A Perfect Church.

NO mention should be made of politics, in a perfect church every second of a service would be devotional. Only the best literature should be used, therefore the Authorised English Bible should be the only version read. The Book of Common Prayer offices would be largely followed, but with allowance, during the morning service of a Sunday, for three hymns, settings, psalms, anthems, and special alterations for feasts. Those who read lessons should read them as Laurence Olivier reads the Bible, impeccably and impressively. The music of the harp would be commonly played between services, as is sometimes done at cathedrals. Vestments should be fine and classical in design, incense should be used, full choirs employed. The Sarum rite would be very appealing mixed with a correcting quantity of Anglicanism. 

   As for sermons, I reflect on something Addison wrote in one of his essays about his fictional friend Sir Roger de Coverley, that the worthy vicar at Sir Roger's church, being of a modest temperament, mostly read the great sermons of his forbears than any he had composed; Tillotson's, Atterbury's, Donne's, and so on. Naturally there could be room for original sermons, as long as they were actually theological in theme. I would perhaps revert to the old practice of only taking communion on a few special occasions in the year, as is detailed in the Book of Common Prayer. I think this would restore the sanctity of that ritual, which in the past had to be prepared for with a prolonged period of reflection. As it is nowadays, so regularly performed, I feel it loses a degree of meaning and too much disrupts the music and literature.

   An Anglican service is sometimes performed during Holy Week of Tenebrae, which if well done is perhaps my favourite of all services, as effectively a classical performance. The slow extinguishing of candles however lends a dramatic aspect to proceedings, I would that this service were repeated more often throughout the year. Perhaps aspects of it could be incorporated into certain Evensongs. The less artificial light, the more candlelight, in a church the better.

   Furthermore I am not fond at all of modern furniture and accoutrements in an old church, it is like throwing a blot of paint on a Rembrandt, which would doubtless be a thing heartily approved of by the Tate Modern gallery these days. Shock value is the least stable of all currencies however, such modern experiments will be forgotten, classicism needs must be respected.