The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-01-27 00:00:00

WYSLICYAN MLSSIONS.

Ur. Riggs of COiselborne, presided at the mooting on
Thursday evening, supported by the Rev. W. Allen, Rev.
J Ltverack, and Rev. Osborne.
Mr. R 14416 spoke first of the great importance of turning
attention to hame, to: too often people looked abroad.
when they needed mush loom to look at themselves and
their families (Hear, hear) kbout eight miles from
Dorchester were four places which contained s population
of 3,000 people and he wished a preacher's house and garden,
a good home missionary among them, and chapels built,
and it would make a very nice little country circuit,
the work could be very well done, and for himself be did
net care whether he was in the Dorotiester circuit, or the
new one. (APPlauen)

Rev. Mr. OenOligg read the report. which slowed that
Mg had been raised for this work in the cirouit last year.
Ihirchester is deaply indebted to the i1.,[10.1 Mission Fund.
bevies received abut £l/38 from it during the past Bre
years. Mr. Osborne went on to spetk of efforts made in
country places to put &men Methodism, by a spt.cies of
limitary, in wh,ch belies were largely engaged. Bat be
believed the storm of bigotry and opposition would be as
Impotent to harm them as the foam was impotent to
harm the rocks that guard our sh•wes. (Applause.)

Rey. W. ALLAN said Mr. Oshorne'd was the best mission
rep.ort he had seer heard. The Home Miasma Font was
the oldest in liethodimo, being established in 1749 by
JoLn Wesley himself, Who would two; take a young
preacher if that young man was in debt. Mr. Weeley
made a rule that every member should give something to
the fund; but some.f the members broke the law, they
would uot, If they could not give 61., give 31. ; or if they
could not give 31., they did not like t, give lid. There is
not • sin practised in heathen lands that is not practised
In Christian Ragland; but there ars not, he considered,
any heathen at home. A large number of people are
employed OD the Sabbath day in the Foot-Office— (be did
net send • letter on Sunday), mid large numbers on the
Lord'. day in barges and canals, on caW and busses, in
selling intoxicating drinks, as policemen, end out of 27
millions of people, there are nine milloos who go to
any place of worship. in spite of the places of worship,
Sunday school teachers, and other agents.
of the Home Mission work. But
Thamhainditressthoewre,wa
shows the
n"gssioobelytween what he considered to be
Home 111/11.0111 etations, sod those which are so-celled.
For butanes,
_Chard and Lyme Reg* and others, are said
to be Home Mission stations, and they had been so ever
since he had known them; very good they were; but he
pointed out that work among those who fio not know the
LOTU may be Home Mission work that every one tan do.
(Applause.)
Rev. J. Lavmucti spoke of work among the Arm/ and
floral Navy. Some people fancy soldiers and sailors to be
afttrang• :cart of men, whom you cannot get near to at aili
but • little acquaintance taught him they were not very
different from civilians, and no worse in general than the
oleo front which they came out. Of course some of them
were a strange sort of men; but so it wee with all rise...
If we brought all the shoemakers together, all the froccra,
or the tailors, we should find some no better than they
, ought to he. True, • good many of them get into prison;
but it takes little to get into a military prison; if • man
gave a saucy look at his officer. he might perhaps get into
a military prison; but there are also saucy people outside
the army, and if all the saucy people outside were locked
up, even Wesleyan ministers might find their congregs-
tione thinned. He told of the Soldiers' Home at Alder-
shot, where papers, games, and books we supplied, and
soldiers have opportunity for private retirement, in order
to pour out their heart to God without interruption. Every
now and then, the blamed privilege was youchad.-ti of
witnessing • conversion. In a fort occupied by the Royal
Alrtillary shout ten had decided for Christ, and the
sitiw told the history of two or three conversions.
men when oonverted, set about doing work for the
, Lord; many are very useful; one in the 43rd regiment
has asked teach of the 3) men living I. his room to come
! with him to the Soldiers' Home, and has had the pleasure
of lowing all but one join him. An engine-room artificer
on board the Hercules seemed to be the only one on board
the ship to do work for God, and he was the mesas
. of calling 411 to the Lord'. side. Another bed been aor,
eartag in & foreign land, the young woman to whom he
was swaged was converted also, and they were the means