The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-03-21 00:00:00

PARENTS' TEA AT ST. MARY'S.

The Melcombe Regis National School was crowded
on Friday evening la.t, when the parents of those
taught there had a first-rate tea and entertainment,
through the kindness of the Rev. T. and Mrs. Greavea.
The room was pleasingly decorated with flags and
bonners, the latter bearing texts, such as "Train up
a child in the way he should go," " Feed my lambs,"
&c. The girls' schoolroom, with the wing attached,
was entirely covered with tables and forms, so that
the pasoages were about the narrowest that could be
used by the many kind helpers engaged in supplying
the wants of the guests The latter numbered about
600, as far as we could judge; but there was really
such tight packing in some parts, that there may have
been • few scores more or less than that. All seemed
radiant with enjoyment, and they did not fail to keep
well employed the ladies who presided at the tables.
These included Mrs. Greaves, Mrs. Eliot, Mrs. Cripps,
Mrs. Piers Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Gregory, Mrs. Tig•
well, Mrs.brew Mrs. Cosens, Mrs. Cnckmay, Mrs.
Baker, Mn.s. Williams, Mrs. Kerslake,
_Mrs. Doswell,
Mrs. R. ff. Eliot, Mrs. Nicholas, s Thurman,
and Mrs. Ross,; Misses Greaves, F. Eliot, Proby,
Gtindry, Reynolds M. Reynolds, Stace, Penny,
Andrews, Mead, Randall, Philips, Helier, Bridge,
and Mileage, The principal tea-makers were also
assisted by other ladies of their families, and as to
the gentlemen, there were several most active
assistants; but it might be invidious to name those
whom we noticed. _

Altet tea, a platform was, by considerable exertion,
and good-humoured packing and squeezing, fitted up
at the top of the room; but the work of removing tea.
tables was too great to be attempted. The platform
was speedily filled with the prettiest decoration
possible,—a number of the first-class scholars and
female pupil teachers, and certainly the " sweet girl-
graduates ' formed an assembly that would of itself
reward efforts to properly eslucate the fairer sex. They
sang very charmingly a number of pieces with the
musical leadership of Mr. Boyton Smith. The follow-
ing were principal features of the programme :

'March away, sung with much spirit ; "Graves of a
Household," rendered with saute: recitation by two lade,
Whetham and Bagwell, diologue between William Tells
son and Gesser ;" " a inerry little fellow " (Squirrel's
song) by some oungsters, in • lively manner • "Shan't
and Won't, and Try and Will," by the Whole. S.
Wayland then, with much energy, recited " William
TelL"

-Mr. It. if. Eliot said he need not ask them if they
had enjoyed themselves to-night; the merry faces he
saw around sufficiently answered that, and told that
they had found this a very pleasant evening
—(applause.) Such gatherings were always very
pleasing: next to the House of God, where rich and
poor met together at the footstool of Our Father in
Heaven, no occasion was pleasanter than such as this,
where all classes in the parish could meet in social
intercourse. On their behalf he would offer to Mr.
and Mrs. Greaves thanks for the kindness they had
always shown, and if he did not also offer thanks to
Mr. Falkner for his kindness in visiting the sick and
poor of the parish, it was because those before him
knew more about it than he—(hear, and applause).
Mr. Smith and Miss Willis also deserved their thanks,
and they had ample ground for thankfulness to God
for all there kind friends. To night he would not say
anything about the troubles, but rather about the
bleseings of having children; they were the richest
and choicest blessings that our Heavenly Father could
give us,—more than silver or gold. A little girl asked
where she came from, said "(0d made me so long,
(showing a short length) and I growed the rest my-
self "—(laughter). There was great truth in that,
children came from God, and they are going back to
God, who has lent them to us for a little time to take
care of, and train up for Him. They all remembered
the story of the infant Moses, how when Pharaoh's
daughter got his own mother as nurse for him, she said
" Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give
thee thy wages." Just such words God speaks to us,
He gives children, not as playthings, not for our
selfishness, God is as true as His word, and if we
train children for Him, He will be sure to give us
wages. Poor as any parents may be they can always
give their children what is more than food or clothing,
richer blessings than the ricks* of the Indies—they
cen always give their prayers; they may not be able
to write their own names or teach the way to Jeru-
salem or Australia, but they can teach the road to
heaven; we can all teach our children to pray—and
our prayers are never more real, more acceptable to
God, than when they are like those of children. Let
us remember whence they came and whither they are
going, and when we see them, their little heads on
their pillows asleep, let us "es lye to dedicate them to
that Lord who was once a little child, and who said
"Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones it
were better for him that a millstone werehanged about
his neck and he were cast into the depths of the sea"
laErlaCtsitren said teachers then sang "Robin
Redbreaet," and the girls "The Brooklet,"-with very
soft and pleasing effect A boy cleverly recited
"Lodgings for Single Gentlemen, which was rather
witty and very laughable. A song "William Rufus,"
followed, and then Robert Jolliffe and George Lodge
recited " The King and the Miler of Mansfield."
" The Merry Schoolboy," by the boys, was followed
by "The Blacksmith, and then William Keats
repeated "The Three Warning," with good effect.
The whole part4next gave • bright and pleasant
piece " Happy lish children," followed by "The
Miller of the Doe.

The Rev. T. Gerayse said he must be their spokes-
man in conveying the united thanks of those present
to the friends who had helped to-night, to those
wh had lent the tea services, and those who had
practised the music; to Mr. Boyton Smith and to
Miss Eliot, who he was sorry was not present to hear
the effects of her training. Thank. were also due to
the Sunday school teachers, the value of whose
humble prayerful labours (coin Sabbath to Sabbath,
and from year to year, they could not exsaerste.
He wee very glad they had in this parish so large a
body of earnest devoted Sunday school teachers, and
believed that when the great day comes, no depart-
ment of work will receive a larger reward than Sunday
school teaching. Of the day school teachers also, Mr.
Smith in the boys', Miss Willis in the girls', and Miss
Luckham in the infant school, he would say that he
did not know where he could find three more able,
devoted, or prayerful teachers. The opening of the
infant school at Christ's church, had not at all
diminished those at St. Mary's school, and if he had
little ones to entrust to a teacher there WM none he
could entrust them to with greater confidence than
Miss Luckbam. The parents, he hoped, were pre.
wed to continue the trust for so many years placed
In the management, and to give that co-operation to
which the prosperity of the schools must to a very
great extent be ascribed. According to the present
school law, parents might withdraw their children
from religions instruction ; but he was thankful to say,
so far from that, parents throughout the town made
great exertions to send children early, to be in time
for the Scriptural instruction, and if the time of the
Scripture lesson were changed, they would have a very
much larger number of late children. He was thankful
they knew the value of Bible teaching, and were trying
to secure that unspeakable blessing for their children,
and asked them to continue to make sacrifices to secure
for them sound secular and religious instruction. Let
them also try to make their own homes training schools
for Christ. Let them consider what must be the
result, when a child had been trained in Christian
principles, and had received the refinement of Christian
teachers, when it pawed from the order and discipline
of the sweet Christian influences of the school to a
home where it saw nothing but the rude severity and
utter carelessness of ungodly parents, perhaps the
degrading habits of intemperance. In that way the
early training was in some sad cases defeated, he could
not conceive a danger worm than that which the little
child is exposed to than when confidence in and
re‘erence for the parent is thus rudely shaken—(hear,
hear)—and he prayed them te make their home the
reflection of those Christian influences that predom.
inste in the schools—(applause). While this WWI •
festive occasion, it was a very serious meeting.
Twenty years ago exactly God permitted him to com-
mence his ministry in the parish, and many of the
present parents were then children in the school.;
others have paired to their eternal account. In 20
years more, what change will be made! Probably he
and many others would not be there; but many of the
children in the schools will be parents themselves,
hearing the beat and burden of the day, he trusted
not unprofitable hearers of the word, but faithful
doers. Let them remember what a solemn responsi-
bility rested upon them! Now for a little time is the
day for training these children; let them train them
In the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and re•
member they can only lead the children to the Saviour
as the Parents themselves know and love that Saviour.
That wad • beautiful picture in the beginning of St.
John's Goal*, where it is said of the Baptist, " Look-
ing upon Jesus as He walked, he smith 'Behold the
Lamb of God.' " Thom who me Christ best can Mach
Him the best, it is only sews lay our sins upon the
Lamb of God that as we can lead those around us,
and the children who are so dear to um, to that Saviour,
the one great sacrifice; so, for their children's sake as
well as their own, let them come to Jesus, if they had
net already found pardon and peace and holiness in
Him, and than lot them meek how beet they might
lead to Him the children who ars w deer. In conclu-
eke be payed God abundantly to bliss and prosper