and is flanked by two reading desks, one being used for prayers and the other for lessons.  There is no clerk at this church; and there were never but two connected with the place; one being the late Mr. Stephen Wilson, of the firm of Wilson and Lawson; and the other the late Mr. John Brewer, of the firm of Bannister and Brewer of this town.  The responses are now said by the choir; and everything appertaining to the serious problems of surplice and gown arranging, pulpit door opening and shutting, is solved by black rod in waiting—­the beadle.

The first incumbent of Christ Church was the Rev. T. Clark—­a kindly-exact, sincere, quiet-moving gentleman, who did much good in his district, visited poor people regularly, wasn’t afraid of going down on his knees in their houses, gave away much of that which parsons and other sinners generally like to keep—­money, and was greatly respected.  We shall always remember him—­remember him for his quaint, virtuous preciseness, his humble, kindly plodding ways, his love of writing with quill pens and spelling words in the old-fashioned style, his generosity and mild, maidenly fidgetiness, his veneration for everything evangelical, his dislike of having e put after his name, and his courteous, accomplished, affable manners.  For 27 years—­having previously been curate at the Parish Church in this town—­Mr. Clark was incumbent of Christ Church.

He was succeeded by his son-in-law, the Rev. Raywood Firth, who has worked through Longfellow’s excelsior gamut rapidly and successfully.  The father of Mr. Firth was a Wesleyan Methedist minister, and, singular to say, was at one time—­in some Yorkshire circuit we believe—­the superintendent of a gentlemen who is now, and has been for some years, the incumbent of a Preston church.  A few years ago Mr. Firth visited Preston as secretary of a society in connection with the Church of England; then got married to the daughter of the Rev. T. Clark; subsequently became curate of that gentlemen’s church; and in 1864 was made its incumbent.  Well done!  The ascent is good.  We like the transition.  Mr. Firth is a minute, russet-featured gentleman; is precise in dress, neat in taste; gets over the ground quietly and quickly; has a full, clear, dark eye; has a youthful clerical countenance; has given way a little to facial sadness; is sharp and serious; has a healthy biliary duct, and has carried dark hair on his head ever since we knew him; is clear-sighted, shy unless spoken to, and cautious; is free and generous in expression if trotted out a little; is no bigot; dislikes fierce judgments and creed-reviling; likes visiting folk who are well off; wouldn’t object to tea, crumpet, and conversation with the better end of his flock any day; visits fairly in his district, and says many a good word to folk in poverty, but would look at a floor before going down upon it like his predecessor; thinks that flags and boards should be either very clean or carpeted before good trousers