The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-07-10 00:00:00

ANNIVERSARY OF THE AVALANCHE MEMORIAL.

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The anniversary ',Moss in oonnection with the
Avalanche Memorial Church took place on Tuesday
In weather that was all that could be desired. Tk.
day's proceedings commenced with Divine service (full
choral) in
its best, t
whilst the he
grise beautiful Lilt uhuulwel
hues • f the 'UMW windows. The service) was USW
to 00111m40011 at three o'clock, and by that time the
riburon was well filled. The cleisty who took part a
the service were the Bev. J. A. Beim ar (Rector of Pon*
laud), Rev. A. D. Wilkins (Rector of Cathistock), HipT,
A.. Hill (Preston), Rev. G. 8011-Southwell (Chetnole).
Rev. G. Meister (Curse of Powerdook), Re..pr.
Fairbeirn (Curate of Evershot), Rev. T. Bell Salter
(Curate of St. John'o, Weymouth), and the Rev. J. B.
Palmer. The Rev. G. Meister conducted the first
portion of the service, and the Rev. F Fairbaire
the second pert. The first lemon was read by the
Rev. A. Hill, and the second lesson by the Rev.
W. Appletord.
The hey. A. D. Witetes preached the sermon,
and took for his text, Psalm xxxvi., 7—" How
excellent is thy loving-kindness, 0 God I therefore
the children of men put their trust under the shadow
of thy wings." In the COWIN) of a powerful dies
conres,the rev. gentleman mid in olden times when the
people wished to oommemorate some signal event,
they were w .nt to build alters and sacrifioe to then
God. They did this as a token of God's supremacy,
and signified their devotion to His service, and eo
in precisely the same way they build churches is
them later ages. This beautiful church, this lovely
little church, in which they were gathered that day
was in precisely the same manner an expression of
their devotion to Christ's service's. He could conceive
nothing better than dedicating this little house of
prayer to Him, whose way was on the sea and whose
footsteps were upon the waters. To him there was
something exqukdtely touching in this lovely church,
where the people on this rough rocky promontory
could come and find rest and calmness in the chorea
which had been erected as the memorial of • terrible
shipwreck off their coast. Every material fabric such
as this reminded na of the church of the living God,thal
wonderful temple of which the Lord Jesus Christ is
the corner stone; that wonderful temple that rises up
whilst men were engaged in business and pleasure,
whilst kingdoms ides and fell. That wonderful temple
was Hang up in their midst in glory. This temple
was being built by souls, day by day. He warned
his hearses against saying any one was lost, for it
was with the greatest poseibk difficulty for a soul
t 3 be lost, lest by PO doing their own actions might
be opened to suspicion. He d.d entreat them to be
very careful as to who they epoke of S 4 beilag
He asked them to bear in mind that when they
came into this house of prayer God was with them,
and into this fair of home of prayer oad sends
down his ang-ls. who w atche th.ir devotions and
then wing their way to the throne of grace, and may-
be tell of one other soul who had been brought to
salvation. It was said that now-adays distance was
annihilated. so the distance between man and God
was annihilated, and here thee bee the exprese;,,,
of it, in a church like this. Here it IMO that God
who was so high comes down sod meets He people.
Here it was that the Lord Jesus Christ comas ere apt
His people, and hers it was that the Holy Spirit was
shed amongst them. The Church teaches us that
those whom they had lost bad only gone before, and
that it will be but • short time before they would meet
again. The rev, gentleman conclud d an excellent
sermon by impressing on his hearers that now they had
• church in their midst they had • greater responsi-
bility than before.
The musical part of the service was as follows
Processional Hymn. 434, Ancient and Modern;
Precis, Talus; Psalms 46 and 48, Godson. Dupuis;
hlagnificet, Gregorian ; Nunc Limit. is, Gregorian ;
Hymn 403; Hymn before the sermon, 274: Hymn
after the sermon, 445; Recessional Hymn, 222. Mr.
H. W. Smith prodded at the organ, and the singing on
toe whole was remarkably good.
As we have before said, the church was beautifully
decked with the ch.doest of dowers, placed there by
loving friends, in whom hearts the Impression is WU
left if the awful disaster by which they lost kindred
and friends. First and foremost in this labour of
love was Mrs. Downinr, of London, sister of Mr.
Bennett. one of the victims of the calamity. This
lady, with other friends, had COMO down to Portland,
bringing with her • profusion of flowers, which were
deftly made up into wreaths and crow's and distributed
about the church. Mimi Golthorpe, Miss Peal, and
other friends f the Bennett family alio sent wreathe
and flowers. We here give a short description of the
decorations individually. Upon the font of the
pulpit was • single wreath of roses and pinks with
maidenhair ferns. Upon the lectern • vast amount of
core had been bestowed. Upon the font was •
magnificent wreath of water lilies and maidenhair
fern, whilst upon the pedestal were two crease. of
choice lowers, and a large nosegay at the foot. Upon
the altar were two vales of orange blossom and gc.flot
geraniums. The splays of the east window were filled
in with a ground wrk of m so, and a border of ice
me.. upon which were some splendid roma, whilst at
the back were pat flowers, comprising (nobles, aftc. The
north chancel win low was decked In a similar MMAYOC.
On the three south chancel windows, the memorials to
Mr. Bennett, an extra amount of care had been
bestowed, and the appearance of the windows fully
repaid Mrs. Downing for the trouble taken. Inc
window was a groundwork of moss, upon which were
scattered bunches of flowers and maids hair fern, and
in each window • begonia or some other flower in pots.
The centre window was further beautified by • wreath
of choice Noisette roses. The windows of the nave
were ale, beautifully decked with moos, maidenhair
fern, flowers, crosses, and wreaths. The large west
window was also decked. Mr. J. C. Lean. with his
usual kindness, lent the many choice plants and
flowers in pats, which were distributed In various
parts of the sacred edifice, whilst his gardener, Mr.
Blythe, superintended the arrangement of the decora-
tions, as he has kindly done since the church woe
built.

-Mier the service a public tea was held in an adjoin-
ing field and was largely attended,tbe lovely view of the
Channel, bestudded with vokels, enhancing the enjoy.
went of those present.
At six o'clock another service was held In the ehurch.
The order of service was as follows :—Processional
hymn, Nl5 ; crease, Tillie; Psalms, 99 and 103,
Fussell and Sir Frederick Ouseley ; Cantata Domino,
Sir Frederick Oneeley; Dens Miserestur,Sir Frederick
Ouseley; hymn, 285; hymn before sermon, 191; hymn
after sermon, 235; receseional hymn, 228. The Rev.
Canon Stephenson (it. John's, Weymouth), delivered
a very el Inept and Impressive sermon from a very
appropriate text for theoccadon, "And He saw them
, toiling in rowing," Mark vi., 48 v. Both services
were wen attended.