Thanksgiving for Anglicanism in the True North: how an early Victorian-era bishop exemplifies the goodly heritage of Canadian Anglicanism
Sunday, May 21. Storm and rain, through which we drove (over a wretched road, with many long and steep hills, and several broken bridges), to the church at Douglas (15 miles). To our surprise the building was well filled by about two hundred persons. The church (St. Peter's) and its burial ground were consecrated; and it was a gratifying sight to see seventy-two of this little flock coming forward, with every appearance of devout and intelligent attention, to receive the blessing of confirmation ... The building of a church in this secluded and poor settlement was a great achievement; it has collected a congregation whose number greatly exceeds the expectation that was entertained; and it seems likely, with the heavenly blessing, to be a source of permanent and continually-increasing benefit to the place and people. This was the first time any Episcopal duty was performed in this settlement.
Sunday, May 28. I drove to Hammond's Hams, in the mission of Sackville (fourteen miles), where I consecrated a neat little church (St. John's). It was crowded by one hundred and twenty persons, and nearly half as many more were compelled to remain without, at the door and windows. I gladly preached, and endeavoured fully and plainly to encourage all in their duty to God, and to His Church, and to their own souls. This little church, like that at Douglas, has led to the forming of a little flock, more numerous than was even hoped for, when the undertaking was commenced ... This was the first Episcopal visit to Hammond's Plains, whither I hope, ere long, to have a second call.
Trinity Sunday, June 11. The church at Truro was well filled, at eleven, by two hundred persons. I read prayers, preached, confirmed fifteen candidates, who had been diligently prepared by their late pastor, and addressed these upon the solemn engagements of their Christian profession; and the congregation afterwards, in reference to their present condition, as sheep without a shepherd, and to the duties which belong to such condition ... The church was again well filled in the afternoon, when I read prayers, and preached on the duties which are connected with a full belief in the mystery of the adorable Trinity.
Sunday, June 18. One hundred and fifty persons assembled for the morning service at George Town. The church (Trinity) was consecrated. Six persons were confirmed, in addition to those who were presented in the preceding year. I preached, addressed the confirmed, and had something to say to the whole congregation, who were very attentive. In the afternoon, Dr. Jenkins preached an excellent and most appropriate post-confirmation sermon; and I addressed the congregation in reference to the consecration of their burial-ground, to which we all proceeded, half a mile from the church, where we finished the services which had been allotted to this day.
Saturday, June 24. Dr. Wiggins came to us at an early hour, and we proceeded (twelve miles) to the church at Crapaud, or Westmoreland Harbour. The building is unique in this diocese; but not unlike some old churches in England, with a porch on the side, and pews in the base of the tower. It is finished in good taste. The books, plate, and hangings, which are beautiful, were presented by the Dowager-Countess of Westmoreland, who has been a munificent benefactress to this island, and especially to this parish, of which a considerable portion is the property of her ladyship's family. More than three hundred persons were assembled; but it was impossible, although every effort was made, to contrive accommodation for the whole within the church. It was consecrated, with the burial-ground, and named by desire of Lady Westmoreland, the church of St. John the Evangelist. Many would doubtless have been well prepared for confirmation, if they could have been favoured with means for the requisite preparation; but no pastor was at hand to guide and instruct them. I was glad, however, that four serious candidates were presented by Dr. Jenkins, who met me at this place; and while these, as we humbly hope, received the full benefit of the Apostolic ordinance, a large congregation were witnesses, for the first time, of the simplicity and the solemnity of the holy ceremony, to which, as well as to the previous sermon on all the solemnities of the day, they appeared to give serious attention.
Sunday, July 2. An ordination at Halifax, when the Rev. W. A. Weinbeer, of Berlin, and the Rev. Robert Arnold, of Trinity College, Dublin, B.A.--were admitted to the order of Priests; and Mr. Philip J. Filleul, of King's College, Windsor, B.A. and Mr. E. J. W. Roberts, sent to New Brunswick by the Society, were ordained Deacons.
Saturday, July 15. Mr. Jamieson had made his way through rough paths, and by boats, with some difficulty, to meet us here. He read prayers, Mr. Stevenson preached, and I confirmed thirty-nine persons, whom, as well as the congregation at large. I twice addressed; and administered the Lord's Supper to several who had long been deprived of this holy privilege. The attention of all (for all remained till the close of all the services) was most becoming ... The principal magistrate was absent, but had requested that his house, and all he had, might be used for our convenience. He also expressed a very anxious wish to be with us, and promised every effort for this purpose. The barn which we used was his. By great exertion he arrived in time to be confirmed, and receive the Lord's Supper for the first time, and appeared deeply affected.
Sunday, July 23 ... I preached an ordination sermon, and admitted the Rev. William Elder to the order of priests, in the parish-church at Sydney, filled by a numerous congregation, of whom fifty-three partook of the Lord's Supper. After an interval of only half-an-hour, we returned to the church, where I baptized two adults, preached on confirmation, confirmed eighty-eight persons, and was led, by their engaging deportment, to offer them an address of affectionate encouragement.
Sunday, August 6 ... at Pugwash. The approach to this compact and striking village is very beautiful, with noble sea views; and its church is a very interesting object, the exterior of which is well finished and painted. Two hundred persons were in it at eleven, but conformation was doubtless strange to many of them. After the second lesson I baptized two adult females, sisters, whose intelligence and devotion were very engaging. One of them is a well-qualified teacher. I endeavoured to make confirmation plain to my hearers, of whom nine received the rite, and they all, by their seriousness and feeling, encouraged me to offer them as earnest and persuasive an exhortation to a steady progress in the Christian life as I could address to them. In the afternoon the church was again well filled. I baptized another adult, of much good feeling and intelligence; and administered confirmation to ten persons, including the three baptized adults, whom I endeavoured to address with affection. I consecrated the burial-ground, and had an opportunity for explaining the origin and nature of this service, with the solemn application which should be made of it;
Sunday, August 20. By much the hottest day of the summer. Two hundred and fifty persons were assembled in the Shediac church at eleven, Mr. Noah Disbrow was ordained a Deacon; sixty-three persons were confirmed; fifty received the Lord's Supper. I preached on the ordination, and addressed the confirmed, and the whole congregation
Thursday, August 24. We drove to Amherst, (eighteen miles,) crossing the boundary between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and found more than two hundred persons assembled. After the second lesson Mr. Townshend baptized two infants, and I then administered holy baptism to nine adults, with whom Mr. Townshend had taken much pains. Their deportment was deeply solemn and affecting. These, with twenty-three other persons, were confirmed, and I was encouraged to indulge my own feelings by dwelling upon both services, and endeavouring to impress those who listened to me with a full sense of their importance, and of the blessing to be derived from them. None of the various scenes through which I have passed, in my summer's visitations, have produced a deeper impression upon myself, nor excited warmer interest for the welfare of those to whom, it has been my privilege to minister.
Monday, September 18. I returned to Clermont; and on Thursday, the 21st, I set out for Halifax (ninety miles), to hold an ordination on Sunday, the 24th; when the Rev. Richard A very, from England, and the Rev. Mr. Bhickmore, from Newfoundland, with Letters Dimissory, were admitted to the order of Priests; and Mr. L. M. W. Hill, and Mr. Arthur Wellesley Millidge, graduates of King's College, Windsor, to the order of Deacons.
Tuesday, October 24. I left Windsor very early, and travelled nineteen miles, through bad roads, to the church at Cornwallis, where I found nearly one hundred and fifty persons assembled at eleven o'clock, I baptized six adults, preached, confirmed twenty four persons, and addressed them all generally, and more particularly those who were solemnly admitted into the Christian fold, after due preparation for this holy admission, by the earnest attention of the Rev. J. Storrs, the Missionary, After the service Mr. Storrs drove me, about a mile, to an ancient, burial-ground, which was consecrated.
Inglis' words invite us to contemplate the modest, sober, faithful Anglican order and piety which took root in the Maritimes. His use of the phrase 'read prayers' reminds us of how Morning and Evening Prayer on the Lord's Day shaped, nourished, and sustained Anglican witness over centuries, grounding local churches in praise, attending to the Scriptures, and prayer for "those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul". This might lead us to consider what has been lost by the disappearance of Sunday Morning Prayer in many places. Likewise, at a time when maintaining a weekly celebration of the Sacrament in every church is a challenge for more than a few Anglican churches in North Atlantic societies, surely is a time to recover the gift of Sunday Morning Prayer in the local church.
Inglis' descriptions of administering the Lord's Supper (the term he always uses in the Journal for the holy Sacrament) point to a sacramental piety at once reserved and reverent. We might very well ask if the weekly reception brought about the Parish Communion movement, with vestments and greater ceremonial, has produced a more reverent approach to the holy Sacrament than Inglis and his congregations experienced, with the norm (where possible) of monthly celebrations, north end celebration with surplice and tippet, and rather plain churches.
When Inglis refers to the administration of Baptism to adults, it challenges our patronising assumptions on the novelty of the missionary context faced by contemporary Anglicans and Episcopalians in North Atlantic societies, assumptions often leading to us casually dismissing much of the Anglican heritage. Likewise, when he describes Confirmation as an "Apostolic ordinance" and "Apostolic rite", he recalls us to the gift of this rite, administered by bishops, which, for traditional Anglican thought, was never 'a rite in search of a theology': it has been a recent generation of liturgical revisers who abandoned the well-established, rich theology which Inglis and his predecessors knew and expounded.
The four ordinations conducted by Inglis during this visitation over the Summer and early Autumn of 1843 - 2 deacons and 2 priests at the first ordination (2nd July), 1 priest at the second (23rd July), 1 deacon at the third (20th August), 2 deacons and 2 priests at the fourth (18th September) - indicate how the ordering of priests and deacons need not be a yearly diocesan jamboree in a central venue (only two of the ordination services were in Halifax, in Inglis' cathedral) but, rather, a rite to be administered as required in the service of local churches, that they might have clergy to read prayers, preach, pastor, and administer the Sacraments.
Finally, there is the consecration of churches and burial grounds, the setting apart of places for divine service and where the mortal remains of the faithful departed are laid to rest. Across the Maritimes, these quite small, oft times plain churches, embody a sober, modest Reformed Catholic faith and order, houses of prayer ministering to communities across the generations. Their burial grounds are signs of "the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life", calling us to a "continual mortifying [of] our corrupt affections", that we too "may be buried with him; and and that through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection".
(The first picture is of Old Holy Trinity, Middleton, Nova Scotia; the second is of St. John's, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; the third is of St. John's, Port Williams, Nova Scotia.)
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