Consecration of Scotby Church - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Consecration of Scotby Church

The ceremony of consecrating Scotby church was performed by the LORD BISHOP OF CARLISLE yesterday (Thursday) morning.

The church, which is built of new red sandstone, is beautifully situated at the entrance to the village, on an eminence overlooking the Newcastle and Carlisle railway. It is a small but neat edifice, of the Early English style of Architecture, and has been erected by MESSRS. BATY and TUCKER of Brampton, from the design of ANTHONY SALVIN, Esq., of London. The foundation stone, it will be recollected, was laid by the Bishop on the 11th of November last, so that the building has been completed in less than eleven months.

The inhabitants of Scotby have long felt the want of some place for the celebration of public worship within a convenient distance of their village, and this want has become more apparent with the increase of the population of the district.

The parish of Wetheral only contained two churches - one at Wetheral and the other at Warwick; but as both of these places are at least two miles from Scotby, the attendance of the villagers necessarily depended on the clemency of the weather.

Under these circumstances, MR. HEAD, of Rickerby, and MR. DAVID HODGSON, of Scotby Park, stepped forward in a most praiseworthy spirit, and volunteered to provide the requisite church accommodation. The building itself has been erected at the sole expense of MR. HEAD, and will, when fully completed, have cost not far short of £1,600. MR. HODGSON on his part has been equally generous. He made a gift of the land on which the edifice has been erected, and has endowed it with a rent charge on lands in the vicinity to the amount of £65 a-year; he also provides a residence for the clergyman, rent-free.

The internal arrangements are plain and substantial. The pews are open, without doors, and are arranged along each side of the building. Many of them are of light oak, and the reading desk and pulpit are of the same description of wood. The pews are calculated to accomodate 300 persons. Two-thirds of the sittings are to be let, and the remainder are to be free. The nomination of the clergyman is vested in MR. HEAD nad MR. HODGSON, who have appointed the REV. JOSEPH MAC.CARTIE to the living.

The weather yesterday was very unfavourable. A cold, raw wind prevailed, and the rain fell in sharp showers throughout nearly the whole of the morning; but notwithstanding this drawback, a large congregation had assembled at the time appointed for the ceremony. Among the ladies and gentlemen present were: ...

THE REV. CHANCELLOR JACKSON
G. H. HEAD, Esq.,
DAVID HODGSON, Esq.
G. G. MOUNSEY, Esq. (Registrar of the Diocese)
THE REV. JOS. MAC.CARTIE
THE REV. T. WILKINSON
THE REV. J. TOPPING
THE REV. C. W. DEW
THE REV. MR. WATSON
THE REF. J. DODGSON
THE REV. W. COCKETT
THE REV. J. KEMBLE (Bishop's Chaplain)
THE REV. J. L. HODGSON, of Wetheral
THE REV. B. A. MARSHALL
JOHN DIXON, Esq., and MRS. DIXON, of Knells
MRS. HODGSON, of Wetheral
G. W. HARTLEY, Esq., of Rose Bank
PETER DIXON, Esq., and MISS DIXON, of Holme Eden
THE MISSES HUTCHINSON, of Brisco Cottage
THE MISSES MALTHUS, of Woodside
MRS. GEORGE DIXON, of Carlisle
MISS JAMES
SILAS SAUL, Esq.,
W. WORDSWORTH, Esq.
W. DOBINSON, Esq.,
WILLIAM FOSTER, Esq.
&c. &c.

The residents of the neighbourhood also mustered in large force, and before the conclusion of the ceremony the number of persons present would exceed two hundred.

The Bishop arrived at the south-east door about eleven o'clock, and was received by MR. HEAD, MR. HODGSON, the REV. J. MAC.CARTIE, and several other gentlemen, by whom the usual formal petition was presented to his lordship, praying that he would consecrate the church.

The Bishop then proceeded to the south-west door, where the petition was read over by the Registrar, and his lordship after signifying his intention of complying with its prayer, returned towards the communion table, attended by the CHANCELLOR, the REGISTRAR, the CLERGYMEN who were present, in their black gowns, MR. HEAD, MR. HODGSON, and some of the inhabitants of the village. On their way along the church the twenty-fourth psalm was repeated alternately by the bishop and those who attended him.

His lordship took the seat at the north side of the communion table, the REV. CHANCELLOR JACKSON occupying the chair at the opposite side, and the clergymen being accommodated with seats immediately without the rail. The deeds of conveyance and endowment having been handed to the bishop and laid by him upon the communion table, his lordship proceeded to offer up the preliminary prayers used in the ceremony of consecration and dedication.

The Sentence of Consecration was then read by the Registrar, and signed by the bishop, and by him ordered to be enrolled and preserved amongst the muniments of the Registry. This part of the ceremony over, the ordinary morning service was read by the REV. J. L. HODGSON, with such alterations and additional prayers as are appointed for these occasions. The Communion Service was read by the Bishop, assisted by the REV. CHANCELLOR JACKSON.

The sermon was preached by the Bishop, who took for his text the 11th chapter of Matthew, 28th verse, - Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

After the sermon, the Bishop returned to the communion table, where the prayer for the Church Militant was read by the Chancellor. The Bishop then pronounced the blessing, and the ceremony was concluded.

In the evening the REV. DR. MC.NEILE, of Liverpool, preached an eloquent and impressive sermon to an overflowing congregation. The church was crowded in every part; and the audience included many of the most influential inhabitants of the district, as well as a great number of ladies and gentlemen from Carlisle.

The REV. JOSEPH MAC.CARTIE, the newly-appointed incumbent, read the prayers. The REV. DR. MCNEILE then ascended the pulpit, and delivered a powerful and vigorous discourse, which extended over an hour and a quarter, and was listened to with the deepest attention. He chose his text from the 27th Psalm, and 4th verse: - "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."

In conclusion he called upon them to aid, to the best of their power, the exertions of their pastor, in the promotion of Sunday schools, and other works which would tend to the glory of God and their own welfare.

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