6. One of seven years and seven quarantains; whenever an hour of adoration is made before the sacrament.
7. One of 300 days attaching to the reciting of three “Our Fathers,” three “Hail Marys,” and three “Glorias.” All these indulgences are further declared to be “applicable to souls in Purgatory,” and subjects of them are exhorted to use prayer especially for this object. All this is enforced by the following reflection: “Association tends rather to pay our debts to heaven than to acquire new personal gifts. Would not this end be sooner attained by placing in the merciful hands of the Virgin the suffrages obtained by the exercise of our gratitude, so that she may dispose of them as she pleases in favour of the poor suffering souls who are still waiting for their deliverance from the _expiatory_ flames? Heaven would thus be opened for the souls whom Mary loves best.”
Such is Popery, in the very heart of West London! The church is capable of holding about 800 people; but the congregation is usually not full. There is no preacher of any note, but the English priest, E. Sharples, is represented to be the best and most acceptable. There are three side altars on each side of the church, besides the High Altar, and an equal number of confessionals, and the church is open all the day. A quiet midweek afternoon was the occasion of our visit. It was very warm; and here, at this confessional or altar and the other, was a lady or a girl, bending in silence.
KENSINGTON TABERNACLE, in Horton-street, close to the High-street, is a very neat-looking modernised building, so far at least as its west front goes; all has been done for it that stucco can do, and its entrance arcade gives to it an uncommon appearance, unlike the usual arrangements applied to chapels.
The interior, with its large encircling gallery, good pulpit, harmonium, nice pewing, make up a very satisfactory whole; but the great charm of the interior consists in the quiet, excellent taste displayed in the coloured decoration and painting, very much to be admired, and worthy of imitation, and seeming to tell its own tale of the simplicity and the faith of the congregation that worship there.