Society of the Faith
Encyclopedia
The Society of the Faith is a Church of England
charity founded in 1905. Its objects are to bring together Christians in communion with the See of Canterbury for mutual assistance, and to support and further charitable undertakings, particularly those that popularise the Catholic
faith. It is registered with the Charity Commission
.
"an Association of Christians in communion with the See of Canterbury for mutual assistance in the work of Christ's Church and for the furtherance of such charitable undertakings as may from time to time be decided upon, more especially for the popularisation of the Catholic faith."
The Douglas brothers also intended to create a collegiate institution with resident and non-resident members, but this never came into being.
In 1926 the Society became a charitable limited company. In 1935, it took on the lease of Faith House in Westminster
, which provided a base for activities of the Society, in particular a bookshop for the Faith Press and workspaces for Faith-Craft (see below). Faith House had been built as a church institute for the parish of St John the Evangelist, Westminster. The parish church of this parish was bombed in World War II and is now a concert hall.
in Bedfordshire
where a local printer, Henry Rutherford, began producing the stamps. This was so successful that in July 1907 the Faith Press was founded, at first in a converted cow-shed behind a pub, but from 1910 in a converted brewery in Leighton Buzzard.
In 1909 the Manchester
based "Church Printing Company" was taken over by the Society and run as the Manchester Faith Press. It closed in 1921 as a consequence of the post-first World War depression.
The main company flourished, and became a limited liability company in 1913. As well as the "stamps" it published religious books, various periodicals and from 1917 church music. From 1915 a parish insert called The Symbol was printed, to provide Anglo-Catholic priests with good material for sermons and other instructions.
Rising costs and reduced demand led to Faith Press being closed down in 1973.
, Hertfordshire
, with vestments and stained-glass being produced at Faith House. In 1955 Faith-Craft works moved to new premises in the Abbey Mill in St Albans. The post-war restoration and furnishing of St Mary-le-Bow
, Cheapside from 1956 to 1964 was Faith-Craft's largest single commisison; everything was made by Faith-Craft including the stained glass windows, designed by John Hayward. By the end of the 1960s changes in fashions in church furnishings had changed, reducing demand and the costs of running the businesses were rising. As a result in 1973 the Society closed down Faith-Craft.
. It also supported the Nikaean Club and provided grants for visiting Orthodox
theological students.
’s Lent Book as well as important texts such as Peter Anson’s ‘Building up the Waste Places’. Faith-Craft, using distinguished designers such as John Hayward and Francis Stephens, created high quality stained glass and ornaments. But costs were rising and tastes were changing. In the late 1960s, Watts and Company moved into Faith House to take the place of Faith-Craft. In the 1970s, the Society, led by its Secretary, Ivor Bulmer-Thomas, invited the Church Union into Faith House to run the bookshop. Faith House continued to be an iconic building but the cost of running it was becoming a serious burden for the Society.
from 2003–2006, followed by the St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust (SSG) until its closure in April 2008. The ground floor is now in active use as the headquarters of Restless Development, a charity for young people.
The main activities of the Society are now -
The Society is administered by trustees, known as the Court of Fellows, assisted by the Secretary and Treasurer.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
charity founded in 1905. Its objects are to bring together Christians in communion with the See of Canterbury for mutual assistance, and to support and further charitable undertakings, particularly those that popularise the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
faith. It is registered with the Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
.
History
The Society was founded in August 1905, by two brothers, the Revd Canon John Albert Douglas, then Vicar of St Luke, Camberwell, and the Revd C E Douglas, both notable figures in the Anglican Catholic revival. The object of the Society was to create –"an Association of Christians in communion with the See of Canterbury for mutual assistance in the work of Christ's Church and for the furtherance of such charitable undertakings as may from time to time be decided upon, more especially for the popularisation of the Catholic faith."
The Douglas brothers also intended to create a collegiate institution with resident and non-resident members, but this never came into being.
In 1926 the Society became a charitable limited company. In 1935, it took on the lease of Faith House in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, which provided a base for activities of the Society, in particular a bookshop for the Faith Press and workspaces for Faith-Craft (see below). Faith House had been built as a church institute for the parish of St John the Evangelist, Westminster. The parish church of this parish was bombed in World War II and is now a concert hall.
Faith Press
The Revd C E Douglas had the idea of encouraging attendance at Sunday School by a system of stamp collecting. The stamps were originally printed in London. Douglas moved the enterprise to Leighton BuzzardLeighton Buzzard
-Lower schools:*Beaudesert Lower School - Apennine Way*Clipstone Brook Lower School - Brooklands Drive*Greenleas Lower School - Derwent Road*Dovery Down Lower School - Heath Road*Heathwood Lower School - Heath Road*Leedon Lower School - Highfield Road...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
where a local printer, Henry Rutherford, began producing the stamps. This was so successful that in July 1907 the Faith Press was founded, at first in a converted cow-shed behind a pub, but from 1910 in a converted brewery in Leighton Buzzard.
In 1909 the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
based "Church Printing Company" was taken over by the Society and run as the Manchester Faith Press. It closed in 1921 as a consequence of the post-first World War depression.
The main company flourished, and became a limited liability company in 1913. As well as the "stamps" it published religious books, various periodicals and from 1917 church music. From 1915 a parish insert called The Symbol was printed, to provide Anglo-Catholic priests with good material for sermons and other instructions.
Rising costs and reduced demand led to Faith Press being closed down in 1973.
Faith-Craft Studio
In 1916 the Society began to make vestments to order. The business grew and in 1921 Faith-Craft was founded. From 1938 a workshop for joinery and statue work was opened in St AlbansSt Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, with vestments and stained-glass being produced at Faith House. In 1955 Faith-Craft works moved to new premises in the Abbey Mill in St Albans. The post-war restoration and furnishing of St Mary-le-Bow
St Mary-le-Bow
St Mary-le-Bow is an historic church in the City of London, off Cheapside. According to tradition, a true Cockney must be born within earshot of the sound of the church's bells.-Bells:...
, Cheapside from 1956 to 1964 was Faith-Craft's largest single commisison; everything was made by Faith-Craft including the stained glass windows, designed by John Hayward. By the end of the 1960s changes in fashions in church furnishings had changed, reducing demand and the costs of running the businesses were rising. As a result in 1973 the Society closed down Faith-Craft.
The Society and Eastern Churches
The Douglas brothers had travelled in the Near East and were ahead of their time in having an interest in the Eastern Churches. As a result the Society had a role in the foundation of the Catholic Literature Association and the Anglican and Eastern Churches AssociationAnglican and Eastern Churches Association
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association is a religious organization founded as the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches Union in 1864 by John Mason Neale and others...
. It also supported the Nikaean Club and provided grants for visiting Orthodox
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
theological students.
Difficult times
Charles Douglas died in 1955 and his brother John in 1956. For the next twenty years, the Faith Press and Faith-Craft Studio continued to produce notable works. Faith Press published the Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
’s Lent Book as well as important texts such as Peter Anson’s ‘Building up the Waste Places’. Faith-Craft, using distinguished designers such as John Hayward and Francis Stephens, created high quality stained glass and ornaments. But costs were rising and tastes were changing. In the late 1960s, Watts and Company moved into Faith House to take the place of Faith-Craft. In the 1970s, the Society, led by its Secretary, Ivor Bulmer-Thomas, invited the Church Union into Faith House to run the bookshop. Faith House continued to be an iconic building but the cost of running it was becoming a serious burden for the Society.
The Society today
By the late 1990s, the board of trustees knew that it needed to take urgent action to make Faith House self-financing and to provide income to pursue its objects. It obtained permission from the freeholders to let out the top floor for profit and, although its main tenant was a charity serving young people in developing countries, the income enabled the Society to restore its finances. With Watts and Company now in the basement, the Society found itself in the position of that unusual phenomenon, a benevolent landlord, fostering good relations with its tenants, which included a bookshop run by SPCKSPCK
The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge is the oldest Anglican mission organisation. It was founded in 1698 by Thomas Bray , and a small group of friends. The most important early leaders were Anton Wilhelm Boehm and court preacher Friedrich Michael Ziegenhagen...
from 2003–2006, followed by the St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust (SSG) until its closure in April 2008. The ground floor is now in active use as the headquarters of Restless Development, a charity for young people.
The main activities of the Society are now -
- Making reasonably-priced accommodation available in Faith House for organisations and companies that promote the Christian faith and the Anglican Communion, as well as for other charitable organisations
- Promoting the revival and reissue of Faith Press publications and sponsoring new publications, including the Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
’s Advent Book - Conserving an archive of Faith-craft drawings and Faith Press publications
- Administering the Hoare Trust, which grant-aids conservation and provision of ecclesiastical needlework
- Administering the Liddon fund, a restricted fund that finances the annual Liddon Lecture and grants to young people for advanced theological study
The Society is administered by trustees, known as the Court of Fellows, assisted by the Secretary and Treasurer.