The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-10-31 00:00:00

PARISH CHOIRS FESTIVAL.

A festival of Church choirs in connection with the
Salisbury Diocesan Choral Association was held on
Thursday last in the parish church of H sly Trinity.
The association was represented by the Von. Arch-
deacon Lear, who is one of the vice-presidents, and
by the Rev. IL C. de St. Croix, diocesan secretary.
Mr. T. Avant, of Weymouth, the district choir
master, and conducted the festival, Mr. T. 2.1. Morgan
presiding at the orgat. The choirs, numbered about
2•0 voices The festival was fixed to commence at
three o'clock, and was preceded by a rehearsal, at
which all the choirs were present. The service was
well attended, the church being quite full. Ticket
holden were admitted at 2.80, at 2.45 the unsurplioed
choirs took their places, and a few minutes Later the
church doors were thrown open to the general public.
The arrangements secured the orderly seating of all
present., and there was no hitch to mar their success;
the churchwardens (Messrs. Davis and Burnett), were
indefatigable in securing the accommodation of all
comers. The Communion table bore a handsome floral
cross made by Mrs. Everett.
The order of service adopted by the Diocesan
Association was used on the occasinon, with a few
alterations. The clergy and surplicod choirs met in
the schoolroom, Pease-lane, and walked in procession
to the church, entering by the west door. The
processional hymn was " Advance ! advance I the Day
is come," the first two verses being sung by the clergy
and surplicel choirs exclusively, and all the choirs
joining iu the rest of the hymn. Theclioirsrepresented
Were:— _ _ _ .

Trble Alto. ToNur. Haus. Total.
Holy Trinity, Dorchester CO gi 7 38
St. John's, Weymouth Co.) 10 1 0 5 —3l
liolyTrinity, Weymouth Co.) 1/1 4 6 6 31
Cerne Abbas P4 0 3 3 14
11odulanstonc... . . 4 4 0 0 6
CluFrizinster . 3 14

Pudiletown: : : : W i
Winterburno Came.... 8
monkton... 6 1 1 3 11
Frampton . 5 3 2 3 13
Dorset County School 5 3 2 4 14
_
Totals

113 24 32 41 117
After the processional the service 'yened with the
hymn commencing "I) worship the king." which was
well rendered. Me Rev. G. Phillips' intoned the first
part of the service, while the Rev. H. C. de St. Croix
took the second part. The reponses -full choral—
were creditably given by the choir. The special
Psalnis selected for the Iscariot' were lx v., cxxxviii.,
and exlvi., the pointing of which is taken from Elvey'a
Psalter'*' they were sung respectively to chinta by
Havergal, klacfarren, and Hopkins. The First
Lesson—was read by the Rev. Prebendary Nash. The
Magnificat—sung to Bennett's music—was smoothly
rensteresk The Second Lesson—was read by the Rev.
l'rebendary Baker. The Num Dinlittis, also sung by
peruMwon to Bennett'a sompositbm, was effectively
given. The anthem, " How MASA/old are Thy works '
(by J. lkumby), from Peals.* 21, substituted for
"Rejoice in the turd " Was renderwl in an exceeslingly
creditable manlier. The by before the sermon was
...rut, thousand times ten thousand," from "Hymn
Ancient anal Modern," and eung to music by Dykes.
' The Piteacumi (the You. Arclidemset Lear) took for
hi. text Roman xii, 4 and rt—" For as we have many
member,' in one body, anal all members have not the
same ohlice ; so we bong nanny, are one body in Christ,
awl every one rutouhers tote of another."
The offertory hymn, "tiles of thy gocsla to God,"
was sung to music by Arthur IL Brown. The
offertory amounted to 1211 13e. 3d., which will be
devoted to the fund for meeting the expenses of the
festivaL The hymn after the sermon WAS "0 Lord
the Heaven Thy power display," being sums to music
by Hopkins. the anthem' " Hallelujah, Amen," from
Judas Maccabmws, was afterwards rendered by the
three surpliced choirs, and the ainging was very
effective. The recessional hymn was' "On our way
rejoicing," sung to a tune by Frames R. IfavergaL
The festival was followed by a meat tea provided in
the Infants' Schoolroom by it Harrington, Cornhill.
The tabhes were elegantly adorned with plants and
tlowerx, the decorations and laying ot,t of the
abundant provisions being kindly superintended by
Mrs. Everett and Mr*. Burnett. Ladies connected
with the respective choirs presided at the trays, the
members of each choir beta; seated together, and
ths claesitication ex plaited by the AMAMI of
printed cards, bearin the klallle4 of the ;swishes
tended to 'the preservation of ip.al
order. Tlw Herter awl Mrs. Everett, AISO Mr.
and kera Burnett, including of swanse the Rev. W. M.
Barbee as district lion. secretary. awl also the Rev. H.
C. de St. Croix, were zealously engaged in securing
the convenience and comfort of the party. Grace before
awl after meat was sting to music in the printed onkr
of 'service for the slay. The Weytuouth singers were
the first to leave, having to witch thesis o'clock train.
and prior to their departure the Rev. V. F. Ransoms
expressed, on behalf of the choirs assembled, their
hearty thanks to theme who had minister.' to their
pleastnre in the house of (led, as also to their bodily
refreshment in the
The reel of the ch.2:Zitid KAM afterwards.