CHAPTERS ON CHURCH ARCHITECTURE.

CHAPTER IX.

THE PLAN.

EVERY church should have a nave and a chancel, a porch, and in small edifices a bell turret, in a large tower. The tower is sometimes surmounted by a spire. The correct and symbolical form for a church is the crucitorm. The transepts not only impart additional beauty to the structure, but are emblematical of OUR LORD's passion, inasmuch as together with the nave and chancel they form the sign of the

cross.

THE VARIOUS divisions of a church then are as follows:"1. The Nave. 2. The Chancel. 3. The Tower. 4. The Porch. 5. The Transepts. 6. The Vestry."

1. THE NAVE is that part of the holy building in which the congregation assemble.

necessity possess a Nave.

Every church must therefore of

2. THE CHANCEL is likewise indispensable to the decent performance of the church services. It should contain the holy altar elevated upon from three to twelve steps at the Eastern extremity; stalls for the Choristers; a faldstool for the Litany; and a Lettern (or Lectern) for the lessons; and should be separated from the Nave by a screen. The pulpit should stand at its north-west corner.

3. THE TOWER. In cruciform structures the Tower should stand between the nave and the chancel at the point of their intersection with the transepts. It is generally found at the west end in buildings without transepts, and may stand in almost any position except at the east end.

4. THE PORCH. Of this we have already spoken at length; it is only necessary to add that it must be considered as a portion (or rather adjunct), of the Nave only, and has nothing to do with the chancel.

3. THE TRANSEPTS seldom occur except in cathedral, collegiate, or large parish churches. They are often double in cathedrals, as at Canterbury, and Lincoln.

6. THE VESTRY. This is more properly called THE SACRISTY, but as the former term is more generally known we have thought it best to use it here. It should stand on the north side of the chancel, and should be small, and of subordinate design to the other parts of the structure.

AISLES may be added to the Nave, and have a very good effect, but, if extended along the chancel should be separated from it by screen work. The work in the chancel should excel in costliness and elegance that of the other parts of the

structure.

EVERY CHURCH should turn toward the East. For this no better reason can be adduced than its high antiquity which alone is a sufficient warrant. The word Nave is derived from the Latin word for a ship, because it represents the visible church or the world tossed about amongst the waves of Heresy and Infidelity. The word chancel is derived from the Latin word for a skreen because it is shut out from the nave by a skreen. As the nave typifies the world, so the chancel typifies heaven and the invisible church. The porch typifies Holy Baptism, inasmuch as it is the entrance to the visible church, as baptism is outwardly to the Catholic Church, and inwardly by regeneration to the invisible church.

F. C. H.

AN EPITAPH IN AMWELL CHURCHYARD, HERTS. In Memory of Thomas Monger, who Died August 15, 1773, Aged 64 Years.

That which a Being was, What is it? show

That Being which it was, it is not now.
To be what 'tis, is not to be, you see;
That which now is not,-shall a Being be.

TURKISH CHANGES.

"THE MOST Striking of the Turkish changes is that which has taken place in the administration of the penal laws. A few years ago all the sentences were summary, and the punishments dreadful. Capital punishments were astonishingly fre quent, and seemed to be regarded with the utmost indifference by all classes of Mussulmans. It was not often that you could go by the gate of the Seraglio without seeing a ghastly exhibition of bleeding heads; somewhere or other, in the capital or in the provinces, the yataghan or the bow string was constantly at work. If a Turk made any observation about these sanguinary proceedings, it was merely to say that Sultan Mahmoud was a very powerful king; and then he would slightly shrug his shoulders, and talk about kismet (destiny). They were all familiarized with the sight of blood, and this no doubt tended to increase the popular ferocity. On the accession of the present Sultan, a milder spirit on the part of Government began to manifest itself. As executions became rare, and they became rarer every year, the Turks began to consider them with emotion, and even with horror; the old indifference to the sight of blood departed from them: they spoke with astonishment of the frequent executions they had been in the habit of witnessing a few years ago. The case of the unhappy Armenian renegade will be still fresh in the recollection of Christendom. This man had renounced his religion and embraced Islamism, and after living for some years as a Mussulman he had renounced the Prophet and sought a reconciliation with the Christian Church of his fathers. By the Koran and all its commentators, by law and by usage, the punishment of death must inevitably follow such backsliding : once a Mahometan, and always a Mahometan, or certain death was the brief dogma not only of the Osmanlees but of all the professors of Islamism. Great efforts were made to save this man's life: the young Sultan was known to be averse to、

is execution, but the Sheik ul Islam, and all the fanatics of

Constantinople, insisted that, in so solemn a case as this, the law must take its course; and in the end, the poor Armenian was led out to be executed. But instead of running to the horrid spectacle and exulting at it, the Turks ran away from the spot, and shut themselves up in their houses; and the man who was constrained to act the part of executioner fainted when he had performed his office. Twenty years ago, heads

were cut of with gaieté de cœur."Macfarlane's Turkey and its Destiny.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

A DEVOTIONAL EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS. By the Rev. J. Edwards, M.A. Darling. 8vo. pp. 381.

THIS EXCELLENT exposition contains an argument to each psalm; a paraphrase, suggestive remarks, and parallel Scriptures in words at length upon the margins of each page. Mr. Edwards's object "has been so to explain the psalme as to bring them more fully in every point within the welcome observation of the reader; and he has taken the version of the English Bible as the basis of his plan. To have made his exposition of more practical service to the ordinary reader, it would have been a great improvement upon his plan if he had divided the psalms in the manner of the daily service, corresponding with the portions read morning and evening in church. Perhaps in another edition Mr. Edwards may adopt this plan, when one could read his exposition before going out to church; and by that means better understand the psalms of the day when we read them in the service. The words of the Psalmist are printed in italics, whilst his own running commentary is in the usual type; and it is worthy of his learning and piety. We extract the first verse of the first psalm as an example. "Blessed above all others is the man that walketh not, in his journey through life, in the principles of the

wicked, nor directeth himself by the counsel of the ungodly; nor standeth in the path-way of sinners; nor, despising the allurements of sinful associates, sitteth in the seat of the scornful deriders of God's pure and holy law." The Scripture testimony on the inner margin is, "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not into the way of evil men." Prov. iv. 14. And the suggestive remarks are : "I pray that God may give me strength and resolution to live according to the rule of holiness which the Psalmist here describes as the life of the righteous; a detestation of sin and sinful men, a supremelove of God's law, and a life of active obedience to that law." We have selected this verse merely as an example, and our readers will find the work well worthy of a place in their libra ries, to whom we cordially recommend it.

THE HOLY COMMUNION. A Sermon. By the Rev. George Campbell, Gordon, M.A. London, Darling, 1850.

THIS VERY good sermon was preached in the church of St. Andrew, Holborn, on Sunday, March 3, 1850; and it is dedicated to the parishioners, at whose request it has been published. Its chief object is to exhort his hearers to frequent communion; a duty which is now more easily to be accomplished than it was some years ago. In all churches the great commemorative sacrifice of the Lord's Supper is offered up once a month; in many it is once a fortnight, and in not a few, once a week. We are glad to observe greater numbers approaching the holy altar, especially the young of both sexes, than formerly;, and no doubt those to whom this sermon is addressed will profit by the powerful exhortation which Mr. Gordon has addressed to them. And it must have made an impression on them, otherwise they would not have requested it to be published. It is very neatly got up, and very cheap; and it might be serviceable to other parishioners beides those of St. Andrew's, Holborn.