The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-06-12 00:00:00

THE CONFIRMATIONS.

The friends of the Church of England so by law estab-
HAMA have much reason to be gratified at the results of
the late continuations. About :100 sailor boys from the
Boscawen and Warrior, fll from St. Johns', about 120 at
St. Marys', no at Holy Trinity, Ii from Wyke, and corres-
ponding numbers from the parishes of Chickerell, Fleet,
and Burkland Riper., make a respectable army of young
recruits for the Church in this part of the dieese. The
Church of England will not become disestabliehed out of
the hearts of the people, while true and faithful ministers
preach the word, and enforce it by their lives, and when
they are found ready at the death-led to proclaim to the
philosopher, puzzled over the mystery of pain and death,
what it is that solves the mystery and gives the victory
over death. These confirmations of young people, it has
been the fashion to treat as mere gatherings of girls
anxious to show their dressee and cape, and perhaps in
olden times, when the occasion, for the rite were fewer,
there was more outward interest and more show. But the
real work is now more effectively done, and when I marked
at Christ Church the candidates paused on by Mr. Greaves,
assisted by Mr. Falkner and Mr. Fox, I knew that no
untaught one passed under the Bishap's hands. Other
engagement, prevented my attending the rest of the con-
firmations ; hut I have no doubt the candidates were well
prepared. In Holy Trinity there were more males 0(1)
I than females PC), and many would regard this as a healthy
' The old man eloquent," as the Bishop might have
been called by some, or " garrulous " by those who wanted
to get off to luncheon, was very earnest in his exhortations
to the young people; in fart he seemed unable to leave
them. As generally happens when people talk at length,
Vie Bishop was almost inaudible at the end of that
enautgest of new churches. But, peeping round the
martian
a between the chancel and the font,we caught a few
tee of which the would-be Christian soldier may rheed, when afraid to enter into that holy communion,
the varying celebration of which bee divided the great
name. of Christendom. It contains in an apparent
paradox the most sound Philosophy, though in words so
homely that I am surprised at their use by a herd Bishop.
In the course of his ruldrees after the confirmation, Dr.
Moberiey, alter setting their duty before the new pro-
fessore, turned to those who were favourably disposed
towards a profession of Christianity, but held back from
Holy Communion. Among other reasons noticed was the
common fear " I ani nit fit." Ilia Lordship asked if they
thought that any of their spiritual instructors were fit—
that be (the Bishop) was fit if they fancied they
were fit they would be the most unfit people In the
world. Beanies, did they not know whom Our Lord came
to call to repentance Did He call good people, righteous
people? No t He said "1 came not to call the righteous,
but sinners, to 'repentance." If they felt themselves
unlit,--and the more fit they were, the more unfit they
would know themselves to be—if they were in earnest to
be better, then, believe him, the more:fit they were. If
they were ready to fall down on their knees and confess
their sins before all, they were the very ones whom Christ
calls. If people had to come when they were better, they
would never come. Then some were saying "I am afraid
of myself, I am afraid if I were to come for a time, I
should afterwards give it up.' Did they think they were
in less danger because they would not come to Christ
Was the danger at all evaded or lessened by voluntarily
running away from it at fine./ They might say, besides
—" There are other things which it is difficult to tell you
; there are companions sod others I know, who may
laugh at me, may say unkind things, and then I shall be
making a great profession and seeming to he very good •
but Ido not know how I shall keep oust it." Now thii
was on. of the difficulties and trials, and in some *den
Probably It was more harry thin in others; in some places