The congregation is tolerably numerous, has in it the high, the fair-middling, and the humble—­the good-looking, the well-dressed, the rubicund, the mildly mahogany-featured, the simply-dressed, the attenuated, and the indigent.  But there is a clear halo of respectability about the place; superior habiliments are distinctly in the ascendant; and orderly behaviour reigns throughout each section of worshippers.  The free seats are very fairly patronised, and sometimes very oddly.  In one part of them we saw nine persons all near each other, and out of that number five wore spectacles, whilst three could only see with one eye.  At the western end of the church there is a beautiful circular window, but it has not met with very good treatment.  It has been broken in one part, and every morsel of it is covered up from general view by the organ occupying the gallery.  Only the organ blower can see it properly, and having the whole of it to himself, it is to be expected he will derive some consolation from his special position.  If he doesn’t, then he neither gets up the wind nor looks through the window properly.  The organ is a good one, and it is played with average ability, but it is too big for the place it occupies, and entirely swamps what was once considered a fine gallery.  The singers are rather afraid of giving vent to their feelings.  They discourse the music tastefully, but they are too quiet, and don’t get into a temper, as they ought to do occasionally, over it.  Prior to the advent of the present incumbent, the choir, considering its numbers, was, perhaps, as good as any in the town or neighbourhood; but one Sunday morning the gentleman referred to, having apparently been fiercely stung by a Ritualistic wasp, blew the trumpet of his indignation very strongly--got into a whirlwind of denunciation all at once and without the aid of a text, regarding Ritualism; and the organist and singers, whose musical services embraced chants, &c., fancying that the rev. gentleman was either tired of their presence or performances, many of which were voluntary, sent in their resignations.  Since then the music has not been very brilliant.

There are religious services every Sunday morning and evening at St. Thomas’s, and on Thursday night a small gathering of the faithful takes place in the building.  The trustees of the church are—­Miss Margaret Ann Beckles, St. Leonard’s; Samuel Husband Beckles, Esq., of the Middle Temple; the Rev. Edward Auriol, St. Dunstans; the Rev. Charles F. Close, St. Ann’s, Blackfriars; the Rev. W. Cadman, Marylebone; and Sir Hugh Hill.  The Rev. L. W. Jeffrey was the first incumbent of the church; then came the Rev. W. P. Jones, who died, as before stated, in 1884; afterwards the Rev. J. T. Becher was appointed to the incumbency, but he died from typhus fever in five weeks and was succeeded by the Rev. J. P. Shepperd who still holds the post and receives from it about 400 pounds a year.