The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-06-19 00:00:00

DOIIOIIIIIIT2S.
DOIIOIIIIIIIM Scam. or AIT.—Th• half term of
this School commences on Tuesday .It, and on
the following Wednesday for the day claws. The
new School at the Mostar° is now occupied, and there
Is every proppeot that the art scholars Al gresSly
Increase in numbers.

VISIT OF THE REV. C. SPURGE ON.
In town and country, in the basest centres, and in
the most remote villages the name of Spurgeou has
become a houeehold word. Taking their centre In
the Metropolitan Tabernacle the father and son bear-
ing the neme are the meann of an imm one amount
of good, whether by the preached Word or by the
disseasinatioa of sermons and other Christian literature.
Who haa not heard of Mr. Spurgeon's sermon.? It Is
but recently that we learn as an illustration of
characteristic American enterprise, • greet firm across
the Atlantic have ent,red into a contract with an
English telegraphic agency to deepe'ch wori for word
Mr. Spurgeon's sermons preached in the Tabernacle
on the Sunday, cud which will be in the hands of
Christian American readers by breakfut t:ine on Mon-
day morning. It is little wonder then that the
announced el-it of the able and gifted son of Mr.
Spurgeon should have caused no mall stir in this neigh-
bourhood. All the praise is due to Mr. J. Davis, the
well-lumen local evangelist, who is held in Mr.
Sourgeon's hish estimation, for having hr night about
the visit, and it is right, therefore, that the Viddletren-
tleide Baptist Chapel should be the benefitter by it.
Mr. firtotogoe spoke fird. the Corn Bedlam/8 OD
Tuesday afternoon. There was a large congregations
The service was conducted in the usual way. Mr.
Spurgeon took for hie text the woris—" These thing.
bane I spoken tints you, that my j y might remain
In you. ad that your joy might be full" (St. John
:v., 11). He observed the religion of Jesus Child
was adapted to suit every passion in the humus heart.
"Religion 00000 was designed to make our pleasures
lass." Christianity of the right kind that was,
religion with the most of Christ in it—was the bet
and brightest, and there was more joy in the man who
hat this living within him than in any man lessee-
sing any other kind ..f belief. In so far as
they took hold of Christ they would receive this
joy in their hearts. Let them slog and be happy
then, because Christ hal bidden theca to he
so. But he would not have them happy with-
out holheess. There mite be merriment, but of the
right kind. Some youug Chri.tisns in the present day
mimed to f erica th•on e 1•,.. in the hilarity of their
vVert, and required to be held in with bit sod bade.
should be joy, but not noisy joy. On the other
head be would not advoclte sanctimoniousness. What
they waisted was. in common podeace, the happy
me imam ; they di I not want asceticism or. the one
hand nor liberties on the other, but just te know bow
to live beet to the glory of God. There were come
role who thought se soon as they got • Baptist
Ma, a large umbrella, and • soft bet they were
Christiana, and that if they ski ei at the oorner
of the street and preached the Word, they were
doing God's service. He knew( • good obi lady
who was one of the goody goody kind, and
be wild not go to her drawing-room without her
:11?lug him with • big Bapter under her arm
julaohtlest s text to him. Well, the devil weld do
1111114. To be sanctimonious they must be sanctified,
Plid there was • joy Christ would have them show
ter* sod he bid them never to be ashamed to shine
if they had the light of Christ within them. The
preacher went on to divide his discourse into two
parts, and spoke first of abiding joy—. that my joy
might remain in you ;" and secondly, of abounding
joy-5 sod that your joy might be full." The world
hod its joys, but the crucial te-t he would put to all
*inures was "will they last?" and the only joy that
would last was the joy that Christ bare them, which
was joy unspeakable and full of glory. And joy of
the right kiad would not only abide in them but also
abound; the happy Christians would bec me happier.
Some people called this world • "vale of tears"—he sup-
posed because they did most of the crying—and some
went sofas' as to say it was • "waste howling all kraus"
became, he suppoud, they did all the bowling. It
was • bright ea I blessed world, despite all the
grumblers might say against it. There were three
things that would help them to have more joy—first,
service for Jesus Christ. The lazy people were
generally the mod miserable, those who had nothing
to do did the most emu:l6l6g, awl whenever he heard
any one finding fault with another he always felt
inclined to say t them "You go and do better," and
he had never known the gaun let taken up yet. If
they wanted to 1,. heppy, let them ilo something—
something for -inutile Iv e se. L ely they had been
looking for No. 1. He lii not think he had been
found yet, and be doubted whether if they found him
they would be any the better. If thy looked sifter
somebody etas more than themselves they would have
reel joy in their hearts. Theo if they would have this
joy they should study God's word, and their hearts
should be sanctified by ite Spirit, Might He so suctify
them that at the end it might be said to them, " Enter
thou into the joy id the Lod !"
The benediction closed the service.
At the evening service there was • crowded con-
eregation. • large proportion of those present being
villagers from the sum ituiding neighbourhood. Mr.
Spurgeon preached an eloquent and impressive sermon
from Luke xvi., and past of the Ist verse, "And the
same was accused unto b ice that. he had wasted his g00d.,"
the unjust servant being an apt illustration of all who
rejected the invitation to come to Christ. He spoke
most earnestly iin the subject, using as an illustration
the progress of justice in the Police-courts—' the
scene in Court," " the serious charge," and the "sad
COD•SqueDCOS.
The meeting closed with • hymn and the benedktion.
On Wednesday afternoon Mr, Spurgeon again
addressed another large congregation at the Corn
Exchange, preaching from Acts v., 14.
At the close of the service • tea was held at the
Alington Hall, when there was a numerous company,
though scarcely so many as had been expected. Many
of the principal townspeople (b Rh Churchmen and
Dissenters) had given trays, and the proceedings were
of • very pleasant character. At the close of the tea
Mr. J. Darts expressed the extreme pleasure he
felt it seeing Mr. Spurgeon with them, and hoped his
vhdt to them would be a great blessing in stirring up
th&eo_ple. (Applause.)
Rey. T. Nreve delivered • short address. Hs
hoped Mr. Spurgeon's visit to Dorchester might be
the ground of great souse& He thought if they were
bigger sinners in Dorchester they might be more easily
moved ; but he thought they were • very respectable
lot of people, and it took • great deal to move them.
(Laughter.) Still he thought Mr. Spurgeon had
moved them • little, and he he hoped after be had
gone those who remained would help on the coach.
(Hear, hear.) For his pert he had experienced great
difikulty in moving the people of Dorchester. lie
bore testimony t i the great pleasure he felt in listen-
ing to Mr. Spurgeon'e sermons, and he trusted they
would kindle much enthusiasm in the hearts of the
people. They had great need of self-examination and
• quickening of their spiritual life here, and If enly
Me. Bourgeon enabled them to bring that ab iut they
would be very thankful for his preeence. (Applause.)
He hoped they had not seen the last of him, and that
they would soon see him again. What a grand thing
It would bell he were to give up his church and take
to visiting the villages and the small towns. He
believed by that be would be the means of great good.
In conclusion Mr. Nears hoped Mr. Spurgeon's life
would long be spared, and that he might be • useful
servant of Christ for many years townie. (Applause.)
The Rev. Mr. DALTON (Baptist) expressed his
apprealatime of the kindness be had experienced since
be had been hare. He was exceedingly glad to see
Mr. Spurgeon; he was delighted when he heard he
was amine here. He (Mr. Dalton) had had some
little exietisome-40 yearn—ln the service of Christ,
and he did not think he hal ever been in any town in
England equal to D imbeds: for spiritual deadness.
There seemed to be a great deadness among the pro-
fessing Nonconformist churches, and what it was in
the Establishment he could not say. There seemed
to be • gred want of real spiritual life and activity, so
far as he had bun able to gee from outward oteerva
boa. He did not profess to judge a pima or • people,
sad he should certainly try, by the pace and help of
God, to do what be cool I to cause • little revival when
he come to settle amongst them (Applause.)
Mr. Sanenos, referring to Mr. Heave's remark as
to his leaving his church, add if he were to go to
Greenwich ant any ro he would boon find about 300
people ready to eat him up. (Laughter.) Alluding
to what had been said of the " deadness" of Dor-
chester, be said there was hope even for them if they
hail the power of God with them. (Hear, hear.) If
they believed in the Gospel, which was the power of
God unto salvation, there was not a Dorchester in the
world but whet could be turned upside down, and
there we. not • London but what could be moved—if
everyone were faithful in the work. In the course of
• humorous address be said if ever a Spurgeon was
killed it would not be by kindneas, for it would take
a good deal to do that. (Laughter.) Still they had
done their best, and he thank-al them for all their good
wishes, end ennui by the Word preached they would
be happier in their hearts aed in their souls. it,
alluded to Mr. Dais bo i his work with great affectiou
and feeling, and hope I he would live for ever and •
day, if that would do him any good,if not he must die,
and than he would indeed be living for ever. (Ap-
plause.)
The pleasant gathering then broke up.
On Wednesday evening the Cern Exchange wee
crowded to the outside doors, and 11111ay could not find
seats. Mr. Spurgeon delivered another eloquent and
Wain sermon.