THIS magazine for February was in the hands of the printer before the sad news of the death of Queen Victoria was made known. We therefore desire to make a reference to the event in the present number.
The reign of our good Queen was one of the most glorious in history, and filled with events of vast and far-reaching importance to our mighty empire. These pages have nothing to do with history, as such; but it is lawful to refer to even historical events if they have any bearing upon the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the spread of His gospel.
It is a fact deserving remark and remembrance that the reign of Victoria was begun with prayer. The circumstances connected with her accession to the throne have been thus recorded.
William the Fourth died on June 20th, 1837, at two in the morning, and immediately Dr. Howley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Marquis Conyngham, Lord Chamberlain, posted from Windsor to Kensington Palace, arriving there at five. Their business was urgent; and they demanded to see the Princess at once. Being told that she was asleep, Conyngham said, “We are come on business of State to the Queen; and even her sleep must give way to it.”
Very quickly, well knowing the purport of this early visit to her, did the Princess respond to the request of her visitors, with tears in her eyes, yet self-possessed and calm.
Lord Conyngham announced the death of the King, intimating thereby that Victoria was now Queen of England. Her first words of reply were, turning to Dr. Howley: “I ask your Grace to pray for me.” Then and there, in the stillness of that morning hour, before London was awake, those three knelt down and sought the favor of the King of kings to rest upon the youthful wearer of England’s crown. It was a touching commencement of the golden reign of Victoria, the most glorious reign of our history. Surely this primary acknowledgment of Him “by whom kings reign and princes decree justice,” has borne precious fruit in the years that followed. Surely, too, the God who acknowledged the prayer of Solomon, who asked for wisdom and grace as a ruler, recorded the prayer of Queen Victoria, who thus sought first the kingdom of God. No state formality marked this incident; it was the simple utterance of Victoria’s heart, her own desire to commence her reign under the guidance and smile of Almighty God.
The coronation of the Queen took place on June 28th, 1838; and it is most important to remember that the throne of this mighty empire is avowedly built upon a Protestant foundation, as the following will show.
As the Queen entered Westminster Abbey the anthem was sung: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” This was followed by the National Anthem.
Then came the “Recognition.” The Queen turned to the four quarters of the compass, and at each point the Archbishop of Canterbury repeated the challenge “Sirs, I here present unto you Queen Victoria, the undoubted Queen of this Realm; wherefore, all you who are come this day to do your homage, are you willing to do the same?” To each challenge the response came loud and clear: “God save Queen Victoria!”
After this impressive part of the ceremony the Queen knelt to present the customary offering of gold. Then, followed the Litany and the first part of the Communion Service. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of London, from 2 Chronicles 34:3131And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. (2 Chronicles 34:31): “And the King stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in, this Book.” To this discourse the young Queen listened with deep attention and reverential emotion.
Then came the Coronation. The Archbishop of Canterbury asked: “Is your Majesty willing to take the oath?”
“I am willing.”
“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dominions thereto belonging, according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on, and the respective laws and customs of the same?”
“I solemnly promise so to do.”
“Will you, to your power, cause law and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?”
“I will.”
“Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the dospel. and the Protestant Reformed religion established by law? And will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the United Church of England and Ireland, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established within England and Ireland, and the territories thereunto belonging? And will you preserve unto the bishops and clergy of England and Ireland, and to the churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?”
“All this I promise to do.”
Then, approaching the altar, and placing her right hand upon the Bible, she said:
“The things which I have heretofore promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” The Queen then kissed the book, signed the oath, and knelt while the hymn was sung: “Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.”
After this came the further ceremony of the Anointing. The Archbishop anointed the Queen on the head and hands with oil, saying: “Be thou anointed with holy oil as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be you anointed, blessed, and consecrated Queen over this people, whom the Lord your God hath given you to rule and govern. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
A blessing was then pronounced upon the Queen; and as the Sword of State was placed in the hands of Her Majesty, the Archbishop said: “Receive this kingly sword, brought now from the altar of God, and delivered to you by the hands of us, the servants and bishops of God, though unworthy. With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect the Holy Church of God, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order; that doing these things you may be glorious in all virtue, and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this life that you may reign forever with Him in the life which is to come. Amen.”
The crown was then placed upon the Queen’s head; and the Abbey rang with shouts of “God save the Queen!” A Bible was then presented to the Queen; the Te Deum was sung; the peers paid their homage; the remainder of the Communion Service was proceeded with; and the long service came to an end.
Our late beloved Queen was ever ready to extend her rich sympathy to the bereaved and the distressed, and the largeness of her heart won the love and esteem of her subjects. An interesting instance of the kindness and large-mindedness of the Queen is seen in the case of Mr. William Jones, an aged Baptist minister, and an author of some note, who through adverse circumstances had come to want. His case having been brought to the notice of the Queen, she offered him a nomination to the Charter House. One of the conditions, however, was, that recipients must be members of the Church of England. Mr. Jones replied that being a “dissenter on principle,” he was unable to accept the offer. What did Her Majesty do? She directed that the sum of sixty pounds should be paid to Mr. Jones from the Royal Bounty Fund in annual installments of twenty pounds each year. The recipient was then eighty-two, and he lived to receive two of the payments. In our day, we suppose this would have been a fit case for the consideration of the Royal Literary Fund, to which Her Majesty has always been a liberal contributor. But not the less is the kindness and the patience of the Queen to be admired, with her respect for the conscientious scruples of this “dissenter on principle.”
May God bless our new King, and enable his counselors to give him sound counsel. May God enable him at all times to walk in the footsteps of his royal mother, who has left him so excellent an example. And may God be graciously pleased to bless our nation with peace and truth, that our privileges may be preserved to us and to our children.