The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-02-26 00:00:00

NEW CHURCH FOR HOLY TRINITY PARISH.
DORCHESTER.

The most numerously attended meeting on record
in the pariah of Holy Trinity, Dorchester, took
place last Thursday miming, to consider a proposal
to pull down the present perish church, and erect •
Unir and more commodious one in its stead. The
Rev. Jame, Fisher has long been anxious that this
very necessary work should be accomplished, but
hitherto insuperable obstacle, have intervened.
Now, however, through his untiring efforts, tbe pre-
liminary difficulties have bees overcome, so that he
was in • position to call the ratepayers together in
vestry to take the formal opinion of the pariah ea to
the desirability of carrying out his proposal. Nearly
forty of the largest ratepayers attended, and the
Rector presided.
In opening the Meeting, the Rev., PINKIE
observed that it was the most important parish
meeting at which he had presided, for they IVOTO
amierobled to consider no lees a subject than the
propriety of erecting a new churoh—a subject which
he had been for many years anxious to bring before
them, but had been prevented so doing by a variety
of circumatanoes, if. need not dwell at any length
on the neoeuritiss of the case ; they all resided in the
parish, and were as well acquainted with them ae he
was himself. But he would take the opprtunity of
saying that go where he would in the parish he
heard oontindal compleinte that people could not get
witting. in the parish church ; and there were several
persons who had made application for sittings for
years, but had not siot them to this day. Yet this
could not be wondered at. In the year 1861, when
the last oensas was taken, the population of the
pariah wee 1,601. But, at that time, there
were • number of howler vacant, including
several of their largest house, and since that
data there had been something like sixteen
new houses sected. He considered, therefore, that
now there Were about 1,000 inhabitants in the perish.
What was the accommodation of their pariah church!
Calculated upon the rake of the Incorporated Society,
it would brat only 437 persona Then it must be
remembered that they had no provision at •Il in the
church for Sunday schools,. They had about 70 boys
in their Sunday school, held in the National school-
room, Pease-lane, hot not one of them could be
brought to the church—they were obliged to send
them to another church in the town. Then they
had no Sunday school for girls, and the girls of the
parish had to be sent to the Nett-mai school in All
Saints' parish; it was true that they were brought
to the church, but they had to be put in different
places wherever room could be found for them. Of
course, if they had • new church special aocommo
dation would be provided for Sunday schools, and he
should be enabled to open • Sunday school for girls
in the Infant School-room. He hoped they might be
unanimous pn that oceasion—that they should have
"a long pull, a strong pull, and • pall altogether,"
and, God helping them, they would re-build their
parish church to the glory of His name, and to the
temporal and eternal good of themselves, and not
themselves only, but thou who were to come after
them. He proposed "That as the accommodation
afforded in the present church is insufficient for the
wants of the panshiosers, it is desirable that • new
church should be erected, provided that the emotion
of the Ordinary and the Patrons be obtained, and
that sufficient funds be raised by means of donations
and voluntary subscriptions."
Mr. Ersno Passing briefly seconded the motion,
remarking that he should be very glad to IN the
proposal carried into effect.
On being submitted, the resolution was carried
unanimously.
Mr. M. C. WESTON observed that he did not ob-
ject to the resolution passed, but be wished to make
Amirante doubly sure. It was an easy thing to poll
down a church, but sometime* very difficult to raise
the money to re-build it again, and he said they '
might be assured that if the church WM ono, de-
molished the Ordinary would take owe that they
provided soother. He would call on the church.
warden, to rebtlild the 'harsh, and then, perhaps,
when too late, it would be said, "Oh, we intended
to *rut the chop* by subscription," for, if (be
rrubscriptions were not forthcoming, the money would
' lave to be provided by a rats. He did not at all
intend to impute anything like tnaktfides to the
proposer or seconder of the resolution passed, but he
would propose an addition, not at all as antagonistic,
, bat simply to guard the pariabiooers from being
called upon at a future time for a rate for this
object I—" That prior to pulling down or in any
way intermeddling with the present fabric, proper
and approved security be given to indemnify the
parishioners from all liability, out, charger, or ex-
pewee in respect of palling down the present, or
building, fitting up, doesetwating, or otherwise, the
ooatemplated new church, it Nina the intent sod
I melanin of the several pubes present at this vestry,
and their emotion to the foregoing resolution wet
and la given up= the faith and capes. condition
that all money required for building each new church,
or in any way incident to or connected therewith,
be raiseu y donations and voluntary sulworiptions,
and not by rate upon the property or inhabitants of
this parish."
Mr. R. DAVIS second the motion.

flif) ii-ZOTO- -R. -maid -11-e --tio;ght the proposal per-
t/nay reasonable.
Mr, J. GLIM asked whether, supposing the
church was rabeilt, and then the means at their
imenaised were insalloient to meet the outlay, it
wield not be in the power of throe having the man.
agement of the church, in some way or other to
make a charge upon the pews, as was the ors at
Weymouth Church, to oover the expenses, or provide
any money required? He thought they should
guard against that; be hoped the church would be
free sod unappropriated for the psrishioners.
Mr. Winos said it was only • day or two hack
that he began an inquiry into that matter. He
inked whinier it was the intention 13 554 the paws,
and if the parsons who now bare rights over certain
sittings, haring purchased them years ago on the
underetandingthat they should he thous as long as
they resided is the parish, and he wee told that of
mune it would be only fair that those who had poi. I
abased sittings on that understanding should have
seem provided for them in the new fabric in continu-
um of the arrangement. AX present be believed
any newirinier paid rent for • ses4--(41. voice:
"Yes."]
Mr. °ALP= though it would be well to have an
"awaiwilal 00 that matter beim they proceeded.