The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-08-21 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH RIFLE CORPS.

On Sunday week the corps attended Divine service at
St. Mary's church. At half-past ten I"cluck the 111C411-
hers funned at the King's Statue, mid marched down St.
Thom:us-street, preceded by the drum and fife band, to
the To nliall, where they were joined by the Mayor and
Corporation, who accompanied them to church, where
an appropriate sermon IWAS preached by the Rev. Talbot
Greaves, the vicar, from Micah 2 c., 8 v." Even of late
my pimple is risen up as an enemy : ye pull off the robe
with the garment froin thou that pass by securely as
men averse to war." In the introductory part of his dis-
course, Mr. Greaves gave the circumstances which elu-
cidated the words of the text, and showed that we were
in • measure placed in similar circumstances. The
Israelites were• peace-loving people, but were threatened
by an invasion by Senacherib, who took advantage of
their undefended state to take them. Notwithstanding
their •veniion to war, however, the limaelites prepared
themselves in the defence of their country, at the call of
the good king Hexekiah, and when the prophets beheld
their :lumbers and warlike spirit, be uttered the words
of the text. The preacher went on to say that lie did
not wish to make • comparison between the Emperor of
the French and Senacherib, yet, every observing person
must be convinced the French nation were not to be
trusted, ies they were a vain and restless people, and it
M. unwise in a great state like England to be left with
unprotected shores. Our inovement for national defences
had called forth a very remarkable letter from the Em-
peror iif the French, in which he expressed his desire for
peace, and the maintenance of an alliance with this coon,try, and lie (the rector) belMved the Emperor was sin-
cere ; hut it must not be forgotten, na stated in his letter,
" his feelings were those of his people, who placed him
at their heal." He did not see how the Emperor could
resist the force of public opinion on the subject of an
invasion of England. Might not the irresponsible head
of an aspiring military nation, tempted by the multi-
tude, as in the last European war, be compelled, against
his will, to undertake projects which, as a man, he might
scout, but which, as a soldier, lie might be inclined to
accept. The French being animated by military glory,
rather than the cultivation of domestic liberty, mum
necessarily bring trouble to their neighbours, and ruin
to themselves. Ile then passed on to review the present
state of Europe, and expressed a hope that that great
AIM glorious man of the present age - 4;aribiddi—might
achieve, and God grant he might, the entire
emancipation of Italy ; and then if Austria and
Germany obtained their frimilinn, France might catch
the contagion and give herself to the cultivat: of that
liberty she had so long preached, but not practiced.
He then alluded to the tremendous nature of modern
warfare, and spoke of the views of those who considered
that the reign of permanent peace would not ensue till
the Prince of Peace came to reign upon the earth. Ile
warmly commended the volunteers who had armed
simply in defence of their hearths and homes, and b.
thanked Gist, that, when his countrymen banded them-
selves together for such a purpose, one of their first acts
was to go to the Ibium of the Lord and lay their
weapons at the foot of the cross to ask the ble.ing of
Heaven on their undertaking. Let them never forget
that theirs was a great and patriotic work. They had
sworn loyalty and fidelity to the queen ; and if needful,
she might send away the whole of her regular army and
place herself in the hands of her chosen volunteers, awl
not a sword should reach her bosom till it had pierced
every heart around her royal person. He thanked the
Weymouth volunteers for the homier they had done
him in appointing him their chaplain, and now let him'
swear them in as loyal subjects of their heavenly
Sovereign. He exhorted them to remember that they
were not taking part in • mere pastime, but in a grand
and impressive national undertaking for the defence of
their country, and that the volunteer movenient must
he perimuient in its character, and niust be upheld by
the common sense and the enlightened Christian feeling
of the people.
After church, the corps accompanied the Mayor and
Corporation back to the Townliall, and afterwards
marched up St. Mary's-street, headed by the drum and
fife band, to the King's Staute, where the members were