Huddersfield Chronicle (19/Jul/1879) - Induction of the New Vicar of South Crosland
SOUTH CROSLAND.
Induction of the New Vicar of South Crosland.
On Saturday afternoon, an interesting ceremony took place at Holy Trinity Church, South Crosland, and although no public announcement had been given there was a good number of interested parishioners. They assembled in and around the porch at four o'clock, and the Rev. Canon Hulbert, M.A., vicar of Almondbury, and patron of the church (in the absence of Canon Calvert, the rural dean) having first read the mandate of the Bishop for the induction of the Rev. George Coulton, the much-respected curate, to the new vicarage and incumbency of the church, with all its rights, privileges, emoluments, and appurtenances thereto belonging, which the Canon did by presenting him with the key received from the sexton, and which he applied to the door, and afterwards rung the bell in token of taking possession. The assembly then entered the church, and a short service was read by the new vicar, consisting of the ante-communion, epistle and gospel for the fifth Sunday after Trinity. The gospel, our Lord making His apostles fishers of men, was very appropriate. A hymn, accompanied by the organ, was sung, and the reverend canon ascended the pulpit and delivered a short, but appropriate, address, from 2 Kings ii., 13,19 — the ascent of Elijah, and the mantle of the prophet descending on his servant Elisha, which he prayed might be the case in the present instance. The bishop had remarked that it was a most responsible post, which, the preacher said, was most remarkably so on account of his following so good a man, but he was sure that they would all hope that a double portion of the spirit of their late devoted pastor might rest upon his successor. His own reasons for making the appointment were — first, his satisfaction that Mr. Coulton held soundly and would preach faithfully the doctrines of the 39 articles of the Church, which he would read on the morrow ; secondly, that for two years of Mr. Hough's illness he had watched most diligently the conduct of Mr. Coulton, and found that he had endeared himself to all classes ; and, thirdly, the dying wish of Mr. Hough himself. He, therefore, commended him to their kind reception, prayer, and support and trusted that he would long dwell among them' unless called to a higher post, in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. The service was concluded with a hymn, prayer, and benediction, after which several of the parishioners retired with the clergy to the vestry to attest the due induction of their new minister