The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-12-12 00:00:00

THE RUBRICS, &c.
To the Editors._

The following seem to me satisfactory answers to
the questions S.T.P. put in your last number.
That the word priest means the principal officiating
clergyman, the word minister any aasunant officiating
clergyman, whether Bishop, Priest, or Deacon. In
considering what a Deacon is to read or is not to
read, we must remember the nature of his office,
munely to assist the clergyman, so that a priest is
INIVIIKaIad always to be present. Express provision
is made in the ordinal that a Deacon may baptize in
lite absence of the Priest. Some persons go so far
as to say that a Deacon cannot marry a couple, but
for this there is no authority. The difficulty about
what a Deacon is to do, with regard to the absolu-
tion, if he is officiating alone, is rather more difficult
to answer, because he is strictly forbidden, under
heavy penalties, to pronounce the absolution standing:
whether he might read it as a prayer in the morning
or evening service kneeling is • point about which
persons differ. If complaint were made to any
Bishop, of a Deacon reading the absolution kneeling,
' he would most likely dismiss the case, telling him
not to do so again, and if he persisted punish him
for disobedience. The custom of reading some other
collect has arisen from the confusion caused to the
congregation by the omission. The Collect for the
21st or 24th Sunday after Trinity is perhaps the
most appropriate. Commentators may that in former
days • Deacon could tot say the Vacancies after the
Lord's Prayer, bet that now he may and ought
when officiating alone, and upon the absence of any
direction to the contrary we may conclude that be
ought, and standing ; if it were not so, he could
read none of the Communion Service before the
sermon except the Gospel for the day. After all
there are not many churches where a Deaoon has
to officiate alone, and if he has any misgivings
it is • very simple thing, to write to the
Bishop for advice, so that due order may
be observed without giving offence to any.
If the Bridport goodfolk are to have a new hymnal,
it is a pity that the choice should fall on "Hymns
Ancialint and Modern," for this collection is sure not
to please the majority of the pariah. The collection
which wonlii suit them the beat would be a selection
from "Hymns Old and New," by Mr. Davis, a
Yorkshire clergyman. I wrote some months ago
suggesting to him such a selection; the result I do
not yet know. The Christmas hymn book with
music, published by the Society for Promoting.
Christian Knowledge, is a capital pennyworth. But
of all hymnals I know, the 'Salisbury Hymnal" is
decidedly the worst, and suited only for those
persona who wish to tamper with our Liturgy, and
destroy our Church. I feel very much interested in
the result of the meeting of Monday, on education at
Dorchester. The principal object (for some years past)
of the Government seems to be to do all it can to make
people immoral, bad, and dishonest; and that the
work may be the more effectually done, Government
has gone to the root of the matter by touching our
sohools. See how Government has injured Durham
'University; if you want an instance of harm done
iLivbalsilage schools, take those in my own parish at
bury. Where will you find a more efficient,
working and worse paid schoolmaster than Mr.
'Ludlam? Some half dozen years ago he tried to graft
acat his school an industrial branch, that the lads
night be tempted to stop longer at *cahoot, to get a
practical knowledge about machinery, &c. The
parish turned against him because he got at his own
expense an usher to assist him, but as they said for
bin to shirk his school teaching. He was obliged to
Abandon his scheme, and has not yet been able to
rover from the pecuniary losses thrown upon him.
yis number also of his pupils is dwindling away,
because there are no dame schools for little lads who
of course get no good from pupil teachers at the
girls' school. Yours ever faithfully,
F. J. HULL.
CRANBORNE. •
MATH FROM Ranson-vs Daisseire.— On Saturday
Mr. H. T. Johns, coroner, held an inquest on the body
of Fanny Longman, of the Sheaf of Arrows Inn, who
was found dead in her bed on the previous Wednesday
morning. The deceased was in the habit of drinking
large quantites of brandy, and was scarcely ever in a
sober state. On Saturday night, the 18th ult., she was
is her usual state, and her husband ordered her to go
to bed. She declined to go, and after doing all she
auld to aggravate him, came behind him as he was
-king some ale and pushed his head. She did so
'as spite of his remonstrances, when he attempted
• the rest of the ale at her, and the glass slipping
on the forehead. On Sunday
the mark where the glass had
nd then determined to prevent
Monday and Tuesday she was
oar was sent for and did every.
her. On Tuesday evening she
mother presently wondering
went to look at her and found her
- • strict investigation of the ease,
in aceordanee with the surgeon's
dor- -4 a verdict of " Death from
..eo 4 by excessive drinking.

c for

1101

I expense

oould
drinking
twee in t
to throw
from his
morning h,
struck her.
her drinking.
delirious, anl ,
think he °mad to
fell aalt- -• and
at bar'

struck her ,
le showed t.
- hnsband
the Mo
Skinner
relieve F
her

aideee.
se being so
,—The jo-
b) so,

atioordanee
returned •

cs.nsed

.6 second of a series of Penny
with vooal and instrumental
.he assembly rooms on Tuesday
te the appointed time the room,
one, was crowded to exams, many
- J. K Lyon, Rol.,
_ hers were the Revs.
_
Messrs. G. K Norton and
part of the entertainment coo-
t our ears with feathered spray,"
Dan "llama with great spirit and
z. brnikshank and his choir of
ArL Nicholls, Blakeson and Foot,
Miss Paterson on the piano. The
tit also sang "The Brave Six
st aoseinpeniedliby Miss Paterson
J Macdonald brilliantly rendered
the piano.

BHA.FTII9BI7'

I

obtain idwittaisee.
-^ The readers