The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-25 00:00:00

FAREWELL TESTIMONIAL TO THE
REV. GEORGE ARDEN, M.A.

On Saturday evening the inhabitants of the three
parishes of Came, Whitcoinbe, end Herringstone, WSW-
bled at Came Home, for the purpose of paying a fare-
well tribute to their highly respected and worthy rector,
the Rev. George Arden, H. A., who for the last 11 years
has fulfilled the onerous and responsible clerical duties
of the large district in a way which has won universal
good will and secured the abiding admiration and
esteem of the parishioners. So great, indeed, is the re-
gard with which the rev, gentleman has inspired his
flock that we understand every individual parishioner
from the humblest to the most wealthy contributed to
the testimonial which on Saturday evening was pre-
sented to the rev, gentleman and hi,s amiable lady. Soon
after seven o'clock a large saloon opening upon the lawn
at Caine House was filled by persons resident in the
three parishes, when the hospitable and popular occu.
pant of the mansion, Captain Seymour Dawson Darner,
ALP., who had but just returned from town, on appear.
ing, in company with the honoured guest of the evening,
WAS very cordially welcomed by the assembly. After a
friendly greeting Capt. Damer took the chair, and by
his side, on the left, sat the Rev. G. Arden and Mrs.
Arden ; there were likewise preeena . D. Bayly, Esq.,
and Mrs. Bayly, of Herringstone, with Messrs. Arthur
and Alfred Elton; George Arden, Esq., and Mrs. G.
Arden, of Weymouth ; the Misses Arden, of Dorchester;
Mr. A. L. Cooper, of Whitoombe ; Mize Grimwood,
Miss Groves, of Knighton • and Miss Seal.
Capt. DAMES, M.P., said he could not tell those present
how happy he was to attend this delightful meeting. On
the preceding evening (Friday) he feared he should not
be able to return to Came in thus to do honour to Mr.
and Mrs. Arden, towards whom feelings of the most
kindly character were entertained by all. Every one
present knew the pleasant duty to be performed, and in
the first place he would call upon Mr. Bayly to address
the assembly.
T. D. BATLY, Esq., was sure all would agree with him
in congratulating themselves upon the presence of their
excellent host, Capt. Darner. Having been in London
with the hon. member he (Mr. Bayly) could testify to
the great apprehension the Captain was under that he
should be unable to be at Caine that night, on account of
his parliamentary duties, and he wrote Mr. Bayly a most
feeling and kind letter, assuring him that were he (Capt.
Darner) not able to come amongst his friends at Came he
should not forget those friends, expressing himself
anxious not only to see all who were present—as he al-
ways was—but anxious to do honour to their excellent
and amiable, and most kind rector. He (Mr. Bayly)
need not name the purpose for which they had assem-
bled, for of course all knew they were there to do honour
to the revered object of ovation. They had met on •
pleasing yet painful occasion; they were assembled to
chow and publicly testify their respect and their love
towards one who had been their friend and their pastor
for many years. There was not, he believed, a single in-
dividual in the three parishes of Came, Whitcombe, and
Herringetone, of which their valued friend was rector,
who did not bear to that gentleman the kindest and best
feeling, respecting him for his amiable, his good, his
eminently Christian qualities, regarding him as their
friend, admiring him for his upright, consistent, and
straightforward conduct. Mr. Arden was not the merely
nominal clergyman of those parishes, but the active
actual clergyman, still doing his duty wherever it
might be, whether in the sick room or in the house of
the friend—whether rich or poor. For himself he (Mr.
Bayly) could speak most feelingly, because he had not
only had the pleasure of seeing him under his roof—
would that it had been more frequently—as a friend
and guest, but as a comforting friend in the hour
of distress and affliction; he had seen him there in the
room of sickness, in the room of death, and as well as
any one present he henoe knew bow to appreciate their
rector's excellent character. Were that gentleman absent
he (Mr. Bayly) would say more on this point, but being
present made him hesitate to say what he would other-
wise state, for Mr. Arden had that diffident modest feel-
ing, which would be rather offended if he (Mr. Bayly)
were to say on this occasion all he felt. However, he might
venture to tell that gentleman thus much—that every
one present was gratified at having an opportunity to
show the respect, the esteem, and, he might add, the
affectionate regard which were felt towards him. All
would permit him (Mr. Bayly) to assure their rector
that in the name of those preeent, they were really glad
at having this opportunity of publicly expressing their
sentiments towards him, and also at giving him some-
thing like a token, or more substantial symbol, of that
regard—something to enable ohm not only to bear in
mind, but bear in sight, which he and his family might
have before them, as a small souvenir—a trifling earnest
—of the kind feeling they possessed towards him. In
thus conveying the feelings of the company to their
friend, he (Mr. Bayly) had not said what he might have
uttered had Mr. Arden not been present, but his heart
was full; and in not saying more, it was because he
considered it might cause pain to the rev. gentleman.
In endeavouring to convey this slight token of regard to
their friend, the parishioners acted in a spirit which
would prove most gratifying to the worthy recipient.
For as Capt. Damer would (Mr. Bayly was sure) remark
presently, on looking over the list of subscriptions to the
little memento of their esteem, and on finding that
scarcely en individual—there really was not one in the
three parishes—who had omitted to give a subscription
to the testimonial, it could not but be most gratifying to
see that there was a unanimous feeling of respect, and
that manifestation would be as much valued by their
friend as the more substantial offering. Their excellent
host, Capt. Darner, however, would say smoothing more
suited to the occasion when he made the presentation,
and he (Mr. Bayly) would only, in addition, ensure their
rector that when lie just now said this was not only a
pleasing but a painful duty he was performing, all felt
as regarded the painful part, they were about to lose
a friend whom they highly venerated and loved; and
in the name of all present he assured Mr. Arden that
they parted from him with feelings of the deepest regret,
trusting that his place might be filled by • successor who
would fulfil the duties of the office as ably in every
respect, and as efficiently,plised
y
had Zhe irh numberlessr
co duties
All
hoped to see him yet frequently for some brief time to
onus, and in the name of the inhabitants of the
three parishes of Caine, Whitoombe, and Herringstone,

and in the haute Of all present, he bide Mt. Arden
an affectionate farewell. (Applause.)
Captain DAting then rose and said—that he did
think, as Mr. Bayly had rightly 01:Nerved, the
most pleasing value of the testimonial consisted in the
extended number of suhscriptiona to it, The hit vet),
plainly showed that every body had spontaneolisly given
soinething. He would not advert to the sum there
was a stun fur instance of three pence, and even that
had the potency of the widow's mite—but the array of
names must be most gratifying tit Mr, Arden, as eviden-
cing the value of the real regard in which lie *AR held.
He (Captain Damer) did not care for the plate intrin-
sically, and he was eure Mr. Arden did not, but he cared
for, arid highly prized the names. He could not say
more, and indeed their feting klwards Mr. Arden were
so thoroughly and so generally entertained that he need
nor dilate 11110 n them. At the same time, an d Wave-
sor had been alluded to—and he was sorry to nay a suc-
cessor must coins—he could only hope the office would
be filled as efficiently and in a way to win esteem like
that borne to Mr. Arden ; and, as the gentleman was his
(Captain Darner's) cousin he could not oonsequently
speak more of him, but trust he would gain approbation
like that given on s, late °session by the Bishop of Salis-
bury to Mr. Arden, who observed that the best wish his
lordship could form for that parish was that a successor
would be like Mr. Arden. He (Captain Darner) did
not know that the right reverend prelate's opinion was
needful on the occasion, but he would supplement Mr.
Bayly and testify to the courtesy, the zeal, the kindness,
the friendship to every one, so constantly evinced by
Mr. Arden. He (Captain Darner) had not always been
with them, having been obliged to be absent in foreign
countries, yet he could say—strange as it might seem—
that he had known Mr. Arden longer than any one. He
believed he had known the rev, gentleman for twenty
years—and he was only a few years older himself—and
through those years he had witnessed their friend in
every position, in every office, in es ery fulfilling his
duties to satisfaction, helping his neighbours and friends,
manfully labouring at every obstacle until he had ar-
rived at that summit—the centre of his hopes—a meet-
ing like the present. Captain Darner then, referring to
the list of subscribers, read many of the names, and
taking the testimonial in his hand, presented it to Mr.
Arden in the name of all the parishioners, as a token of
their kindness towards him. The hon. gentleman also
read the inscription, adding that he hoped the plate met
with the wishes of the numerous subscribers.
[The testimonial consists of a very chaste solid silver
inkstand of • plain Elizabethan pattern. It is a re-
markably elegant piece of workmanship though quite
free from ornamentation. The dish is 13 inches in
length, and contains two ink bottles, between which
rises a taper-stand, surmounting a wafer box. On one
side of the tray is the rev. gentleman's crest and coat
armour, very beautifully engraved, and on the corres-
ponding portion of the dish on the opposite side, also
nicely engraved, is this inscription

TO Till DIV. GEORGE AIDEN, M.A.,
EDITOR OF CAI, WIIITCOMIN, AND lIIIRINGITONE,
IT HIM P.I.BIIIIIONER3,
IX TOKEN OP TOXIN AFFECTIONATE REGARD AND MATZEN,
AND IN