OPENING OF PRIOR’S DEAN CHURCH. —This church, situated between Alton and Petersfield, was re-opened for divine worship on Sunday last. The whole of the interior of the church has been completely restored, and a new porch and bell turret built. In the interior, open seats, of design similar to an ancient one found in the church, have been substituted for the high and shapeless pews. Square and wooden windows have been replaced with Norman windows of Caen stone; the reading desk and pulpit are carved, and the chancel paved with red and black tiles; there is also a new font, of Norman character, with an appropriate and ornamental cover. But the principal work has been the rebuilding the chancel arch. The ancient church had originally only an arch, not larger than a doorway, through a heavy wall to connect the nave and chancel; the lower part of this wall had at some time been cut away the whole width of the church, and the upper portion left supported by posts; the wall had partially sunk in consequence of this rude treatment, and forced the south wall considerably out of the perpendicular. In the place of these posts and the low and narrow entrance between high pews into the chancel is now handsome and well proportioned Norman arch of Caen stone. The new porch, too, merits great praise, and displays a Norman doorway, which carries back the date of the church to the 12th century. The bell turret is raised 25 feet above the ridge of the roof, and is surmounted by a cross—the whole of the restorations and renovations have been judiciously carried out under the superintendence of Mr. J. Colson, architect, by Mr. Glover, of Winchester. In the chancel are some fine monuments to the Tichbornes and Comptons, of the 17th century, which have been cleaned by the churchwarden; but it is to be regretted that there are no descendants proud of a long ancestral line to restore these family memorials. The sermon was preached by the rector, the Rev. T. Hervey, from 2 Chron. c.xxiv. v.13 After allusions to the restoration of the temple at Jerusalem in the time of Joash, and again in the reign of Josiah by the Jews, who, when not wholly given up to idolatry, were most zealous for their temple and temple worship; it was shown that a Christian Church in a spiritual sense has a far higher meaning, and is always a glorious object wherever its pointed spire or lofty tower witnesses to the great salvation which is not confined to one age or people. In every land there is the same cross, and where that cross is reared men worship the same Lord. Churches too are so lasting; built often of the rudest masonry, they have stood for centuries, as if by a miracle, hallowing every city, watching over every parish, the house of every holy feeling, the palaces of the poor. And yet how few know what our churches and church services really are, we have been brought up under such a cold and lifeless system. In our village churches we are accustomed to whitewashed walls stained with dirt and damp, rotten pews, wooden windows in the place of stone ones, filled with dirty glass of all sizes. In town churches we see comfortable well stuffed pews like boxes in a theatre, full of sitters, a reading desk like a pulpet between the people and the altar, so high as to destroy all idea of the reader's being a worshipper, and smoky dusty windows like office windows, prayers read either in pompous or careless tone, and then the much looked for sermon. How cold, how dreary, how unlike a religious service, is all this. But these things are already passing away; men no longer think that anything will do for God. The applications for aid towards restoring the Church were sometimes met by refusals, but there were none of the objections of former days; that we can worship God as well in a barn as in a church, and that our gifts may be spent more profitably in works of charity. It is true, indeed, that Jesus will visit his faithful people in the simple village church as in the noblest cathedral. No building, however magnificent, can be worthy of Him. Still, we offer the best we can. If the Queen came to visit us, she would not expect to find a palace, but she would expect what loyal hearts would be proud to render—the best accommodation this humble place could afford; so, we do not expect to see a magnificent sanctuary, but we do expect to see it neat and clean, and so arranged that the services may be properly performed. It is the duty of all to contribute to this good end by attention, by kneeling, now that every one has room to kneel, and by joining in the responses, ‟Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, they will always be praising Thee.” And might it not be added, blessed are those who have helped on this good work, as they have contributed to restore God’s sanctuary on earth when there were none to help (save the owners of one farm), so may they reap their reward in the eternal mansions of Heaven.
The cost of the alterations, &c. will be about £300, of which sum £55 has been raised in the parish, partly by rate and subscription. The Diocesan Church Building Society contributes £20, the Incorporated Society, £35.