The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-07-18 00:00:00

EXETER.

Tug express train on the Bristol and Exeter line in
which Lord Courtenay and Mr. J. D. Coleridge were
journeying to their constituents at Exeter, on Saturday,
broke down, and the candidates, who have aince been
elected, had to proceed by another train.

COLLUMPTON.
CHOIIAL FSESTIVALS. —.At the choral dinner at Coll-
utnpton a few days back, the Bev. P. Williams, who
proposed "The Choirmasters of the District," observed
that amongst the objectors to choral festivals was Mr.
Whalley, who, it was curious to remark, was M.P. for
Peterborough, where there had lately been snob a
famous gathering of choirs. Had the hon. representa-
tive been chairman of the Peterborough Choral Asso-
ciation he might have worked up his music, and would
very likely hive been able to sing • song if called on by
the House of Commons. The Van. Archdeacon Free-
man observed that the association desired to enlist the
services of the laity in the direct services of the
sanctuary. Some people said it was a clerical move-
ment, priestaraft, and done with a plan. They knew it
was no such thing. The movement would have the
result of restoring to the Church its primary and
natural organization. Till lately, in country places, the
service consisted, for the most part, of a duett between
parson and clerk. Could anything be more miserable?
If people said " you're going too far • we don't see the
end of this kind of thing," his answer was "we have
not gone far enough." Mr. Williams also defended,
with some humour, the use of banners, and also of
surplices. When the clubs met they displayed banners
and music, and no one was acandabzed ; but as soon as
choirs hang out a little bunting, the cry was, "Oh. its
all popery." Cornwall ii now, we see, about to add to
existing choral associations.

Correop onbente.

MR. PORTMAN AND CHURCH-RATES.

To the Rclitors.

I presume that Mr. Portman in going to Parliament
for the abolition of Church-rates, does not mean to
create a wrong by the abolition of what be deems to be
• wrong; and that while he wishes to relieve the con-
sciences and purees of dissenters from payment to that
which they do not use, he will not compel churchmen
to pay for that of the use of which dissenters may take
as much as they need. Comparatively few parishes
have yet oemeteries, and I should like to know whether
Mr. Portman means to give dissenters the free and cost-
less use of the churchyards as burial grounds, since, on
the abolition of Church-rates they must be walled, kept,
and, on the need of more room, must be enlarged at the
cost of churchmen, and so, to use a homely metaphor,
whether he will make a gap to stop a shard. Or does
Mr. Portman mean to stand for a churchyard rate as
distinguished from a church-rate? or to give to church-
men • right to fees on the burials of such as now pay
ohnrchrates?

I could not deem it a good answer from a repealer of
the law that all parishioners have, by the law, a right to
burial in the churchyards ; nor that the churchman's
wrongs would doubtless be redressed by the dimwits?'
rightmindedness ; for the question is not what men may
do without law, but how the law is to stand; nor
that the churchman's burden would not be much
increased by the loan of the dissenter's payment, for
dissenters themselves have holden that the question is
not one about the quanta,y, but is one about the essence
of the wrong.
A DORSET ELECTOR.

THE SEWAGE QUESTION.

To the Editors.

IN your paper of July I.lth are some remarks by Mr.
Moule on my letter inserted in the Telegram, of Jane
29th, on the earth system. I think that Mr. Motile
must have made some mistake, as in the first place I
did not aocuse him of pressing the subject in Dorset.
On the contrary, I think the rev. gentleman is worthy
of all praise in bringing the subject before the public by
his pamphlets—" National Health and Wealth," and
"Manure for the Million." I have myself distributed
zany of the latter among the cottager. of this town.
Neither did I accuseehior of having injured the system,
as I fully believe him to be right both in principle and
practice. As regards the principle of returning these
matters to the earth he is corroborated by a very high
authority—the Bible. In Deuteronomy radii., 12 and
13 v., is the command of the great Lawgiver to the
Israelites on this very subject. Mr. Moyle says be hopes
to see the system carried out in towns. I this k that when
once the money value of the manure is generally lcno
some organised plan will be brought to bear in the ease
of towns to supply tbe necessary material, whether
earth, ashes, or others drier for the purpose. I believe
that it is of iruportanoe in an agricultural point of view,
as the largest portion of the produote of the land are
consumed by human beings.
I remain yours truly,
W.O.H.
Blandford, July 15, 1856.