ED DWARD WHITE BENSON, first Master of Wellington College, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, was born on July 14, 1829, in Birmingham, where, at the age of eleven, he entered King Edward's School, under Dr. Prince Lee. In 1848 he was elected to a Subsizarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, and to a full Sizarship in the next year; he was Eighth Classic in the Tripos of 1852, and Senior Chancellor's Medallist. In the same year he went to Rugby as an Assistant Master, where he took part in the teaching of the Sixth form; in 1853 he was elected a Fellow of Trinity, and in 1854 he was ordained. In 1858 he was offered and accepted the Mastership of Wellington College, a post he held from the opening of the College in January, 1859, till 1873, when on the invitation of Bishop Wordsworth, whose examining chaplain he had been for some years, he went to reside at Lincoln as Chancellor of the Cathedral. In December, 1876, on the nomination of Lord Beaconsfield, he was offered the newly formed Bishopric of Truro, and was consecrated Bishop on St. Mark's Day, 1877. This See he held for less than six years; for on the death of Archbishop Tait, in December, 1882, Dr. Benson was, on the recommendation of Mr. Gladstone, appointed as his successor, and was enthroned at Canterbury on March 29, 1883. He died suddenly on Sunday, October 11, 1896, while the Confession was being said at Morning Service in the Church at Hawarden, where he was staying with Mr. Gladstone, and was buried on October 16 in Canterbury Cathedral. vii Archbishop Benson was essentially a creative genius, and his life's work falls into four distinct divisions. As first Master of Wellington College, 1859-1873, he built up a great public school, with all its organization and its traditions, in the midst of what was then a wilderness of pines and heather. As Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, 1873-1877, he established a Theological College, the Scholae Cancellarii, for the training of students for the ministry. As first Bishop of Truro, 1877-1883, he organized a remote and difficult diocese, where he revived the activities of the Church, and 'treated Nonconformity as an enthusiastic friend'; and to his energies was due the building of the first new Cathedral (except the rebuilt St. Paul's) which had been raised in England since the Reformation. His Primacy, 1883-1896, after a brief truce between the contending parties in the Church, due mainly to his personal influence, was marked by a reopening of the Ritualistic controversy, and its settlement in the famous Lincoln Judgment, his 'most important contribution to Ecclesiastical History'; while 'his firm but gentle government had endeared him to the whole Anglican communion both at home and abroad.' But his enormous energy and his constructive power were nowhere more distinctively brought out than in the creation and organization of Wellington College, its system and its traditions, of which this book, as he originated its main lines, has become a part. USUS WELLINGTONENSIS COLLECT OF THE FOUNDATION said after the Third Collect of Morning and Evening Prayer. WE give Thee humble and hearty thanks, O most merciful Father, for the Memory and Good Example of ARTHUR DUKE OF WELLINGTON, and for all our Governors and Benefactors, by whose benefit this whole College is brought up to godliness and good learning: And we beseech Thee to give us grace to use these Thy blessings to the glory of Thy Holy Name, that we may answer the good intent of our religious Founders, and become profitable members of the Church and Commonwealth, and at last be partakers of the immortal glory of the Resurrection, through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. WEEKDAY MORNINGS other than Fridays or days for which Special Services are 'Let us pray.' appointed. The Lord's Prayer and Versicles. Psalm according to Table. Lesson. Creed. 'The Lord be with you.' 'And with thy spirit.' 'Let us pray.' Suffrages. O Lord, shew thy mercy,' &c. Collect for the day. Third Collect, for Grace. Collect of the Foundation. Hymn +. 'The grace of our Lord,' &c. +After the Hymn is used a. In Ember Weeks one of the Ember Collects. b. When the prayers of the Congregation have been desired, part of the 'Prayer for all Conditions of men,' viz. : 'O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those,' &c., inserting the appointed words. c. On the Anniversary of the King's Birth and Coronation, the 'Prayer for the King's Majesty.' (On these days also, instead of the Hymn, 'God save the King' is sung.) d. On the day when Parliament meets after a recess, the Prayer for Parliament. ON FRIDAY MORNING. Hymn and Litany. WEEKDAY EVENINGS. The same as the Mornings, except that the Confession is said before the Lord's Prayer, that there is one Canticle, and that after the Creed the Service is read continuously as in the Prayer Book to the end of the third Collect, for Aid against all Perils. On Saturday Evening the Service is sung. SPECIAL SERVICES. HOLY DAYS. Morning Service-Hymn. Ante-Communion. On the Evenings of Holy Days, and the Evenings before, the Service is sung. ASH WEDNESDAY. At Morning Service-Hymn and Litany. At Midday Service-Hymn. Commination Service. Hymn. Ante-Communion. Evening Service-The usual Service, but all the Proper Psalms and both Lessons and Canticles. ON FRIDAY EVENING IN LENT. The Commination Service, beginning at the Miserere (sung). A Hymn before the Blessing. ROGATION DAYS. The usual Service with the Proper Hymn, except Wednesday, when the Hymn and Litany are used. ASCENSION DAY. Morning Service-Confession, Lord's Prayer, and Ver sicles (said). The Proper Psalms (sung). Both Lessons; Te Deum and Jubilate. The Apostles' Creed, with all that follows to the end of the third Collect (said). Collect of the Foundation. Grace. Hymn. Ante-Communion. Sermon. Hymn. Blessing. Evening Service-As on Saints' Days, but all the Psalms and both Lessons and Canticles. |