The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-08-26 00:00:00

ARMY 80RIPTURE READERS AND 80L0IER8'

FRIEND 80CIETY.

Tbs annual ma'am in commotion with this useful and
admirable institution was held In di. Mares Schoolroom
on Tanis, 'yentas. when. conelderieth that the weather
was decidedly unfavourable to Indoor gatherings. the
skaggenee was good. Colonel Carey presided. sueported
on the platform he C in in Stephen' in, C 'heel Stapler
booth, and Major Seemed Poole. The hymn "Ito. sweet
the name of Jitruil 'omits having boon song, sod Pr
olfsnal by the Canon. the CUM 11111 AS celled on the
lir Meurer for hie report.
Calomel ikon then read his annual statement, which
thowed that the t tel receipts amounted to AO 17s IM,
bad, alter the expenses had been defrayed, lb. mem of
£3O 7.. id. bad bees remit-ed to the society. When con-
pared with last yair's remittance. this apparently vs. •
Priam felling off, but ha showed in reality there was
osly a deb:decoy on the year of Ja li. 21. Refereed
las walk. d the sootetr, the Goiomel sold its nuns was
The winficrloture Reader. and S Adler.' Friend
Society" and, sr an old soldier. ho liked the sound of
Ithat. He believed they were all friends of the army and
Davy. for at every convivial gathering the toast wee
proposed and cordially received. What was the Govern-
ment dotes at the preeset moment for the soldier I IS
certainly fed him, housed and clothed him well. for if
they looked at tbe barrack, they saw they were capecions
end thalikr, and greet pains was *TUN'S, liken with
the alum In India there was always as upper storey, so
that the solder might sleep cool and he healthy. Then
awe was alms. • schoolroom, reeding-room good
Si aspirate. Ave. courts. racquet courts, crime% club., and
acesemosate of all Kitt; so that, bookie* at it from a
philanthropic point of view. there was little left for the
00eernereeS to do for the material and well-ts Ong
of the soldier. But he thought the 'QUM was entitled
he ill this, for did not Ito and the sailor take care of our
country, our homes, and our omaniorco, and, In fact, if
, wee needy to glee ht. 111. for them I
Litboogh th• Governmeat we. doing all this for Vie
mstertai and teen pore! good of the soldier,
Tot for his spiritual aid there wee mu,h tg;
be done. He granted there were military ottaplains
mpointed, and they often found officere of all ranks who.
by their infineeoe and example, did much good Yet
there wee • great deal yet to be done ti lead the soldier
to • knowledge of Ciabt, *ad of His sale•tioa. It vs to
help the soldier in this way that some 29 years ago this
sothety was first started. Titers we.• now 111 reader. at
home sad abroad, and II find. would only allow it he wee
sere there woeld be many more. and there would be
exlra readers to go with the force that was about to be
Peat to Southern There used to be as old Idea
that Obriatiaalty =interfered with the Wilkes doing
hie duty than otbsowles ; but, he was thankful to say, that
Idea wee exploded sow. and It was now agreed that the
rtwho learned to live so that he nolskt know bow to
s one Mao, by his rumple sad lailassoe, was sure
ID do good to all sr mad hire. It we. Ter( certain, that
=drinking, callouses* In regard to death or
wore not nemestry attributes of the bravery of
• whaler. (Heer, hear.) It had been thought and setd by
some that the soldier was inaccosible Whetter infloonoee.
Thu wee swain • 'teat mistake, and he mandated that
their own reader. W. Statham had aims in his loug
agpathases met with any insult or disrespect, but had
always bees welcomed. The seedier. they meet remember,
bad • most Mantis life to lead. If it were ddieult for
Froe of those preeset to lore pure sad mildews line.
wore nom Masa Wes it for the wither, for ieID wooled he OM at afikh be would se
fa the bens* row by time who would jeer

and scoff at him, aid interrupt him. Yea he believed
them very soldiers who laternmiel him, m their haule
trusted him, arid would always behind his bock speak
well of him. Ailading to the financial condition of the
society, C done' Si It •al i he arse etre melt son" to reed
that at toe Exeter Hall toutind th. trurrer announced
for Use first time since the ottroir wont of the society, it
mu in debt to the amount of £4OO. TPefil was only one
meaning to Mat—, I. the cutting off of som of the
readers, miler Ibis amount was mods up. Therefore he
earnestly asked all who more there that night to brio es
much u they could.
Major POOLS next delivered a highly interisland
address. U. agreed with Colonel Scott as to the provision
made by the Government for the tempofal riiiirestrste
of the soldier. But it was the special privil.•• of God's
PeoPle to provide for those who knew Him not, The
Government did provide a certain staff of ministers of ths
gospel, but when they considered what th• needs of the
services were be thouaht they would ORM er,th him it
was abeolutely insufficient. Still if ths Govern ...ant was
to increase ths number of ministers thrriold, that would
in no may inter(' re with the usefuluesi of tit- reader. The
reader was absolutely irrotial, and he quoted the tot-
moo7 of the late Bishop Claughton that the reader coold
go where no chaplain could. He mint °cud that on
important petition bad been presented 1 the !imam of
Convocation. dirac 'in/ attention to the spiritual cenditios
of the soldier, the hideout* provition made, sad the
Importance that the thousanda of young man who now
passed throueh the osiers under the short service
autism should hum the privilege of soma improved
ertem of relisious training. its (the speaker) aid not
Isiah to detract fro oc the value of the chaplain • work, bat
the work of the reed -r mu tlully distinct. Hs referred
to the insufficiency of church accommodation for the
soldiers. and spoke of the value of the Carrion soldier as
a missionary agent The Major's address visa lutist...pinged
with rims pleasing anecdotes, illustrative of the erre of
the emir,, and the CONI effected by the workers and
friends of the society.
. .

Aft,, a few remarks from the CUAlliel and Canon
Sranortairt on tbn eace.tent oiiitot f the society. the
proceeditles terminated with the Bee.diction.