sin, and close to heaven. Anticipate each week your visit through the angels' door to this place of angels: say to yourselves with fond and true affection and holy ardour: "There dwell the angels, there they wait to chase our griefs away! O, when shall this week's toil be over and we shall once again touch heaven! O, this Sunday, may the angels of God meet us."
II: The Congregation
And what of the men who will congregate here in this holy place? Are they not ministering spirits also? Are they not commissioned, visibly to people this our troubled earth with worth - even as the silent angels do so unseen and unfelt? Are they not holy, therefore? Are they not ministers? Are they not a flame of fire? Are they not servants, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation? - And heirs of salvation there will be in this vicinity, by the grace of God. Every time you leave this holy place, say "may the angels go with me as I live this week as a servant of God and a minister to the heirs of salvation." Then descend to the dark valley round about, where sin is rife and heaven is far away. You can say to your neighbours: "Look up, look here, when sunlight falls upon the spire, the roof, these walls - the church signifies for you that God by his people has encamped among you and entreats you to come near, to seek him and find him."
III: The Lord
For we laid this stone not for the angels, not for the ministers, not even for the heirs of salvation, but to glorify our God, and his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. And to his glory, not our own, we dedicate it. For it was not to the angels that God said "Thou art my Son", but to the Lord Jesus. Thou, Lord, hast laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; thou art the same, and through all the years of this church thy years shall not fail. Now to God the Father, to God the Son and to God the Holy Spirit be all glory in his church, now and forever. Amen.
Two things are particularly worth mentioning.
First, the “dark valley” - this is a reference to the Galleywood Racecourse, which encircled the church at that time. If you come and visit St Michael’s Church (and we hope you will!), you’ll see the racecourse still laid out - but no races have been held there since the early 1950s. Perhaps Bishop Claughton would have seen this as vindication of the mission of the church. Personally, I’ve always thought that, faced with certain social evils which did indeed attach themselves to nineteenth century racecourses, Jesus would have bought himself a bookie’s hat and gone to love the crowd on their own terms, rather than erecting a large building in the middle of the racecourse and encouraging those who frequent it to see the church as somehow closer to heaven than the trackside, but perhaps I’m wrong. If Vicars fall into two categories - those who are concerned that more people from the community aren't coming to church and those who are concerned that more churchgoers aren't going out into the community to do it some good - I guess Bishop Claughton was in the first category and the leadership at St Michael's today is in the second.
Second, though, those of us who worship today at St Michael’s Church are in continuity with that first congregation. The original prayer book is still on the original lectern, the bells mentioned in the sermon are still rung, the sunlight still falls upon the spire, and we try (in the bishop’s memorable but not entirely lucid phrase) to “people this our troubled world with worth.”
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