warrior, the calm of one who feels assured of victory. She must not suffer the spiritual sustenance of her children to fail in any respect which lies within her power to give them. We must especially exhort all those over whom we have any influence, not to suspend or postpone any works of church-building or church-restoration in which they may be at present engaged. If they do so relax, they simply augment the panic, and contribute their share to the weakening of the Church of England. If they have faith let them show it, let them show that the Church of England, though in tribulation, is their Mother-let them prove to the world that they have enough of confidence in her to induce them to make costly sacrifices for her honour. Let them do this-only whatever they do, let them offer it in humble prayer, as a propitiation to THE LORD, with the earnest petition that it will please HIM to turn the captivity of His people. "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days."

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THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL MOVEMENT IN SCOTLAND :S. —, DEER; S. JOHN EVANGELIST, ABERDEEN; ALL SAINTS, WOODHEAD.

Ellon Castle, December 29, 1849.

MY DEAR MR. EDITOR,-You have sometimes admitted into the Ecclesiologist notices of the Ecclesiological movement in Scotland, and, therefore, I may feel sure that some account of what has lately taken place in this neighbourhood with reference thereto, will not be unacceptable to you.

A correspondent of mine warned me, shortly after my return during the last summer to my native country, that I should find but little progress in the Diocese of Aberdeen; the determination and spirit" (he continued,) which almost stolidly withstood persecution for its principles, is not always the best to inspire a Church with missionary zeal; and accordingly the South and West,-whence the light of Episcopacy was speedily extinguished by Presbytery,-exhibit now far more energy and life, in the propagation of the Church, than the sturdy descendants of the Jacobite Church of the North." And I have found during my residence here for the last four months, that the opinion of my friend was in the main correct. Latterly, however, occurrences have taken place, from which I have ventured to deduce a hope of better things for our northern churches. There appears certainly to be a stirring among the dry bones; and, as I believe, that no such stirring can take place in points of the highest importance, without its effects being first made manifest in the externals, and (if I may be allowed to term them so) the less momentous accidents of religion and notes of a Church,— so it is apparent in this case, that the spirit which I trust and believe is now, here as elsewhere, working and preparing men's minds secretly, in the crowded city and small country burgh, over the barren moors, or the rich agricultural districts of Buchan, Fromartine, and the Ga

rioch, for the bolder and stricter assertion of Church principles, among the comparatively few and scattered members who, by GOD'S blessing, are included within the safe fold of Holy Church,-shows itself first and most clearly, by more accurate observance of ritual propriety, and a more becoming sense of decency, order, and even beauty, in the material temples dedicated to the immediate service of Almighty GOD; or, in other words, Ecclesiology, in its highest and widest sense, is gradually becoming in this diocese the firm, unmistakeable exponent and bulwark of Church principles.

I ought, perhaps, to apologize for this digression from the more immediate subject of this communication, but it leads me naturally, in order to prove at least one part of the position I have maintained, to report to you what has come under my own knowledge, with reference to the interesting subject of our common studies in this part of the country.

Within a fortnight, at the end of the past, and commencement of the present month, I had the satisfaction of being present at taking the contracts for one new church, laying the foundation stone of a second, and the dedication of a third, all situated within a circle of under 30 miles diameter. I propose offering some account of each of these churches, and in the above order.

On the eve of S. Edmund's day, the contracts were entered into for building a new church at Deer, formerly the locality of the Cistercian abbey of S. Mary the Virgin of Deer, now alas! a scarcely traceable ruin. There has always, since the establishment of Presbytery, existed at Deer a congregation in communion with the Church; and, in this time-hallowed locality of prayer and praise, the Church's voice and witness have never ceased,—the blessings invoked and provided for by the religious founders of the abbey of Deer, have still been constantly implored in the public services of the Church, however, alas! reduced in splendour and frequency.

The parish and church of Deer was one of the last which, in this neighbourhood, resisted Presbyterian rule, and maintained fidelity to the Church and her apostolically ordained priesthood. When, however, she was forced-so late as A.D. 1711-to give way to the Presbyterian party, the reduced congregation of faithful Churchmen still assembled in or near the village. Their place of meeting, during the times of the Church's persecution in Scotland, was more than once altered from necessity or other circumstances, and, for a long time, they obtained refuge and a safe site for both church and parsonage house, within the grounds of the proprietors of the estate of Aden, to whose descendant their successors will now be beholden for the site of the proposed new church, besides other liberal contributions.

The present church at Deer is an erection of much later date, having been built originally for a congregation of so-called "English Episcopalians," who subsequently joined the Church. It is a building of most unecclesiastical form and appearance, and resembles the generality of those erected since the Revolution, until within the last few years, -having little, if anything, to distinguish it from the neighbouring Presbyterian meeting-house. It has, however, become scarcely suffi

cient for the wants of the congregation, and the desire, on the part of many among them, for a more appropriate edifice, has furthered the determination to build a new church.

A much more suitable site in every way was willingly offered by the gentleman above referred to, in the centre of the village, and quite close to where was the old parish-church, now replaced by the Presbyterian place of worship.*

The plans for the new church have been furnished by the firm of Messrs. McKenzie and Matthews, architects, of Aberdeen and Elgin. The latter of these gentlemen is resident in Aberdeen, and was, for some years I believe, a pupil of Mr. Scott's. I regret to have to add, that Mr. Matthews is a Presbyterian, and one, therefore, to whom it cannot be satisfactory to intrust the preparation of designs for an ecclesiastical edifice. This is the more to be deplored, for he certainly has architectural talents and readiness, and is possessed with a strong love and enthusiasm even for his art. As, however, he appears to be endowed with a reverential feeling for things sacred, and, as ecclesiastical architecture is evidently his favourite branch of study, I cannot help hoping that, by GoD's help, he will not for long remain an alien from the Church.

The plan of the church for Deer, furnished by Messrs. McKenzie and Matthews, and for which contracts were entered into on the 19th ultimo, consists of a well-sized chancel, 20 feet by 16, of a nave 60 feet by 25 feet (inside measurement)—a north porch, with a bell turret, (of fair design,) on the west gable, and a sacristy south of the chancel, with apparatus under it for warming the church by hot air. The style adopted is plain First-Pointed; the roofs all to be open and nearly equilateral; the chancel will be 30 feet high to the under side of the ridge-piece-the nave 41 feet 6 inches. The design for the east window is an unequal triplet of lancets under a continuous hood, the lancets being separated by jamb-shafts internally. There are also to be north and south single lancets in the chancel-the sill of that to the south being dropped, so as to form double sedilia.

There is to be no rood-screen-the sanctuary will be elevated on one

There is an ancient tradition connected with this site, which might, perhaps, be recounted as singularly prophetic of the numerous changes that have occurred in the position of the church at Deer, since the introduction of Presbytery, just as it is reported to have been admonitory at its origin of the destined site of the old parishchurch. The builders, it is said, were occupied in collecting materials and digging foundations for the building, at a spot some distance removed from where the church was afterwards built; when voices were heard, saying,

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"It is not here

Ye'll big the kirk o' Deer,
But on Top Tillery,

Where mony corps maun lye."

Top Tillery" being the present site of the old church, whither, when the works were removed, no further interruption of their proceeding took place.-(Collections on Shires of Aberdeen and Bamff, p. 401. Published by the Spalding Club.) The proposed new church will be built on this hill or knoll, overhanging the Ugie, and very close, as has been stated, to the old parish-church. Esto tandem perpetua!

step, and the altar on a foot-pace, the sanctuary rails being placed 8 feet from the east wall. The priest's door into the sacristy is to be a square-headed trefoil, and the pulpit will unfortunately be entered by a door and steps through the wall north of the chancel arch. It is hoped that it may be possible to construct the chancel arch of stone;-there are to be two steps at the break of the chancel.

In the nave the seats will all be open and similar. It will be lighted on the north by four, and on the south by five, similar single lancets of good proportions, and a west window of two lights, with a quatrefoil in its head. There is to be no gallery; the " reading-desk will face north, and the font will be placed west of the north porch. Externally, the most conspicuous feature will be the west gable and bell turret, and its appropriate character and design will contrast forcibly and advantageously with that of the Presbyterian place of worship opposite. The belfry is for one bell only, and is supported partly on the gable ridge, and partly by being corbelled off from its western face, from which rise two flat buttresses, flanking a low pointed arch, on which again will rest the actual belfry; the arch wherein the bell hangs being trefoil-headed, with a very pointed gablet over it, and the whole being crowned by a floriated stone cross.

The north porch occupies the second bay from the west, and its pointed and moulded arch will be supported by circular jamb-shafts. The sacristy, to the south of the chancel, will have a two-light east window-the door will be in its western, and the chimney of the stove will project from its southern, face.

Buttresses on each side of the church will be placed between each pair of windows, and will be of two stages-those at the corners being set rectangularly.

The church will be built entirely of the grey granite of the country: -the walls being of rubble work, and the corners, mouldings, &c. of dressed ashlar. No arrangements have yet been made for glazing the chancel windows with stained glass, nor for paving the church with tiles of any sort, with the exception of the sanctuary, for which encaustic tiles have been promised; but the contract for glazing the nave windows indicates the employment of Hartley's patent rolled glass.

The church is calculated to furnish room for 300 persons, and the contracts for all the masonry, carpentry, slating, plaistering, glazing, and staining the wood-work of the roof amounted to £850. The cost of the altar, font, sanctuary-rail, pulpit, &c. bell, and wall and rail inclosing the church, are not included in the above sum, nor are the carriages; but it is hoped these will be provided cost free by the congregation.

On S. Edmund's day the foundation stone was laid of the new church of S. John the Evangelist, Aberdeen. The congregation of the present church of this dedication has existed since the commencement of last century, having assembled hitherto in a very badly arranged and insufficient building, erected about forty years ago, not far from the site of the new church.

There were present at the ceremony of laying the foundation stone, their lordships the Primus, Bishop of Aberdeen, and the Bishop of Bre

chin, with sixteen of the clergy of the diocese. After morning prayers, (the sermon being preached by the Bishop of Brechin), and the celebration of the holy eucharist, (according to the English form, which is in use at S. John's)—a procession of the building committee, choristers, clergy (in their surplices,) and congregation, walking two and two, proceeded to the site. The only circumstance to be regretted here was, that the bishops did not accompany the clergy, but followed the procession in a carriage; for all else was seemly and decorous, and, although the procession took place through one of the most public localities of the city, and was accompanied by a considerable concourse of people of all classes, sexes, and ages,-none of whom probably had ever before seen or heard of a religious procession, except as connected with Romanism,-no obstruction or molestation was offered; and, although in Presbyterian Scotland, less appeared to offend in the conduct of the crowd, than I had observed on a similar occasion in London. This then was an occasion when nothing was lost by fully carrying out the Church's system in the face of day, and asserting openly her authority and rights. The form used for the immediate ceremony was very appropriate and significant. It is almost exclusively on the model of ancient forms, and is in fact, with some transpositions and necessary omissions, nearly identical with that in the Roman Pontificale: it is printed by Brown of Aberdeen.

The plans and designs for this church have also been furnished by Messrs. McKenzie and Matthews. The style adopted is Middle-Pointed, with somewhat meagre details, owing, I have reason to believe, to the limitations imposed on the architects by the funds at their disposal.

The plan consists of chancel, nave, and south aisle, with lean-to roof, sacristy north of the chancel, north porch occupying the second bay of the nave from the west end and tower engaged east of the aisle. The dimensions are as follow:

Chancel, 28 by 17 feet; nave, 56 by 21 feet; south aisle, 56 by 10 feet; north porch, 9 feet 8 inches square; tower, 10 feet-all inside measurements.

The nave is 45 feet high to ridge piece; south aisle, 15 feet 6 inches high to eaves. The roofs are equilateral, and the tower it is proposed to crown with a stone octagonal broach spire, with two stages of spirelights. Ridge-tiles will be employed, and the gables will all terminate in crosses of various floriated and other forms.

It will be allowed that there are materials here for an effective composition, to which the very great developement of the chancel for a new church, being one-half the length of the nave in depth, very largely contributes. The site too is highly advantageous, being on the brow of a steep declivity of considerable height, overhanging a large portion of the city, and open to the principal street and to the entrance to the harbour, so that S. John's church will be one of the most conspicuous objects in the city. In the interior also, the intended ritual arrangements leave but little to desire, except a rood-screen, which it is not in contemplation to supply.

The east window will be of five lights in three compartments, with a septfoiled and two trefoiled circles in the head. There will be two