The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-05-18 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

fin' D.R.V.—Dunn. the Last few weeks. fifteen young
men have been enrolled as members of the Sth Dorset
Volunteers.
THE MARKErs.-10 the matter of the Wednesday and
Saturday markets we are credibly.' informed "that the
is not so black as he's painted: in other words, that She
gathering of fanners and dealers is not so small as was
represented in our paragraph of last week, nor the business
no insignificant as therein described. Well, we are glad to
hear it. Plenty of business, whether on Wednesday or
Saturday, is good for IllarAlford and all the district round,
and it the Wednesday reformers can maintain their
ground and the Saturday conservatives stick by the old
market, why the two may go merrily on all the year
round, and evetybody be gratified. More power to
both parties V. e hear of gatherings at the biweekly
market dinners at the Crown such as former times
have never approached, and our old friend Host
Eyers receives both parties with his ever genial smile
and hearty greeting. The Wednesday ...en, though
defeated at the Board of Guardians, are of pinion that
the majority wa.s so small that the Poor Law Board will
not sanction the alter..tion proposed ; and, if so, victory
will virtually remain with them. S.. they take comfort
We are very glad, however, to find that amid these
differences of opinion there is maintained generous friend-
ship. Too often, when men take opposite views On a
subject. it leads to ascerbitica and hatreds which are
fruitful of ill ; but the good temper and manliness of the
Blandford men have averted such a result, and they do
nothing worse than jest one another about the markets
This is an it should be We wish the Wednesday men no
ill ; on Saturday we are glad to ACV them at Dorchester,
And some of then. fancy a trip to Shaftesbury on that day.
ltut the ffitunlay men, we are told, feel very secure, and
I spito of Dorchester and all the rod, will keep up the
market on that day. While the two ;Artiev are of their
present mind, there sill be two markets a week at Bland-
ford, and when they SZEOII to select one day only we hope
it will be that which will best tend to the convenience of
farmers and merchants and be for the benefit of thin
district . .

FESTIVAL OF PARISH CHOIRS—On Tuesday last a
choral festival was held in Blandford church, in connec-
tion with the Diocesan Choral Aasociation, when about
230 took part in the singing. The church was crowilml,
considerable interest being shown in the gathering, which
is the first of its kind that has ever taken plais: in Bland'
font. The service was announced to begin at four o'clock,
but long before that time at all tloe approxiches to the
sacred edifice there were eager crowds waiting fur adonis-
Mon. The choirs were arranged in the centre pews of the
church, and were in the following order :—Decanii on the
south side, Illandford. 23 ; Blandford St. Mary, 10: Shit-
lingstone, It; Ashmore, 12; Child okefonl, ; Tarrant
Gunville, 13 ; Tarrant keynestone, 15; 4 karlton Marshall.
IT: total 115. Cantoris in the north side, Spetisloury, DI;
Milton Abbas, 2.3 ; I 'hettle, 11l Tarrant Rushton, 12 ;
Pinaperne IT; Tarrant Hinton, Stourpaine, 17; total,
115. As the clergy, robed, entered the budding in prores-
Mon, the hymn, '' Onward, Clonstmn soldiers, marching
AS to war," was sung by the choirs and cougmgation to a
lively tune by Arthur S. Sullivan. The clergy took
their seats in the chaneeL and amongst them we
noticed:--The Rev. Prebendary Daytuan (Shillingstone).
the Rev. Prebendary Farquharson (Langton), the Rev. R.
Watts (itourpaine), the Rev. Francis Smith (Tarrant
Rushton), the Rev. C. Saunders (Tarrant Hinton). the
Rev. J. Lee Warner (Gunville), the Rev. W. 11. A. Truell
(Chettle), the Rev. A. Littlewood (Turnworth). the Rev.
.1. Blunt (SpettisliuG), the Rev. J. W. Cattle (Charlton),
the Rev. J. Mansfield, the Rev. li. C. lte St. Croix
(Pigheblean) and the Rev. Mr. Kennaway (('anfonl). The
544,1, was lull choral, with intonations. The first part
of the no-vice was read by the Rev. C. 11. Pones-Clinton,
curate in charge of the church, and then the special psalms
for the day were chanted. Psalm It was sung to a chant by
Barnby, loaalou 47 to ...Ile by Dr. S. Elvey, and loam w 2 tome
by Sir G..1.131vey. The first lesson having been real by the
Rev. J. Mansfield. the " Magnificat" by Dr. Wesley was
song; and after the second lesson, which was read by
Prebendary Ent anhanion, canoe the "None ISimittis, •
alto composed by Dr. Wesley. The APoatle". Creed. !
prayers, and sentences having been intoned, the anthem
was sung by the choir. The one selected for the occasion
was Sir John Goonis "Oh, taste and see how gracious the
Lord is." This was sung with grand effect by the full
choir of Zel voices. The remainder of the service was
conducted by the Rev. It. C. De St. Croix, Secretary of
the Diocesan Choral Association. Before the sermon
another hymn was sung. "There is a blessed lo 1111 l e
beyond this land of woe," to a tune by Sir G. J. Elvey.
Mrs. FAwards was organist, and Mr. Spinney condom
tor. The preacher HIM the Rev. Fynes-Welober, sub-
dean of St. Paurs, London, who select,d as his text the
112n4 realm Ist, 2nd, and 3nl verses, and the atrium w os
an admirable discourse on church music. The practical
application of the sermon HU as follows :—We have
heard much lately of the different wants of congreeational
music- namely, such as the IMAM of the people are Ado
to join in—sad of the more elaborate compositions, which
can only be performed by skilled MUsisiatlA. Novi let us
learn this maxim at starting—that all such music is good
in its way, in proper places and at proper times. Towns
may differ, but the more we study the subject in a proper
spirit the more the tastes will tend to converge. Me may
be certain that no poasiblo style of music which has ever
served to elevate the spirit, warm the heart, or to saggest
holy ideas to the imagination of any one can be sthrthy
of contempt. When we recommend simple comwegotiowal
music we are met loy the argument that it cannot le good
music, because many of the singers are unskilled sad sing
incorrectly. If we advocate the elaborate in isc of
culture it is objected that the congregat" cannst join,
and that the effect is that of a concert, where tht people
can only listen to a fine performance. The answer to this
is that there is room for both: only the elaborat, music
" should never be attempted unless it can be really well
t done. A part of the service in all congrevation, should
certainly be joined in by all persons. There are nOW an
abundanre of admirable books of hymns, loot versions of
the Psalms which are, with a few exceptions, ol•jectitm-
able as being bad poetry and spoilingthe Psalins,butloy
comps:wit with real poetry, and with their proper tunes
printed on the same page. A very little practise awl a very
little skill is sufficient for any one to join in them, and
nothing can possihly have a more sublime effect t lan one
of these hymns sung by a large body of persons, either in
unison or in harmony, and if, as is generally the case,
there is an organ to accompany, a few unskilksl singers
will not mar the general effect. With regard to the
Canticles and Psalms, the former of which should always
Anil everywhere he sung, and the latter if psoible, it is
not difficult to join in a plain chant. There can be no
difficulty in avert- member of the congregation joining in
the responses throughout the service, which should be at
least in a monotone, to prevent confusion and gabble, or.
still better, in single hannonito, which are now familiar
to all of us. On the other band, the more elaborate
anthems and even services are by no means to Is, neglected,
especially as there is now an immense field for selection .of
admirable compositions, adapted to every description of
capacity and proficiency. Even if the inure sublime
works of Handel and Mendeluohn can be adequately
performed there is no reason why they should not be.
Who that has heard such songs and choruses can say they
are not as elevating and refining as the more simple tunes
which we can sing ourselves? It is not less an act"( worship
to listen to and drink in those heavenly strains than it is
to join in them, and even skilled singers kni ow well bow the
soul can be moved and even rapt by such lista:wing. without
the attempt or even the thought of joining themselves. It
Is • part of education, and most especially to those who are
aware that they have not the skill to join in the perform-
ance of difficult music, to know how to enjoy it and
worship with it in silence. We cannot all play the organ
or other instruments, yet we are variously moved by their
sounds. Why should it not he so equally with the voices
of others who are trained to do what we cannot olio our-
selves I In fact, there is no limit to be placed RA to the
charscter of the music to be performed anywhere except
its appropriateneas to the worship of I :oil and the
capacity of its perforiners. We cannot draw a line and
say that 1111111le of a certain class is to Is, confined to
cathedrals, and that nothing but the simplest kind is to
be allowed in parish churches. All over England in the
priwcipal towns there an; now choirs in moat churches
quite as efficient as those in many of the cathedrals, and
in some even superior. Only we must he careful to
attempt nothing which is not well selected and carefully
studied. Nothing is worse than music of a high class iU
performed. Our object is, mainly, that we May glorify
God both with our heart and voice, both with our lips and
our understanding. The offertory coollectioio amounted to
137 17s. An excellent tea was provided in the Corn
Exchange by Mr. Burpitt, of the Railway Hotel, for the
members of the chows and visitors. The bells rang merry
peals during the evening.