Identifier: lifelettersofhen00spil (find matches)
Title: Life and letters of Henry Van Rensselaer : priest of the Society of Jesus
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Spillane, Edward P. (Edward Peter), 1859-1929
Subjects: Van Rensselaer, Henry, 1851-1901 Missions Jesuits
Publisher: New York : America Press
Contributing Library: School of Theology, Boston University
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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e Charlier Institute, and entered Colum-bia College in 1867; he did not remain to graduate, buttook a clerical position in the Bank of Commerce in 1869. He was of a religious turn of mind, and from his tender-est years felt an attraction for church services. As a boy, he says, I attended Grace Church, then,as now, very fashionable. But in those days it was of theextremely Low Church type. The service was dull, exceptfor the singing by a celebrated quartet. The minister, ar-rayed in black silk gown and Geneva bands, preached, inan almost unintelligible voice, ponderous and somnolent ser-mons, duly read from a manuscript. In my teens I longedfor a more active part in the service, and was attractedto the Church of the Holy Communion, founded by Dr.Muhlenberg, where there was a choir of men and boys tolead the singing, in which the whole congregation took part.It had, in consequence, the name of being High, but therewas not much advance in doctrine. True, there was an early 14 Oq000oo0 o,
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°Ooooooo HENRY VAN RENSSELAER IN BOYHOOD BOYHOOD AND EARLY LIFE Communion service, but it was rather for convenience thanfor high teaching. However, I was on the rise and beganthe practice of bowing the head at the Gloria Patri, and thenof kneeling in the Nicene Creed at the Incarnatus. I re-member distinctly that those who did so were publicly re-buked on Christmas morning by Dr. Muhlenberg for bow-ing at the doxology, and we were bidden not to bend likebulrushes, but to hold our heads erect. My first notice ofcandles on an altar was in this church. They were usedior light at the early morning celebration, and once a year,on the feast of the Epiphany, at the evening missionaryservice, there were thirty-nine candles lighted in honorof the thirty-nine articles of religion, which the Ritualistsslightingly called the forty stripes save one mentioned bySt. Paul. In this church I was confirmed, and of it I wasa member for over ten years. Then I began to feel theneed of something more Cath

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