The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-05-02 00:00:00

MISSIONS IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

The friends of Missions who attend St Mary's Church
last Sunday and Monday, had an opportunity of hearing
something about the missions to Spain and Portugal, to
which their Rector, Rev. T. Graves, has borne testimony,
that the work is real and efficient, lie having visited the
schools of the mission, when in the sunny Peninsula. The
Rev. Mr. Tugwell, on Sunday, preached at St. Mary's,
from John xiv, 6," Jesus saith unto him lam hewnt
the truth, and the life.'" After dwelling on the sub-
ject. the rev. gentleman said the object of the mission
for which he pleaded was simply to make known through-
out those benighted countries, Spain and P3rtural,
Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. In Spain
until 186 K God's word NU practically • sealed book. Many
people, even Evanglical Christians, thought there was very
little need of missions to Roman Catholics, although there
was of missions to the heathen, and the Jews. Such people
knew little of the state of Spain and Portugal, for there the
People are as ignorant of the true way of salvation as in
India and China, and need the gospel quite as much. Yet
every where in large towns in the south are some who had
got possession of God's Word, and read it in secret, and it
had 'become the power of God unto salvation. In Seville,
he made the acquaintance of an old man who read the
Scripture, and became convinced of its truth, before 1868
But these were only allowed to have service at the British
consuls; but not to sing a hymn, or even open the shutters,
lest the responses should be heard in the streets. After
Isabella was driven out the Spaniards premed on the
Protestants to have a service in Spanish, and to let the
children come to school, and from that day the work has
gone on, till about 1,400 Spanish and Portuguese children,
mostly the former, are under instruction, and in all the
schools the Bible lesson is made the chief one of the day.
In Seville, where the Rev. T. Greases saw the work, the
society has bought three churches, which seven sr eight
year, ago belonged to the Roman Catholics, and there is
also • a large Presbyterian church. The first church
bought had formerly belonged to an order of friars who
300 years since, took • leading part in the horrible work of
Inquisition, whereby Evangelical religion WM nearly
burnt out of Spain. A Span &religious man in Spain,
• Roman Catholic, came to London with, the impression
that the English Protestants were infidels; but in
Kensington he was surprised to see the people flock to
church. He went, and favourably contrasted the order he
taw with the disorder in his own churches, he went again
and again, and ultimately because convinced the errors of
his own church, and gave everything up for Christ, though
he had been • great favourite of the bishop of Valencia,
and at the beast of • large educational establishment He
went back to Spun • really converted man, and preached
in one of the churches, and now he has about 300 converts,
and 330 children in his school, also • large Bible class.
Another church has also a Isms congregation and school,
and • third church was bought by a merchant, in one of
toe chief squares of Seville. God is greatly blessing the
worts, and although the priests are making &great effort to
abolish religious liberty, there is not the least chance, for
any Government that would oppose liberty would, in the
present feeling of the Spaniar&, be but • short time in
power.
A meeting was held on Monday evening In the National
Schoolroom, the Rev. T. Falkner, and Captain Russell,
RI., being on the platform.
The deputation amplified his statements respecting the
society. He said their agents are almost all Spaniards,
except in • suburb of Seville, where • devoted Scotch-
woman labours among the ladles—at Triana. He heard •
church was to he sold them and he induced • broker to
buy it for them. If they had bought it in their own
name, they would have had immense opposition. When
the priests found out that the church was bought for the
Protester:as, they were furious, and one preached a
sermon urging the people to attack the church. The
church was opened by permission of the shade's secretary,
end it was to be fined by interested congregations.
Afterwards the Made wrote • very abusive letter, stating
that it was "not convenient" to open the church. At
last they were assisted by the consul, who, although •
Roman Catholic, was &liberal man. The eked° was suc-
ceeded by another, and the church was opened. In
another church which formerly belonged to an order of
f rian, there was even now a marble slab in front of the font,
setting forth the virtues of a familiar form of the Inquisi-
tion. When the school' were opened in connection with
this church, the priests helped them very much by their
bitter opposition, for they went round to each house, and
even to the stalls in the market, urging the people
against the church; but they only drew attention to it,
and No on the opening day the schools were full At pre-
sent there are about 300 children taught in the schools.
Large Bible classes are held, and when Seville was born.
larded, on account of the Communists taking possession
4 the Government buildings, their agent 'hoisted the
English flag, and the Geneva cross, and having laid in a
good stock of bandages, went out with stretchers, and
brought in numbers of the wounded oil both sides. This
gave him great influence with the Roman Catholics, and
now he had about 500 who professed to have left
Romanisin. Another church was that of the Assumption,
but the gentleman having bought it in his own name, it
was more than • year before he got the title deeds. The
civil governor first tried to annul the sale; that was
defeated, then the military governor said he wanted it
for a store for a barrack near, so further delay was
caused. When they got possession, the person who
bought the convent adjoining laid claim to the upper part
of the church, into which the nuns used to go by •
from the convent, This person so persisted in brcilasiegme
that he put 200 wheelbsirrows in the upper part of the
church. The wheelbarrows were there still, for the pur-
chum after trying various mean, to get the wheelbarrows
out, finding be mold not, had the wall bricked up, and the
barrows were kept there. In another town, the ladies got
up a so-called " Catholic Association," is order to keep
the children away from the schools. One of them gave •
Spanish woman a breakfast, as she was taking her children
to school, also • pair of earrings, and • pair of boots, and
then asked her to take away her children. But the mother
took the things to the schoolmistress, and told of the bribe
she bad received, but sent her children still to the schooL
Another of the ladies went to the girls as they were coming
out of school, and told them • story of • little girl, who,
she said, went to • Protestant school, became very ill, died,
and went to purgatory, where she was suffering terrible
torments, when the Virgin Mary came down to purgatory,
in her beautiful robes. The little girl rushed up to her,
and begged to be taken out; but the Virgin Mary said
"No ; you went to one of Protestant schools: you must
stay here and suffer, and then go to hell !" At this, one of
the girls shrugged her shoulders, and said "If the Virgin
Mary is like that, I will have nothing to do with her."
(Laughter). Beside their own society, • Scottish society,
the Edinburgh Evangelisation Society, is also doing • good
work, and the United Presbyterians, the Wasteful& tbe
Plymouth Brethren, and some American missionaries. In
Portugal the work has been established den November
lest, religious liberty is not yet established in Portugal, so
that it is technically illegal ; but the Government is very
liberal so the missionaries go on as much as possible with-
out exciting a contest with the Ultransontanea Four
Romanist priests in Lisbon had left the church of Rome ;
but it was illegal for • priest to do so, under pain id
imprisonment or banishment, so they were emEtzott by
the society in Seville. The congregation in is
about 100, of a better dais of people in Stn.—Other
details were given, and the meeting closed the usual

Ram Sosturm. —Dr. IT. Gabriel. of MX& Doetewel4
has been promoted te be Fleet liorgeen. with seniority
from the 9th inst.
Bu..t. on Boma rits WAllllol.—List mesh Captain
Whrin• enththender Booth end Dr. McDonsld had a bell
on board this ship. A large saloon was formed by an
swing on the after of the unem deck, terinined by refresh-
ment tables, and dseolatodjik flags, and her, about 190
were entertained, the music being provided by ihnhee
band.
Tie RAILWAY EXTIENSION to the Breakwater is nearly
I.olLrli
completed, a great many of the men hove been di
end the .s:martial= plant h.s been sent away.
supposed that the extension will shortly be opened; it
connect' the Portland railway and station, with the Inner
Breakwater Fort, thus mei/ can be brought from the South
was. coal Gelds, direct Wilts place where KW ere Pot on
board H. K. Ship.
" Brsis or POITTLENII" LOME, LOOT—On Tuesday
evening this lodge chose its officers for the ensuing
quarter. as follows : —Bro. B. Combat, W C.T. ; Bro. W.
Frampton, W.V.T. ; Bro. W. Way, W.&; Bro. .1.
Attwooll, W.F.& • &a. B. Russell, W.T. • Bro. J. Kitchell,
W.C. ; Bra. W. irb ; Bro. J. L. Way.
_W.1.0 ;
Bra A. Bowitsj. .G. : /I.M•lrb. WAX. ;
J. Gibbs; and Dro. W. Oasobss. PAPI.IO.T.

Tin Blau Cameral, Baramt beeliefeisk pined basins
.Cti and CV for the circuit fund.
Tug STONI MAD! has ban active of late, continues
so, and, there being a good supply of trucks,the railway
people have been busy, and exag is brisk.
DISSATINIGID RAs-000g .—A day or twos boy who gave
the name of Logan, about l 5 yeses of ape, came on shore
at Portland, and made complaints of cruelty against his
captain, whose name or the name of whose ship we do
not think it fair to give, unless the boy had gone before,
tliemagistrates in the regular way. It seems that he had
previously complained to a young roan who boarded the
ship for business, and had asked him to tell some GOO
ashore. Information was given; but meantinie the boy
managed to slip away. He said he had been four years in
a training ship, was taken out to become cook • sad had
been ten weeks on board' but he complained that the
captain behaved very cruelly to him, beat him, and made
him eat candlegreaae with his bread, also threatened to
throw him overboard. We believe that representations
were made to the captain, the boys' balance of wages Was
obtained, and he was sent to the Sailor's Home, whence..
went to Bradford, his home.
ANOTHER RAILWAY TOWING ACCIGGIIT. Last week a
youth named Russell, who was employed drying the
hones which drag trucks from Portland railway station to
Castletown, got himself hurt It seems that there are
spring hooks on the bar attached to the horse; but the
drivers will not always use the coring hook, because it
gives a little trouble to hook on the bar: but they will
hook on to the waggon, or truck. Russell was pulling • .
load of stone under the gang tree, and, instead of unhook.
log from the 'horse bar, he went back to unhook
From the truck' the moving chain caught him sages
the bowels, tad pressed him against another load of
stone. He was conveyed hoine in a cart by young Mr.
Hodder, and was found seriously bruised across the body,
and also had a severe blow on the face. It was fortunate
that he was not knocked down on the rails. The poor
fellow is yet IIL
A Nuisance oir rug Baacn.—Our attention has been
called by a respected inhabitant to what appears very
short-sighted jiolicy, in reference to the deposit of scaveng-
ing rebus Every one ought to know that the unique
Chesil Beech is one of the attractions of Portland, aid
that many visitors come there on its account alone, sad
immediately go from the railway to the Beach, where
they quickly get such an appetite as to enforce their deal-
ing with our refreshment places. Yet the road to the
beach has lately been lined with scanning refuse, de-
posited there for some time, until it is convenient to re-
move it to land where it is tiled. WO venture to suggest
to our Local Board in Portiand that the Chesil Beach, and
in fact any place near a public road, is most unfit for the
deposit of the contents of dirt-tuts, and to put it therein
almost as bad se it would be to put the refuse of Wey-
mouth close to the esplanade. The Chesil Beach is to
Portland somewhat like the Esplanade is to Weymouth,
"the shop of the town." and it ought to be lefts, attract-
ive Mit is In its natural state.

A WHOLE/ALL CAPISizz —Last week five soldiers, late of
the 102nd regiment, were leaving Portland, and as they
were invalids, they took inside passage in a cab. Zigzaging
down the Zigzag road, Cox, the driver, ought to have put
down the "shoe," but it boota not to inquire if he did or
not Just as the Merchant's Railway was approached at
the bridge, a breach was made in the breeching, the trap
tried to get before the horse, but the latter kicked it beck
again. The driver Cox, could not help the fighting-cocks
inside from being turned over on one aide, although they
were beside themselves (and each other), sad the trap laid
aside going on by coming to • full stop. The live men,
finding themselves trapped, tried their wind by getting
out of the window, and having shaken themselves straight
from their crooked shaking, they walked straight off to the
Railway station, for they wouldn't remain stationary.
Mr. Thresher will perhaps lose about .C 5 on the trap, be-
sides his five fares off it, and even then he is lucky, forbad
the trap been a few feet on either aide when it went over
on one side, the trap and those it caught would only hare
found • footing on the Merchant's Railway metals, many
feet below, where the high-mettlen passengers would have
met ill ; especially if • train of trucks had come along.
Fortunately they had no truck with the railway, but
stopped on the bridge. We, toot...must stop to abridge.
A CZNIZTZST IN THZ EAST WEIL —Vlsitors have not
seen Portland who have not walked from Balaclava Bay,
to the Convict Establishment road, by the East Weir.
The wildness of the place, strewn with stones, and yet gay
with dowses, and strange plants in the summer, the
magnificent view of the Break-water from a point that
makes it look altogether a new object, the naval shooting
range and butts, and frowning cliffs above, the lonely
waterworks, the occasional bodies of convicts, with their
guards, the great outworks of the Verne, already armed,
the cliff-hewn roads above, and the imposing and really
grand one which leads down the face of the cliff in bold
curves from the "Grove" to the waterworks, with Bow
and Arrow, and Pennsylvania Castles just beyond, all
make a ramble in the last Wier another "sensation " for
the visitor. It is now intended to make • cemetery some-
where there, and the first modern grave was made —we
cannot es, 'dug "—there last seek. The wife of lance'
corporal McGee, who WWI left behind from th. 102nd
regiment, died on the 19th, and on the 21st she was buried
In the East Wier. Her grave was near a rubble tip, and
the convicts who were to dig it fodnd no mould, so that the
grave had to he hallowed out almost as broad AS it was
long. The deceased being a Roman Catholic, Father
Williams officiated. After the funeral the grave had to
be filled up with stones. The grave-space was enclosed by
a stone wall ,• it is close under where the alarm-gun is
tired, and the black flag hoisted. when • convict escapes.
Convicts are now at work on the stone for building the
wall to enclose the cemetery, which is to be for all de-
nominatious. A burial ground is also to be made for de-
ceased convicts at the tack of the present ouerries ; these
will much relieve the parish burial ground. If the cemetery
around Mrs. McGee's grave be tastefully kept, it will in-
crease the attractiona of the East Weir.