The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-01-02 00:00:00

OUR CHURCHEB IN BLOOM.

How the ancient Israelites must hare gazed and
wondered at the blossom ng rod produced from the
chest, where it had been deposited dry and flowerless I
Though a far greater miracle stands manifest before
our eyes every Spring, when brown bare sticks become
the centres of bursting leave% we do not wonder, nor
we, Guopon do mu., of Its worshipper. OM ovule
Christmas alter Christmas mornuig wonder greatly at
the transformation that enwraps pillar and arch is
verdure and taus= rail and panel to burst into flower,
and brick walla to shine out in bright colours and
teach with texts from Holy Writ, of the glad news
that started the faith which has Introduced the new
religion of by, for ethers, and bound all the world
In golden fetters at the feet of God. Yet those who
gather from lives spent wholly at hone or on selfish
business, or who have shown their love in other ways
than in decking the symbols of God's temple might
well wonder if they but conaidered bow the &Connote
Is done—what shrubberies must be despoiled of the
last remains of foliage that faces the winter, what
watery dells and brakes must be penetrated for
berries and swamp grass, what gardens must be
rifled of the flowers now so wares and valued, what
gresohousas must give up their treasures to cheat
us into believing that the choicest blooms flourish I
in abundance in Winter's gloomiest days. And there
are the difficulties and the labour of arranging and
fastening the thousands of leaves into bordere and
wreaths, the bucked& of letters are to be cut out
I and attached, stone Is to receive canting moss,
from polished woodwork are to hang heavy ropes of
foliages without the bright surface afterwards show.
log scars, heights dizzy are to be seconded, and
orainary men sling on Dimon by the ends of their
finger nails where professional decorators would have
erected substantial scaffolds. So that if but thought
be given to the whence and how these adornments
arrived in the places they deck so charmingly, a
good deal of wonder might ha fairly bestowed, when,
after Christmas morning service is over, we pass
the decorations in review. And to the question of
ways and means was this year added the very
Important and somewhat punting question of time.
Seeing that Christmas Day was immediately forerun by
Sunday, when could it all be don.? At one of our
churches they went straight and early at the difficulty,
and taking time by forelock, did the work on Saturday
with all the gay but [mile luxuriance of former yens.
This was at that paragon of beauty, Bt. John's, and
how they managed to keep their feathery fronds of fern
from feeling fumes of fire we kaow not, probably secret
ministers bestowed refreshing water at times unkent
of minder& At Christchurch they spoke with abun-
dant legends, and her, also the work warn done on
Saturday; at Holy Trinity the foundation was laid on
Saturday, when also fittings moveable were prepared,
and the finishing touches were given on Sunday before
evening service, and those who gathered beyond the
usual congregation to hear the Carol Barvios which
welcomed Christmas Eve had among them some who
enquired with bated breath—" Do you think 'twas
rivet to decorate the church on Sunday ?" "Or to oil
our hair, and for the lathed to pat on ornaments?" was
the answer. "Well, but the minister was with them, too
was it right ?" Not having been appointed • judge for
others, we make the best answer we can think of for
the moment—" The priests in the temple profane the
Sabbath, end are blameless," and then go on Peteuing
to the carols, leaving every one to settle the Sunday
work according to his or her own conscience. At St.
Mary's they avoided every appearance of Sunday work,
or anxiety, for they imitated the example of the visit.
eats to the I. ord'e mpulchre, eking a great while before
day—Christmas Day—and thus rivalled the musicians
who, with sweet-sounding brass, had dared the pour-
Ingrain of Christmas morn. 'Tis time to tell what the
rTna saw when they went to slug" Unto no
lrea°Born."
At St. John's light-spired church, before and after
evening prayer was musically sung by minister, choir.
and a small congregation, the ladies had wreathed all
the gm standard' with yew and holly, red berries peep-
ing out; but turning from the general glance to particu-
l.re, we see wreaths of red-berried holly, brightened up
wonderfully with Cape everlasting', around the
memorial tablet to the late Mrs. Stephenson, whose
memory is itself evergreen in St. John's. The font was
surrounded by lovely contrivances the base being
buried in maiden-hair and other ferns of the most
delicate foliaol. the pedestal bordered with choicest
II mere, the brim edged with a wreath of holly and
yew, from which sprang white geraniums, Christmas
roses, white chrysanthemums, white hyacinths, and
Primulas, the whole forming • choice bed of delicate
flowers. In the middle rose a cross of lovely ferns,
with blooms of chrysanthemums and camomile flowers,
and round the bare sorting the bicolour fern, which
used to be so rare. The pillars of the church had an
agreeable change from the usual plan of decoration, for
from the capitals bung long trailing pendants of ivy
of very graceful appearance. The eagle desk showed
more than ever of taste in its adornments. From •
mossy bed rose ferns, and above were sprigs of yew,
forming a dark background for chryssothemuns, Christ-
mas roses, and everlasting., while long _blades of the
snake arum hung gracefully outwards. The pulpit bad
been elaborately worked on, the hook-rest surrounded
with 'soft border of green moss, and mom clung to the
divisions of the panels •, below was red-berried
holly, front which started plumes of the great fern, and
oval designs covered with moss and flowers hung over
the panels. Everywhere the dark green of moo er
leaves was lighted up by chrysanthemums or Cluist-
nes roses, except that before the centre panel was
suspended a broad cross of crimson everlasting.. Flat
white ovals of "Old Honesty" sprang with other
quint foliage from the bases of the gas standards in
the chasms!, the choir dells were faced with red-berried
holly, is the middle being • floral circle of white. The
reredos Was gracefully adorned with diapering wreaths
of evergreens and Christian designs of lighter-coloured
materials *bowing lastrong contrast thereon, the
centre emblem was • s Laan cross of white-shinieg
Cape everlasting', rays proceeding from the
junction of the cross, others were five-pointed stars,
" the first letters of white flowers entwined
with the Sin scarlet, X.P. white and scarlet, and the
panels on either side bore sleeks of Cape everlaatings.
the whole on • hock ground of moss, with wreaths of
yew at the crossings, and the perpendicular divisions
Wog traced in ivy, holly, and inemortellet. A broad
border of prickly holly was under the chancel window
sill, which was concealed with evergreens. The
general effect was very tasteful, and we should like to
publish the names of the ladles' but they prefer to do
good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Christchurch is an immense building even to light
up agreeably; but the emplopeent of frequent
breadths of light blue with letters of white was
successful in relieving the somewhat sombre interior.
The font was embosomed in soft mom, dotted with
obryeanthemus, primrose', bellanthua and other
white flower., and looked very pretty at the entrance.
Blue sateen lined the pulpit and showed pi... Jolly
through the wooden open work, while some of the
panels were filled with moss, on the book-rest ran the
ascription "Glory to God in the highest," and anon
the other adornments were box, holly, and ferns, set
off with yellow everlasthass and lattra•tians. "Watch
and Pray" was the text on the readies desk, the
supports being covered with various evergreen', while
the tiepin' seats were fronted with

" We love to slag below, for mercies freely given ;
But oh we want to know the triumph wog of heaven.'
De.igns on grounds of light bins were conspicuous on
the great chancel wall, the place of the reredos, and
there were texts beautifully iciscribed on vellum, and
presented by a lady. &DOW these, elaborately
lettered in church capital', were "Glory be to Thee.
0 God," "There shill come a Btar out of Jacob," " I
am the Bright and Morning Star." Oa either side of
the great chancel window were texts on scrolls, "The
Lord lain His holy temple," and "Let all the earth
keep silence before Him," while spews were relieved
, as the monoe,rent " L H. 8." and others!, in
white on blue grounds. On the south wall was
"Christ le the Mystery of Godliness; God made
manifest in the flesh," lo large white letters on • bias
ground On the iras standards at the east wall hang
shields. inscribed" Holy, holy, holy,_" and "God with
us." The font WM adorned Mies Hares, Mrs
Laviorton did the poloit Mr.. Feeling and her sister
( 41.8 Marmo) the texts, ad Dirs. Hind the chaneel ;
Mi.'s. Chapman, daughters of General Chapman, the
reading-desk.
St. Marrs hen been recently re-paint i and
adorned, almost to that degree which may be celled
restoration, and it really looked so well in its new
drew that there was no necessity for additional decor-
ation. Mr. R3WII. churchwarden, however, with his
family covered the communion rails with a neat
diapering of holly leaves and berries, very neatly and
tasteful! made t fit the pattern exactly and the tall
RlMstandardswere al.° decked with similar wreaths,
the whole being exceedingly neat and well.finished.
The font was adorned by the other churchwarden, Mr.
8. S. milledge, h his mister's aid; it was surrounded
at the hues with a bed of soft MOOS, relieved by holly
with scarlet berries; the pedestal was wreathed with
ivy, • border of holly leaves and berries ran round the
bowl, which wee filled with EOM and growing ferns of
the moat exquisite foliage wen plead around, both on
the bus and the brim. From the letter a gnaw
covered mound rose to a considerable height, decked
with holly, and stir !wanted by a graceful- palm. It
was noteworthy of the decorations at Bt. Marre that
what w, attempted was vs.: tam, orderly, dad newt

Trinity church had a decided variety in its adore.
scents, a very light screen appearing to separate the
chancel from the rest .4 the church. The divhdon,
however, was only in sem blasts. and we will describe the
various parts of the dec ,rations from the church door
inwards. The font was pretty with holly loaves and
berries, the b sal and psdestal !surrounded with pam-
pas gra.s and evergreens, amongst which the bright
se irlet be of the snake arum brilliantly appealed
to the eye; the bowl was filled with laurustinus
neatly bestowed, and • cross of white flowers sprung
from the centre. The north and south galleries hors
on their fronts trellis-work of evergreens, and the
large windows were bordered with trailing ivy, as
al. o the great western arch. In front of the sills
I there were large tablets of crimson bordered with
evergreen, and bearing in straw work the text—" In
the beginning was the Word, and thw Word WM with
God, and the Word was Go J." Red berries and im-
mortelles contrasted beautifully with the evergreen.
A temporary screen of five arches stretched across the
entrance to the chancel, the centre arch being much
higher than the reel, perhaps twice the height of a
man, and being surmouide I by • Latin cross standing
very prominently up. The framework was covered
with variegated and green prickly holly, yew, mom,
rod berries, and immortelles ; the work on the lectern
matching that of the screen. Variegated and green
holly wreathed the base of the pulpit, being
mixed with yew. immortslles and red berrries,
the panels were filled with mitt green moss
and triangular wreaths of variegated holly hung on
either side, while in frost was a cross of whits
primula., roses, geraniums, and hothouse plants, with
the most delicate ferns, and wreaths of moss and
evergreens surrounded underneath the book-rest. On
the communion rails hung a crow of Christmas mew,
geraniums, and several varieties of delicate ferns,
acid crows, of immortelles and ivy in front of the rill's,
on either side. Under the chancel window was "The
word was mode flesh and dist.lt among us," the letter-
ing being is straw work on s .arlet ground, and over
the altarpiece was a crown of mow, the jewels formed
of white flowers. Among the ladies who worked so
tastefully were :—Miss Drew, at the font; Mho
Dowding, the lectern; and in other parts, the Misses
Groves, Betts, Snook, and Paton, and Mrs. Shuttle-
worth; tne Rev. W. S. Shuttleworth also aided.
Besides the 'ivies( foliage and flowers, we should
mention that the cushion in front of the communion
rails was covered with a handsome new kneeling
carpet. in gorgeous colours, and convenLional eccleai-
astical designs. As for the general effect, it was very
elaborate and decidedly beautiful. At this church a
special carol service was held on Christmas Ere, and
attracted large numbers of listeners besides the
ordinary congregation, the lobby being newly filled.
Some of the quainter of the old carols were not sung,
doubtless 011 account of their odd words, and the
danger of their effect on the hearers; bat the "In
Etcetera and others went remarkably well. Tbe
rasjority of these cards require • good deal of practice
before they can be sung with confidence and due
brightness and swing.