The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-12-03 00:00:00

RESTORATION OF PORTIBRAII

-----
Th. old church of St Peter, at Portesium, width
dates beak some 500 years, and by kagioecopes, aloha;
tad brashots indicates the kind of worthy that wais
originally carried on in it, had Wane owiderehly
dilapidated by the motion of time; end early, Iset year
the patron of the living ( W. Mulled, Req.,) originated
Lb. projeet of restoring the edifies and reeking snob
ebonies in its accommodation as modern ume hu
approved. Before this. however, Ks. Maofield carried
out an improvesseat still more importaat sod intensi-
ties. " The mu of Roes" wee " wear rich on £4O •
year ;'' but, oeiginally the Vicar of Porteshere oat,
removed a tithe of that amount! Ramo years ago it
wee augmeated to £.lO. and subesqueatly the 'Squire
was the thief °attributor to raising its value to L'lloo
• year, the other subseriben being Mies Obey. Grove
and James Crass, Esq, In addition to this, • large sod
extolled *shoetree= um hem buUt by subscription ;
end now the shares is made in every way suitable for
the deoeut worship of God, thanks to the effort. of
Maalleld end the libeality of the parishioners aad friends.
Mho Chart Grove, who owns property at Portesham,
rue the handsome subooriptlon of £2OO ;J, Crane, Esq.
En; W. Moines& Esq., Mrs. Mandell. and family,
£l5- the View (Rev. W. H. Gorton), ; Lord Fits-
hawse., lord of the masa, ; .1. Thresher. Esq..
£lO- Mrs. Caesium, £10; W. Chottirli, Esq.,
ES each from Otto A. Beseeke, Req., W. Spark., Reg ,
R. William, Esq., Rev, Talbot Baker, G. D. W.
Digby, Isq., and T. Swarm. Req. ; sash from Kn.
Tapp and by. Itheola Hawkins ; 2., mob from Mrs.
Beneath Col. Wks Brown, O. H. Rtiodre, Esq., J.
Myer, Req., IL P., sad 001. Steward, £2 sash from G.
J. Andrews, Req. Bev. Mr. Pigott Kiss Mountford,
Mrs. Hawkins, Rev. A. Booboo, O. Start, Esq., M.P.,
Dr. Smith, H. N. Middleeou Req.. Rev. J. Bower, cad
mr• Bees; with ether smaller ooetribatioas, and 1140
from the Dicseseen Amosiattoo, the whole anthaating to
£463 18e. 04.
In additthe to these good works whist* will be of
isestimable limit to AS parish for time to woe. Mr.
Mantled bee restored at his own =pew the carious
Elelletoue oromleth sad the Hardy menateent, both
situated la the parish; and is now engaged in farther.
lag the 'outranks of • Use of railway from Abbotsbary
through PafilataiL, which, he says, "will soon be
made I" If @sew and indomitable pereeveranes will
offset that Alen, we believe it will. Portesham,
though" oat of the world," Is not behind the times.
l h. to Urinated may be trued to the
'maim el by lama or through him, Inc. he has
Wows permute* reddest in the with ; and this
is author theism' of the advantages of having medial
▪ There wee greet rejoicing and festivity in the parish
on the stesseitie of the r..opeolng of the ekstrob. Tits
tower of the sawed edifies wee Wrned with • Sag, and
U various petals la the village were evergreen destoratiens
bunting flying. On ordinary days the population seem
sparse, bet ea Thursday there were sousiderable
number@ la the street, and everyttUng betokened that
greet
Littered ma felt by all ia the procitedap of the
ay.
lt half-poet one then wee service to the restored
ohm*, which was throned with worshippers. It to •
neat stem attesters, lath. Perpendicular elm, and mi.
sista of nave, north and south aisles, and ithuml, with
elute embattled tower. The church was in • vary
dilapidated state before the reetwatiort. It has lbw
resettled throughout with open benches of deal, staled
and varnished, is place of the old Idgb pews width
were 0040 so etromesso. The old whitewash Ins bees
removed ; and the stone &robes and minuets restored.
Tbe old carved pulpit of about the date of James 11.
has been repaired, and plaeod on • suitable pedestal.
The anolont oak omen has aleo been restored. The
sacrarium sod chancel floor is laid with Mlathe and
Co.'s testelated pans*. A handsome stained glue
window has beta placid in (Mose window at the entire
exposes of Miss Grove. The subject lath. Creed:ion.
The old let ceiling of the Woad whisk depended below
the point of the arch and partially wired Um window.
has been removed, and replotted with • ooved
selling with ribs and boson, and bee been
coloured sky blue. The CJWIIIII/1011 rail is of
polished oak, on ornamental wrought iron
standards. lb. old unsightly gallery at the wet sod
hal been entirely removed. But the new benches in
the body of the cherub 000dderebly Worsen the
accommodatioa. In carrying out the work, bout fioe
frescoes wets diesovered on the walls, which Mr. ilan•
Sell had thotograpted before they were removed. A
Winne. leading to the old rood loft vu discovered,
and it has been preserved. The architect was Mr. G.
J. 0. Gregory, of Dorchester; and his deities were
efileiently carried out by Kr. Stevens, builder, ol
Southeaptoa. The tote oast of the work has been
between £5OO and £6OO. So fez nothing has am done
to the exterior, tome of the etone work of which shows
signs of decay; but no doubt by and by. an effort will
be made to restore that. The reading desk, lectern,
sad pulpit hare been armed in the modern mode
On the south side of the nave close to the reading desk
was pleated the otter with ao hammiest near to imp-
port the staging.
In the tower le as exultant peel of six bells, and ,
when they had finished riser* for services, and the
'Squire had doss his butte lad seats for everybody who
ewe In, the clergy in their Purples' (having robed at
the ashootroom) mitred, and • proesedostal peel's was
begun, the soogregatioe all Ming. Me following were
premet—The Yea. Arehdearoon Sanctuary (la the un-
avoidable abalones of the Biemp of oliebury), the Rey.
W. IL Clortest"ffin. L. C. Biggs (Cblekerell), Rev. A.
Gars* (Sieve),
_Rev. C. W. Huy (Dewey), Bev. E.
Headland (Breading), Bev. G. Penny (Abbetsbury),
Rev. C. H. Garet Religion Herring). Rev. H. J.
Green (1211%44b0t1e• atelpl4looeuee. J. Eltophonoon
(_Weymoa k Rev. H. C. (Wyk. Ruh),
Rev. G. Hosegood (Powerstoek). Seeable DelTlo4l
was lateeed by Bev. L 0. fligp.the Vicar and the
Arehdeamm wavy* seats oa either side of the Coat •
.011{011 table. I. this Mlles Yr. Biggs was pertionlarly
=r; and in the psalms width were special and
otas hrit mug with great form Mrs. Slap
kr...lipid the harmonium. Toe choir as tatted
ires with soaskierable swift ; and the pointing
el the satiates tied the pass at which they were sung,
centrists most ihvourablr with the practice of many
tows shushes. Bat, mutmlly tweaking, the intoning
was a fallare ; and, as it was a novelty at Porteshaen
Muck we don't think it Is worth trying main, sod
doubtless the aid familiar reading is math *water
le the sere if most of the peMbiesers, Wides having
the admilege over the stages/mode in "dreamy
otter." • good otd." 1. View v. W. H. Gahm)
read the firet lessen; and the . K. J. Green, of
Waterborne Steepiebte, the weed.
The Dermal was protehed by the Vim. Artedeacem
SAtioraer from Jeremiah 515 L, 6-" This Ii the mime
by which be shall be salad—TM LOUD 000 HIGIIITS.
ottienes." The preachet referred t, tie time at whist!'
this promise of lbs Saviour we. =de to lemel and
Judith, sad its faUllment 700 years later, and the
etertelaty ef our Lord's wood advent, for whisk the
shush Is twastanffir watching. Or the ooateespl•Uos
of His majesty and mercy thee wild not but ask them.
solves what they were, what they might have been,
what they ought to be—of the gleesome privileges and
seem ruponethilities of the Lord's redeemed people.
He is owe by the gift of the Mewl Father—ours by
His own gime and will—eure from the operation of the
= 4Ghtsell-mmet by hie theareatimead birth, Me and
and onoodioa--ours by His soctio-
Hoe sod ever-Nelag laberesedee before the throes on
high—ears Meanse of thee special grope which has
thew es how among the eons if men to keel, know-
ledge al Clod and el Jew Christ oar Lord. " Oar
✓ightioweet"—The gine to us of instilleatim before
God, and if ripittecieseem whisk we bat He sae give
—the Sulam from sin and death—the sae Mediator
betiress God and nian—the man Christ Jesus. We
have redemption Mauls 4ls blood,lorgimoese of ens,
saitoillostien by his Spirit, and such holiness is out-
Wyss as falba maa can bare . He covers oar us.
fieldsman.= with his owe spotless parity, and justifies
es
before His Father. His nuts shall be proalemed In
the earth. and His majesty and mercy shall be the
glary of His Sainte. In so far as we an Was mou-
rned tree to God lead to Christ—true believers in '• the
Led as. righteousness "—His warvante, truly loving and
serving Hiss—in so fares that is the case, we rejoiee
bemuse this How of the Lord has been raptured,
became honour has traly been dorm to His holy name,
bemuse He has thereby been glorified. All that is
worthy of the name of joy among as tee day springs
out of the hearts of tire who Wee the Lord Jesus
Ohrisle-"The Lord our rightssoussee"—ln dewily. This
knowledge and love of the Lord in the fatodation from
which all,that Is Wu and seeeptable to god pear:trek In
ail that we do in the Lord's name wo have great moon
to ask ourselves whether we have the witness of the
spirit in ear eoneolanoes tad in our life that we are
loving and obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. The
prewar of this two-fold love In the hurts of His
servant. has we Men the spring of their rejoins's Is
all things relaidng to the Lord's bow ; and sy it they
are led to love Hbe mom aod more. It in Wu that this
bow of prayer ou which so mush thought has been
bestowed mast like the eneloot temples of Gel and
other things material pees away, but they who have to • I
humble and loving spirit repaired and intended the
home of the Lord their God shall not be forgotten le
Lb. day of Wolatioa, when all formal worshippers and
wifillotgleg builders and repairers shall perish. Lot
them mate to tilt bow that they 'night fiod Him In
all His holy things. Seek to knee Him and to love Him
by using In faith and love ell that is His there—His I
day, His word, His isserameata, His soup , coins to Him
for pardon of aloe, for strength in temptatiou : owe id
all joys to resider thanks, In all sorrows to seek consola-
tion. Let them trouble at the thought of standing '
before time judgment seat of Christ haviim duplex, the
lord and Me holy tidally. The difficulties and I
diyitdone which agitate protease 1 Christian. are no '
fIOUSO for neglecting His wareaods ; their safety
tlOnsipt•i in 4nging heartily lovingly to Joon
Wit *ad doing they knee to he His
I so soda( Hoy • be olt•Altbsb•4 lot 44

themselves, and be made strong to Wog Mims to the
love of Um same Lord. May this HOW, of God be the
blessed meane of drawing assay together with this Gard
of lomi. So, too, in the distressieg metal viva/ins
new so rife, the °sly sure remedy for times e-
nieeM arid divietons le to he found la the an
of oar seamen relationship to Christ oar ammo. Lord
sad Mester, and in the full use of this house with • view
to the preparing ourselves by His gram and mrvagth to
fulfil the Setae we owe to et. another in this lifs with
forbearanos, with jostle ocesideration, sad irith the
never-sesaing prayer that whatsoever yea do It may be
U to the Lord.