The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-12-15 00:00:00

BAPTIST CHAPEL, BRIDGWATER

'TzA AND MALIN Nomura

On Thursday a tea meeting was held in the school.
room attached to the Baptiat Chapel of this town, when
nearly 150 sat down to the sober repast. The roon
wu daunted with banners, and from the number
assembled, it will be Imagined the room was not far train
being full. The public meeting took pleases seven
o'oloek, in the chapel, at which the Rev. Mr. Massa,
the minister, presided. The proesedinp having been
opened with singing and prayer,
The CHAIRMAN mid be bad asked several gentlemen
to wimpy the position be did that evening, but in
sonesquemes el their refusals to do to be had been

almost forced to preside at the meeting. He did not
intend to make • long apeech, because, in the
first plea., it was nct customary to do so ; and,
'roundly, beeause be thought that in adopting such
a course it wu • •ery proper one in Opening
the proceedings of • public meeting. It was the first
meeting of the kind at that place of worship at which
he had attended personally, sod, in the name of the
Sunday-school teat:lel-2,6e thanked them most cordially
for their attendance, and be should take it as a sign of
the interest they felt in the canoe. (Applause.) To his
own heart that work, in which they were engaged, was
ry dear... He
teacher. He
ire becawasu; for some (.7 riry he
his ministerial friends present, and there were also some
laymen present in the congregation he should like to
hear speak during the evening. He regretted the ab-
sence of his friend, Mr. Bounpell, but he was prevented
from attending by illness. [He then read a letter
from that gentleman.] There were, however, he
was pleased to say, several there to cheer them
by their presence, and aid them by their counsel.
He spoke in excellent terms of the Rev. Mr. Cowell,
of Taunton, (his fellow-student at colleted and then
went on to say that the object they had met together
for was to promote and aid the work of the Sunday
school. They had teachers who were labouriog heartily
and earnestly, anti, he might say, they bad as many as
, they required—that was, in proportion to the number
of children that attended. They would, however, like
to have more, but it snout be on one condition, that
they brought scholars with them to teach. (Applause.)
They would confer • great benefit by so doing—only
they most not do one thing, and that was, take them
from other places of instruction. He would call upon
the superintendent of the school, Mr. Whitby, to give
POMO little account of it. (Applause.)
Mr. WHITBY thought be could hays been spared from
ocitrupyirg the position he did, especially when there
IMO sufficient speakers present to engage their time;
bat connected as he was with the Sunday school of that
plane, he felt be ought not to refuse, But before be
proceeded to do so, he would coogratulate their chair-
tith
birthday,le nyu (Loud asindpdp selectedl( applause.) up iis
e .p hl
aluilfml.:), manyso
happened pmbp dy. rt
ah.tauntr nt
he
eo thy
pastor'sir hd which
they
and he was glad to see that on that
occasion he had taken a step in the right directions
(Renewed applause.) fie had been connected with the
nday school for many years, and he was pleased
to aiy. at tLit present time, they had • number
of inaaharit 'who were very devoted to the muse, and
aaliwls to do all they eould. He considered that the
oveneer of educating the children was alliroportant, and
be would remind thou who were engaged in the same
Masson work es himself, that children looked to their
manners and actions, and were taught by them,
as well at from words which might flow from their lips.
Many of their teachers prayed for theirchildren, and with
their children; and if they did so they might be assured
that the blessing of God would rest upon them. They
had more scholars in the school at the present time than
he had known for some years. The room was tolerably
full last Sunday, about 150 being present. (Applause.)
He was very glad Mr. Manes alluded to the fact, how-
ever, that they did not wish to draw children from other
schools in the town; but their aim was to gather together
those who might be found walking in the streets. (Ap-
plause.) They bed thought of holding the public
meeting in the school-room, and even at last it was
admitted to be the moat sociable way; but contemplating
that about seven o'clock many might be pouring in, they
ultimately considered it most advisable uot to disturb
the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said they wished to have a library In
connection with their Sunday ichools, and to that the
proceeds of elutes would be devoted. Recollection would
be nude at the close of the meeting ; but, if any of
them felt great interest in the cause, they would be
most happy to receive their contributions privately.
Mr. THURMAN. of Cannington, then addressed the
meeting. He proceeded to say that every man had some
aim in life; but no man if be were without true religion
bad any object worthy of being gained, however eagerly
he might pursue it. The aim of the true Christians
he considered was summed up in two things--the first
was to serve Christ, and the other to save souls. And
the two things were so thoroughly interwoven, that they
could not suppose one to be in existence without the
other. On these points the speaker dwelt at some length,
and, in speaking, of the proposed library, said if they
could produce in the minds of the children •
loving dispoeition for good books, then, if they were in
a position to let them have them, they would not only
teach them on the Sabbath' but supply them with means
whereby their minds could be fed all the week long. If
they implanted in their minds a desire to read good
books, it would have the effect of bringing them speedily
to the study of God's Word; end if they were not
supplied with the means to which he alluded, they
would obtain books of some kind or another, and the
danger was that the good principles implanted on the
Sabbath would be uprooted daring the week, and the
taste for Bible reading gradually slacken till they dis-
liked it altogether.
Mr. BARER, of Berrow-bridge, next spoke, and IFIIIS
followed by the
Rev. Mr. Cowehh, 8.A., of Taunton, who said he
had been looking at the peak—anti, first of all, it sent
him back to his college life. He thought at the time
they were the happiest days he could positively have,
but he found they were now still better. He went on
to say that it was • source of gratification to him to
meet his friend Mr. 11 unas, and he was sure that if his
fellow students were present that evening they would
greet him in the warmest possible manner. (Applause.)
He then looked back to his Sunday school-days. He
was never a echnlar, but be was • teacher for some
years, and derivesi a great deal of benefit thereby. He
slid not know that be could give them much counsel ;
but he would my, take both your hearts and imagina-
tions into the Sunday school. Children were mo.t
sensitive on these two point.. He found that when his
heart WY warm towards them, they were perfectly
aware of it. With respect to what their pastor had
said about the books it reminded him of the library he
had when he was a child. He hoped they would have
books of imagination, and books of common sum.
(Applause.) In his youthful days there were not many
books besides those which he had in his possession
which were fit for children to read. He was glad that
they were going to buy the books—for he had no faith
in libraries which were made up of gifts from friends.
Having given some good advice to the Sunday school
teachers,
The CHAIRMAN said he was about to ask some friends
to give them some books, and he would tell them that
they not only intended having • library for their
scholars, but ultimately for their teachers. (Hear,
hear.) All the money, however, that remained after
the several expenses had been defrayed would be used
for the former purpose.
The Rev. Mr. SAlMan next delivered an address, and
was suceeeded by
The Rev. Yr. Moat, of North Petherton, who hoped
that, though be was pleased to be in attendance that
evening, his friends then assembled would pay him •
visit the Monday after Christmas-day. He should
'peak to them on what he termed the teachers'
bouquet, which would consist of what he should cell
" sweet peas." The first " pea" was patience, the
second prudence, the third punctuality, the fourth
practice, and the fifth, the most valuable of all, was
piety. On each of these subjects be severally enlarged.
The CHAIRMAN said he theaght they would agree
with him that he ought to have spent a very happy
birthday, and he was sure he had. (Applause.) He
hoped he should spend many more such ones, and he
trusted that the meetings they had had would become
AU annual thing. (Applause.)
A hymn was then sung, and prayer having been
engaged in, and the benediction pronounced, the
meeting terminated.