Billy at Worship - 1894-1895

Billy was raised in a nominally Anglican family but some time in his teens became a “free thinker” and a regular member of the congregation at the local Unitarian chapel. The Horsham Free Church subscribed to the minimalist creed of the wider Unitarian movement: the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. This was an undemanding code that Billy felt most comfortable with. He held few strong religious beliefs, but throughout his life remained committed to the Unitarian Church’s agenda of philosophical inquiry, social justice, and community support. The Reverend J.J. Marten, Minister of the Horsham Free Church from 1891 to 1912, exercised a huge influence over Billy’s life at this time. He was evidently a gifted preacher and Billy’s diaries record many appreciative comments on Mr Marten’s sermons. Mr Marten seems to have taken a kindly interest in Billy’s efforts to improve himself. In fact, it was Mr Marten who suggested that Billy start keeping a diary, to improve his writing and his powers of reflection.

Billy became heavily involved in the life of the Free Church, attending Chapel once and often twice each Sunday, singing in the choir, teaching in the Sunday School, pledging a regular subscription to the church coffers and, later on, taking up various lay offices and duties associated with regular membership. He also looked to the Church for a lot of his social contacts. Bernard Baker, his best friend throughout this period, was a longstanding member of the congregation. Many other names appearing on the Church’s list of subscribing members for these years are also mentioned with varying frequency in Billy’s diaries. When he was working and living away from Horsham, he would search out a chapel that offered a similar style of worship. Sometimes this would be Unitarian; at other times he attended whatever church was within easy walking distance of his “diggings”.
 
Billy was also interested in the musical and cultural aspects of religion and worship. He enjoyed church music, both singing and listening to it, and the diaries contain many critical as well as appreciative comments concerning the standard of these performances. Not being committed to any particular doctrine, Billy often took the opportunity to sample other forms of worship. He tended to enjoy the music and the ritual of Church of England worship, particularly when he had the opportunity to attend one of the larger London churches, but he was less impressed by the assumptions of privilege that supported this Established Church. He sampled various evangelical chapels, appreciated their enthusiasm but tended to be put off by their muscular fundamentalism. He even took the opportunity to attend the occasional Catholic service and his reactions seemed free of the prejudices commonly held by non-Catholics of the day about that church.
 
But most of the diary entries briefly record Billy’s weekly attendance at the Free Christian Church in Horsham:
 
Sunday 4th February 1894
Chapel again in the evening. Popular Service. Took the anthem “The Lord is my shepherd” and Mr Marten gave a splendid address on “Extinguishing Lamps”. Choir practice.
 
Horsham Free Christian Church, courtesy of Hidden Horsham, Photo credit.
 

Monday 5th February 1894
This evening went to the first of a series of Lectures in the Schoolroom by Mr Marten on the “Sources of Religious Knowledge”.
 
Sunday 4th March 1894
Called for Sam and Bern and had a short walk before Chapel. In the afternoon Sam and I went for a walk around Robin Hood Lane and Broadbridge Heath. Popular Service at Chapel this evening. Took the anthem “I will magnify thee”. Mr. Marten gave address on Socrates.
 
Sunday 1st April 1894
Popular Service this evening. Took the Anthem “I will sing of the power” for the second time. Good sermon on the “Feast of Folly”.
 
Sunday 29th April 1894
In the afternoon went to East Street P.M. Chapel[1] for the first time. Service taken by Miss Worboys.
 
Whitsunday 13th May 1894
Went to Chapel in the morning. Poor choir. A good many visitors. Sermon by Rev. Tarrant, Editor of the Inquirer … [to Chapel again] at 3.30 for the Cantata “Entry into Heaven”, lots of people there, think it went very well. [Back to Chapel again after tea] .. service again, liked the sermon better this evening but like Mr Marten best.
 
Rev. J.J. Marten, Free Christian Church, Horsham, 1891-1912 from “The Doctrine of the Soul: A sermon, 1913, Horsham.
 

Sunday 20 May 1894
It being Trinity Sunday, Bern and I went to the Parish Church this morning [and] heard the Vicar preach on the Athanasian Creed. Chapel in the evening. No choir as it was settled to drop the Anthem for four months.
 

St Marys, Horsham, c.1910, courtesy of West Sussex Past Pictures; Ref. PP/WSL/PC 004716; Rep. West Sussex County Council Library Service, Photo Credit.
 

Sunday 11th November 1894
Got up just in time for 8.50 train for Guildford. On arrival went to an eating house in North Street for breakfast and then to the R.S.C. Hospital[2]. Saw Sis[3] and was invited to dinner. Went to Trinity Church. Heard Bishop of Winchester preach a Temperance sermon. Very good. Then back to dinner. Afternoon out with Sis for a walk by the river but had to retreat on account of rain so went back to hospital for tea. In the evening went with Sis to St. Nicholas (very High Church) and returned to Dorking about 9.00. Think that Sis seems to be doing alright there.
 
                           St Nicholas, Guildford, Photo credit.
 

Sunday 10th March 1895 (while working at Epsom)
Went to Congregational Chapel in the morning and Wesleyan in the evening.
 
Sunday 18th August 1895 (while working at Hampton Court)
Caught the 5.0 train to Richmond, walked up the Hill then back to the Green. Found Channing Hall[4] but as there was no service there had to content myself with Richmond Parish Church.
 

Sunday 6th October 1895
Wet again. Went to Kingston Baptist Church in the morning … Went with K[5] to Harvest Festival at Teddington Church. Very fine service as regards music, in fact was more like an opera than a religious service.
 
Kingston Baptist Church, Jim Linwood, Photo credit.
 

Sunday 3rd November 1895 (Back in Horsham)
Laid in till 9.30, met Bern, had short walk before chapel. In afternoon attended Service for Men at St. Mark’s conducted by Canon Daniel. Don’t think very much of the style or substance of his address. Evening to chapel. Fine sermon by Mr Marten on “omnipresence of God” and after service to [choir] practice which I fairly enjoyed.

• [1] Primitive Methodist Church.
• [2] The Royal Sussex County Hospital.
• [3] Billy was visiting Sis, his younger sister who was training as a nurse at the R.S.C. Hospital.
• [4] This was a Unitarian chapel.
• [5] Katherine Griffiths, his girlfriend at the time. 
  
  
  
• Part 2 - Billy at Worship - 1896-1897
  

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