On Tuesday afternoon last a service of an interesting character took place within the grand old parish church at Rushden, when the choirs of the neighbouring villages, numbering about 150 voices, united in one service of praise. Similar festivals have previously been held in the locality, but the effort put forward on Tuesday was decidedly in advance of any previous ones. The service took place at four o'clock, but shortly before that time the following choirs assembled together in the Church, and went through a short rehearsal:-Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Irchester, Irthlingborough, Stanwick, and Chelveston.—Afterwards a certain number of the members of the Choirs met at the Vestry, where surplices were put on by the following clergy: The Very Rev. Dean Perowne, of Peterborough, Rev. W. F. Wilkinson, (Precentor of Peterborough Cathedral), Rev. Canon barker (rector), Rev. T. Richards, Rev H. Bryan (Raunds), Rev. R. S. Baker (Hargrave), Rev. H. H. Slater (Irchester), Rev. J. Napleton (Wymmington), Rev. J. Geldart (Poddington), Rev. J. T. Bonner (Stanwick), Rev. T. Grabham (Irthlingborough), and Rev. – Adams, (Finedon).

The Church was crowded in every part, and much interest was manifested in the afternoon's proceedings. The festival commenced with the processional hymn ''Jesu, still lead on," sung from the Vestry hall to the West door of the Church. This was quite a feature in the proceedings and had a great effect upon those already assembled in the church. The second processional hymn "Holy Spirit! come in might," set to a German tune, was sung in Church, and a third hymn, "Angels voices ever singing," from music by A. S. Sullivan, before the service, which was of a special character. The prayers were intoned by the rector, who also read the lessons, which were taken from Exodus xv. and Revelations xiv. The selected Psalm was the 107th, "O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever," and was chanted to the tunes by J. Alcock and Rev. J. Troutbeck, the pointing being taken from the late Dr. Stephen Elvey's Psalter. The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were sung to music by G. M. Garrett. The anthem was, "The Lord hath done great things for us, wherefore we are glad" (Henry Smart), and the hymn before the sermon, "Father blessing every seed time," set to music by Rev.J. B. Dykes. The musical portion of the service, taken as a whole was exceedingly well rendered, especially when it is remembered what a brief opportunity the six choirs had of rehearsing the music together. The hymns, service, and anthem, were sung with force and expression, and it was plainly evident that the Choirs had carefully studied the music before coming. The anthem went particularly well, Master Ellis, of Peterborough, sang the treble solo "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed" with remarkable clearness and taste.

The sermon was preached by the Dean, who took for his text the words, ''Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. There came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head as He sat at meat."—St. Matthew xxvi., 6th and 7th verses. After describing the scene in Simon's house and the anointment by Mary of Jesu's head, which he said was done by Mary with sincere and spontaneous affection—without calculating whether Jesus would agree—towards him, whom she regarded as her dear friend and best benefactor, the Dean proceeded to observe that they had met together that afternoon, as he hoped and believed, for the act of worship of their dear Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and it was an act of worship in which Mary of Bethany was engaged—an act of the truest worship when she poured the precious ointment over the Saviour's head. They were come together for no customary act of worship, but they had come to offer to God in a very special manner the contribution of their heartfelt Adoration. This was the meaning of the service in which they were engaged, and he should be very sorry if they took a lower view of it. Why was it that there had been so much pains taken in the instruction and training of their choirs? Why was it they had had a careful rehearsal? Was it not that they might join in anthem, psalm, and hymn of praise to glorify God? That festival was not held simply to do justice to the music of some fine composer, but as an act of praise to God. The House of Prayer was not the place for the mere display of musical talents or paltry rivalry, but the various choirs had come there to give their best praises to God, and to pour over the feet of Christ the precious ointment of their loving worship. They might have had a less elaborate service, but by the service held that day they had wished to express, as they could not by a simpler and plainer service, the depth of their gratitude and homage. The Dean pointed out how necessary it was to remember that in singing in church they were really offering their praises to God and how important it was to guard against, on the one hand, a careless irreverent familiarity and acquaintance with the more form of worship and, on the other, against a superstitious reverence and allowing their affection towards Christ to partake of a mere sentimentalism. The Dean complained of the way in which the beautiful meaning of the words in some of their hymns were destroyed by the music, and said the tones of the hymns in some cases were quite irreverent. Mary's adoration was next alluded to by the Dean, and in referring to this he said how necessary it was that they should not let ritual take the place of worship. Towards the close of his sermon, the Dean addressed a few words of warning especially to those engaged in the musical services in their churches, and said in their eagerness to obtain perfection they must not loose sight of the fact that music was only a means to an end. In conclusion, the preacher pointed out to the members of the choirs present that they were set to take an important place in the worship of God. It was an honour and they were as truly, appointed to the services as were the singers of old whom David appointed. He charged them to remember their respective characters. Theirs was the privilege, but what was their sense of it? He would not suppose they were careless, or merely came there to go through their performance, but he asked them to make use of those talents for praise which God had given them, ever remembering that the spirit in which they sang their praise would inevitably spread itself throughout the congregation. Dean Perowne mentioned that the offertory would, after paying expenses, be devoted to the object of putting up a new reredos to the church, and thus adding to the beauty of that beautiful house of God. While the offertory was being taken the hymn "O Lord of heaven and earth, and sea,'' tune by S. Westley, was sung. The recessional was "Holy Ghost, Illuminator, shed Thy beams upon our eyes" (C. Steggal). The musical part of the service was given under the direction of Canon Wilkinson. Mr. J. E. Smith presided at the organ, and at the close played the "Postlude" in E flat. During the afternoon a heavy thunderstorm passed over the village, the noise of which and the heavy downpour of rain on the church roof, somewhat interfered with the service. After church the choirs adjourned to the Now Hall, where they were entertained by their respective clergy.