The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-03-09 00:00:00

WIMBORNE.

PASSION WEEK. —For the first time probably in
the Minster at Wimborne there are to be full dimt
services every evenine during Passion week, and
some eminent ministers from other parts are ex-
pected on two or three of those occasions to preach.
SODDEN DEATIL—Last week a melancholy and
sudden death occurred to Mr. George Davis, a re-
spectable shopkeeper of Shapwick, aged 65. He'
had been to White Mill, and on his way thence to
Kingston Lacy, through a drove called "Sweet
Brier Drove," the deceased was found lying ea his
face quite dead. He was afterwards picked up by
two young men named Hart and Mitchell. An in-
quest was held by James Housedon, Esq., deputy
coroner, on the body, and a verdict of "Died finmi
natural causes" was returned. It appeared that de-
ceased was subject to severe attacks of palpitation of
the heart.

WIRBORNE INSTITUTION.—On Tuesday evening
last the Rev. H. P. Cookealey, delivered a very
able and interesting lecture on "Swartz." The rev..
gentleman commenced by observing that the noblest
heroes the world ever saw were those who had.
done God's work in the world—men as brave as the
bravest of those who have stormed cities and founded.
empires. India has been rich in men of both kinds;
' and among them all the name of Swartz is conspicu-
ous e
whichforthehleenegtxehrciomf
ihisovseerrnviacestivesanand
dlasEcinrogmilu-
Swartz was born in Prussia in 1728; andpeam
after
studying at Halle under the learned Michaelis and.
Fmnche, and being ordained in the Danish Church,
he proceeded to Tranquebar, a Danish settlement on.
the eastern coast of India, 1750. The first Protes-
tant mission had been established there by Zeigenbalg
and others, in 1706, under the auspices of Frederick
King of Denmark. Prince George of Denmark
took an interest in the mission; and, being a mem-
ber of the Society for Promoting Christian Know-
ledge, he procured assistance from the society for-
Zeigenbalg. Notice of the mission was inserted in•
the society's report for 1709. Swartz was a worthy
follower of Zeigenbalg. Chultz, and Fabricins. He
remained in Tranquebar doing the work of an evan-
gelist; "catechising," as he moderately reports of '
himself, "the youngest lambs, and thus learning to
stammer with them." "Poorly and falteringly all
was done at first; but God helped me on from day
to day." The rev, lecturer gave an account of
Swartz's ministerial labours—his visits to Ceylon,
Tinneveliy, and Tanjore—his services to the English
army at the bloody siege of Madura (noticed in the
report of the Society for Promoting Christian Know-
ledge for 1766), and his removal to Trichinoroly in
1766. Swartz's last residence was in Tanjore, where
he saved the fort, • during the siege of that place by
the Nabob of Arcot in 1773, through his influence with
the natives, who would only trust him for paying
them for bringing in supplies. The Rajah of Tan-
jore was so attached to Swartz that he made hi=
guardian of his adopted heir, Serfojte, then a minor,.
whose cause Swartz maintained successfully againet
the usurper Ameer Sing. In 1779 he was employed,.
much against his will, but from a sense of duty and
for peace-sake, in • private embassy from the
Madras government to Hyder Ali at Seringapatam ;
and at the earliest request of Lord Macartney he
joined an embassy to Tippoo Sultan in 1784. His
weight of character and influence with the natives
recommended him to those posts of responsibility.
Mr. Cookesley showed how Swartz always maintained
the character ot a "man of God "—in all his inter-
course with persons of the highest and lowest
endeavouring to 'commend his Master to grad.
"whom it was the one great effort of his life" (as is
beautifully remarked in his epitaph on his monument
at St. Mary's, Madras) "to imitate." Mr. C. attributed
the success of Swartz to the apostolic simplicity of
the gospel which he preached; and instanced David
Brainerd in America, Swartz and Henry Martyn in
India, and Johnson in Africa, as men of vastly
different births, station, and circumstances, but
with whom the most perfect harmony of thought
and feeling prevailed. They all followed Paul as he
followed Christ. Will the advocates of Ritualist
and Patristic Christianity, or of neology, show us a
single man holding their views who has evinced the
least readiness to undertake the labours of Swartz
or Brainerd, or lay down his life with Johnson or
Martyn ? The lecturer was listened to with deep
attention by the audience. Many were prevented
attending by the inclemency of the weather.