The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-06-02 00:00:00

WHITCFIURCH OANONICORIIII.

TRR REV. Si. WK, PAILSOL, BART.—The gent/omen
who styles himself the Rev. Air Vim. Palmer, Bert., is
the Rev. Wm. Palrhat, Vicar of White:6omb, Dorset.
His father, who called himself "of Streanistovra, on.
Westmeath, Lad lovermore, co 1114,o," died is 1855.
I believe 'het he claims dement from the Pelmers,
baronets. of Wingharn, through ore Henry Palm-r,
who is sad as the family monoweet et Winghsm or
welch se...y isle my psalteries) to bare "died yams."
His 10,08e04, thereon, is es mask a Betio& se that of
the Rev. kr Wto. Maas Marmi.—"Eissa Maas Is
Nola mod Quoin.

CHORAL FESTIVAL AT WIMBORKE mrtorraa.
Wednesday was a high day for tlbose of the inhabitants
of Wimborne and neighboaritood who take an interest
in promoting the oultivatioa of cherub muds, the
weadon being • festival of the wish *Lc*" y'ini****ll
that portion of the &fishery 131000•411 Chord Assoda-
ta°46o4l2ol:lled is the Wimborne didrith The tiroe,
the , and the gratifying result of the day's pro-
asediaga, all tend to leave • happy and joyous feeling
In the minds of those who were presidia The del was
ushered Is by a many peal from the Koster bolls, from
talyower of width waved the English ensign; and,
deer added, the thee when the members of
his**, 111061111. the tows pee/anted • lively upset,
ettaireeling sigsagly with its githerally quiet character.
The send" erionmeoced about 12 eslock. Those
abode wearies surplices assembled with their respective
ekroymen in the crypt, and having robed, proceeded in
on to their appointed pleas in the Master, the
go°e
IPutlle and Long&et choirs taking the north sidle,
and the Felicitous and Winiboone the south. These
choirs were placed in the chancel, and took the cantoris
part, and the unsurplieed choirs, to whom was allotted
the dread pith were placed in the nave. In singing
the Benedodue the first four verses were sung 'ay the
Wimborne and Longeeet choirs only, and then the rest
took up the strain. As she procession moved on, the
verses were sung alternately by those on the north and
south aisles, and on meeting together in the nave they
In double file, singing in fall thorns. The
Ctelatalver of the vend were sung full. The clergy.
Mee followed th single file through the aisles, and double
I.t the nave to the dismal. Those present were
• Rev. Prebendary Fsrealdracia, Rector of Langton
(the preacher), Rev. Prebendary (bestow, Winiborne ;
Rev. H. B. Visard, Spetithery ; Ray. J. Mansfield,
Blandford St. Mary; Rev. J. Watts, Stourpeine_t Rev.
R. W. ilunsptre, C,orfe Mullen; Rev. H. Wynne.
Whitechursh ; Rev. F. A. Riker, Gododustone ; &v.
G. L Huh, Tothoddle •' Rev. K. Heath, Lytohett ;
Rev. J. Percival, Hamworthy ; Rev. H. I'. Cookealey,
Wimborne; Rev. H. Good, Wimborne; Rev. G.
Phillips, Winfrith The latter gentleman conducted
the service, which was choral throughout. The follow-
ing choirs took pert in the service :—Blandford 19,
Blandford St. Mary 7, Canford Magna 16, Constitution
Hill 16, Cranborne 14, Guesses All Saints 18, Kinson
10, Langton 3, Longfiest 20, kstone 12, Spetisbury
and Charlton 22, Stourpathe 21, Tolpaddle 14, Wien.
borne 24, Winterborne Whitehureb RI; total 236.
The musiothiervies was partly the lams as last year,
namely, the Proceseigapl Hymn, thePreod, Litany and
Nkomo Creed and Grease; but the published order for
to-day did net soatein say portion of that of 1867. The
movies was as folders :—Prosessional, Benediate,
Oginia Opera, sth toss. Red ending' the Prides, Tallis ;
Vend*. Dr. Wares; Nelms Ur the day, D. W. Hayes;
Te Deem, Ambrosias. commenotid in unison by men's
voices alone ; &mediates, Gregorian, 7th tone, 3rd
ending; Anthem, Praha ilia, "Gad is gene up,* Dr.
Croft; Introit, translated by the Rev. jr; Kehl.. and
arranged by C. H. Morgan; Kyrie Eidson, Dr. Monk;
Nicene Creed, music frogs Mr. G. 8.. Carter's Pilaw
(by permission); hymn before sermon, 190, Salisbury
Hymn Book,' Le. God is here, lot us adore," Melds ;
alter sermon and during offettory, "Endless Alleluia."
.1. Hereby ; Prootopiond, "Afield', laud, and honour,"
St. Theoduipt. The service was most dila' aptly
rendered. The altos were especially good, and the
alteination of cantons and deiced was very striking,
indeed the festival must have more than satisfied the
mod sanguine expeditions of its promoters, wit fullr
justified the reinsoks of the district secretary (the Hoe.
end Rev. W. Ponsontiy) at the dinner, that it wax one
of —U not the—best which bed aver been held. Where
so many different voices are brought together without
having had any opportunity for united precede.. and
without even a rehearsal. it cannot be expected but that
some will ba a little deeded, bat on Wednesday this
was scarcely discernible, and, under such erannistantes,
It is highly credit•ble to the choir masters and the
choirs, that so long, and in some pedal so difficult, a
rerTiee should have been so admirably sung. Kr.
Whitehead Smith arranged the service.
The sermon was preached by the Rev. R. Farquharson,
who selected so his text, Ephesians, v., It, 19,
and AX—" And be not drunk with wise, wherein is
excess, but be filled with the Spirit, 'peaking to your-
selves in psalms and hymns, did. spirituel songs.
singing and making melody in yoer hearts to the Lord,
giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jews Christ." There
may seem (said the prewher) to an unthoughtful
reader but little or no oonnexion between the firm
and second parts of the tit. But inn:Witt it forms one
glorious alter on whil the sweet derides of thank.-
giving and praise may be laid. And the Ephe4ans
doubtless, from their sequairtance and once participa-
tion is the cuitom of their times, well knew what was
pdaing in the Apostle's mind when he thus wrote.
Indulgence in •n deed of wine to thet extent that
their sensations were unduly exhilarated was • common
fault. At such times their fictitious and ciarnal joys
found a vent foe its exuberance in singing the praises of
Sambas, god of wine, and in giving in the measured
cadence, utterance to vile thoughts and sinful desires.
And yet though joys of this kind could find no imitators
and no deloused in the Christian ranks (Chridianity
and temperance, the use of God's gifts without their
abuse, being cognate terms) the Apostle was aware that
there are occasions in the life of the bell ben the
inward soul under the excitement of love experienced,
and mercies tasted, and good thing' received, and
traded made sure, knows not how to restrain itself in
the silence of an in ward devotion, but mud
lift up its void in the words of ends with the
cheering melody of the minstrel's are For the harmony
of spiritual song seems to be a special gift bedews I on
l some for the special edification of God's people. It may
I be that en angel sent fresh from the celestial choir,
, often whispers into the ears of the musician, as he
plies himself to his task, some portion of • heavenly
ethane which nifies4e. the ground-work on whic
m th h
huan at may es a itself, help to lift up the
mud from earth to lee n. The power of music on the
mind of man is wonderful. Under its influence, hoe
various ars passions which have been evoked I How
various are deed of good and evil which it has originated!
At rile time, it has stirred up to actions of patriotic
, valtd• ; at another, it has melted the obdurate
and trod, and stayed their purposes of vengeance
end bared. But the world has not had it
all for itself. The Christian church has witnessed
Ike effects, has recorded its triumphs. There
are, brethren, in its treasuries those airs which
meta so touching in the effect, to speak to as of God's
love and compassion, and anon of His power and his
might. Then sre thins which help' I believe, through
grass, to lift up the troubled soul to higher and more
cheerful thoughts. There are those, which even n the
promiscuous assembly, bow the hearts of the hearers
as the heart of one man, driving out for • time the
world within, and giving them, lile to the disciples on
Tabor's mount, a foretaste, thou/hotheads:id, dam I but
a pasalog one, of heaven. It was then, in reference to
the fed, that praise and song are the outward expres-
sions of • joyous heart, that the Apostle exhorted the
Ephesiaas not to let
the
be engendered by sin,
but the offspring of • Holy Spirit filling the
heart with love, and pates, and hope. "Be not drunk
with wise, wherein Is doom, but be filled with the
spirit." We would have rou know' brethren, that true
religion doe, not cloud the brow, does not cheek the
sensation of joy. Why should it? Can the child feel
oast down with sorrow when the light of the Father's
countenance shines upon him? Can the penitent do
otherwise than lift himself up from his debased oondi-
don when the armed mercy are stretched ditto receive
him? Con the redeemed, who know that for them has
been offered the precioss blood which cleanses front all
sin, and the einspeakabLa gift bestowed width makes
rieh with all the fulness of God, be otherwise then
graiduL The drunkard of the world may plead his
m mentary freedom Irons ode and anxiety in the excite-
ment which deadens his sensibility. We plead an equal
freedow, not the regatta a debased and deadened mind,
but of an enlightened spirit which belieses in the
promise of God, and in that belief casts all ears upon
Him, and finds in Hint its pesos. To ell his false joys
we oppose the true one. To all his exaggerated concep-
tions we oppose the more than human hopes which the
spirit of Hier who cannot lie implants in our gods.
Bat whose joy, let me aak again, is worth most? That
which passes away, and leaves the bitterness of regret,
the genie of shame, and dishonour behind it, or that.
which if it loses somewhat of its warmth in the sold and
ansympdhising world in which we move, leaves behind
a glow which still shears and blonde We most now
speak of the way is which joy of did upraises itself.
The Apostle urges believers to the use of psalms and
hymns and spiritual soap, adding "singing and making
melody in your heard to the Lord.* As we know
from heathen writers that it was the custom of the
early Christians to meet together and praise God
for His mercies of love and redemption in hymns
and spiritual goad, we may, withmla doing
violence to the text, imagine that the Apostle
laying down rules for the guidance of the Mardi whoa
they disabled themselves together for public worship.
In those gatberlap the believer was to be true to hi.
character. Prayer and praise, which were the utterances
of his private boas, were to be the utterances in the
house of God. If, as beesmeth one whose life is
sbeggaled with shads mid light, with dorm sad moithima
he waste bow the knee Is earnest prayer, be must lift
up
the heart in holy praise. While the darwoh to
I& threw of grace solemnised Winded aodstrengthened
his faith, It called forth adoring gratitude and hearty
praise If at one time angels might have wiped away
the tears which flowed from the earosdness of the
supplication for tha outpouring of the burdened besot,
at another time they might have tuned their harps and
found minds congenial with them, ever praising and
magnifying God's glorious name. Yes, brethren,
Prayer and praise must go hand in hand. U there be
no
prayer there can be no praise; if no praise there
sen be no prayer. Worship with either one, to the
neglect if the other, but a half worship, a realising of
mimed and not of our swede Here them, brethren,
we are met for praise (of = "Id
sot now speak) of prude for p &draw-
=of praise for redemption in all Its
wired, of praise for God's wondrous works
from creation's dawn till now, end for wonders great in
store. Bat if so, we meet bear in mind the Peandat's
weed—" Sing Ye wades with understanding.* As with
the payer, so with the praies. God Is not to be
ffieweethed with meow words, but with intelligent
szpreestoaa Into the mewing of holy reams, of
Tr"MOW to , we so' throw ourselves. A use of
Old/ without a knowledge of their mean-
ing is colitis, more than a sound which pawls
away in the dissolving air as soon as spoken. Ire will
them praise Him with understanding. We will try to
ere as well the hidden truths es the surfed beautiee
white the words of the inspired Psalmist indent. We
will pray for the mind's enlightenment, that our
spiritual childhood may pa away, and that an approach
to the maturity a an angel's knowledge may be ours.
We will study the spirited songs and hymns which men
who walked very closely with God, and who seem to
have caught the heavenly ottoman, have *impaled.
The whole soul shell be poured out with the words.
How noble, how inspiritiog for ludas«, would be the
To Dew* when thus sang. As an earthly competition
It has no superior. The voice of the whole Chriatien
world has proclaimed its spirited beauty. But how
tune, bow cold it tells upon the ear for the most pad,
even in our most crowded assemblies. Men, floss its
fronded use trout their early days, have not troubled to
understand its exeslieses, and go on even to age
unmoved by its spiritual harmonies, and ite glorious
truths. What a buret of praise would there be were it
otherwise. What dim of earth with heaven I What
blessed thoughts of lad victory, of present help, as in
all the depths of its meaning, the void of many, as the
voice of one maa, chanted "Thou are the King of
Glory, 0 Mitt: " Thee pitted at the tight Mod of

the Father." "01 let thy false, Ilibalm upon Oa as
oar trait is in Thee." "0 Lord, fans' have I trusted,
let me never be confounded." May jibe, brethren, that
our choral meetmg rosy help forward the spirituel
knowledge of Our Nerviest', and thus spread in our
villsges end large congregations • louder song of intelli-
gent praise. But it lidded " Making melody in your
hearts unto the Lord," 'great expression, brethren,and
ots• to which we need give s.pecial heed in these
days when mashy and singing is reimieing • high culture,
and the seemmary temptation is to seek rattier alter
eliset epiritual education; but remember, each
ins be whom God has given the power of song and the
beauty of voice, that mel.cly of song without melody of
beast is disoord before God. As with prayer, err with
praise, the feelings of the heart give to it its value. I
must not forget the occasion of our meeting this day.
It is that the neighbouriog choirs may is,, the
opportunity' of joining together in thanksgiving sod
P"1" , as it is thought that by so doing they nisy return
to their respective parishes, better prepar-d to
introduce • purer end in one sense • more refined
worship of praise. W;th the spread of musical know.
ledge. now almost universal, congregations wiU not be
satisfied with the meagre performances which pleased
their forefathers. So far all is well. But suffer, my
brethren, the word of exhortation. It is thought by
wine, perhaps by yourselves, that a chorister's part is
merely to sing the praises of God, and to take past in
the nervier, and that nothing more is required. But if
It be his pert to sing the praises of God in Chriet. I
know no greater work, no more serious duty to which
he can be called. Yes, you are chorea for, perhaps vOO
be" given Yourself to the service of the sanetuary.
What does that imply? It implies that you be csielui,
not with profane lips, to utter God's words, or sing
His praises. It implies that your fellow-worebirpere
are not to be shocked with the knowledge that Ulm*
voices so well harmonised, so sweetlyeaounding in the
house of God, when out of it may be heard in sager,
or sin, or cereal song. It implies that you
'wielder yourself bound to glorify God in body,
soul, end spirit, and to set an example to the
ungodly out of church and in church, and to
prove that familiarity with holy things helps to in-
troduoe and preserve holiness. I know nothing WOO
awful than hypocrisy, and it is hypoarisy in man or boy
to draw nigh to God with the lip in His hones, and to
deny them by hese maims, and worldly living when its
doors are she% on them. I would I could make you
minable, even a. I would tucks myself and my com-
panions In the ministry sensible of OW great respon-
sibility. Men do require, I am not saying whether
rightly or wrongly, more hem these who are officially
engaged in God's surds* than from those who are the
hearers of it. Our teesesialessairs, nay, your 'neon-
eistensies, are marked as with the sunlight. Men wUI
vales holy things in the proportion we oar ed.= set on
them. Oh! let It not be that among the encourage'
mints given to sin, this one be given—" The remota
of God who wait on Him in this temple have one
religion there, and another in the world." Young men,
young women, young children, who form our parish
choirs. I pray you lay this to heart. Be on God's side,
' and you may lead many to righteou-ness. Be on the
; side of the world and ruin will track your steps, and
your talents and voices be • nurse, and not a blessing.
Abuse all, may you sing with melody in your besets to
' the Lord. May you be preparing here for Vie worship
0 of Us spiritual sanctuary. In one sense year especial
work may be more enduring than ours. We, who are
your ministers, shell find no place for our peculiar
duties in the courts above. There will, be no need of
exhortation, or preaching. no need of prayer there, but
there will be need of praise and welcome. Oh! how
welcome who can say, for we know not the depths of
their love, win be those to the white-robed throng,
who, having joined on earth in psalms and hymns and
spiritual gongs, and made melody in their hearts to the
Lord, meet to take up the everlasting °haunt,
"Eislvation unto our God who 'MUM' upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb for ever."
In the afternoon Mr. Whitehead Smith afforded to
the lovers of good mush, a tint treat, by performing on
the organ Use following programme :—Grand organ
sonata, No. 3, Mendelsrohn ; flute ooneerto, one move-
ment, Rink; double chorus, "I will sing unto the
Lord,' from Israel is Earle, Handel; Adagio
Religioso, " Lobgesang," Mennelmohn ; air, " With
verdure clad." Haydn ; Ancients, symphony in C.
minor, Beethoven ; Fugue on 81. Ann's tune, J. S.
Bach; air, "Hush, ye pretty warbling choir," Handel;
march, in " Athalie," Mendelmobn.
The choirs dined together in the sohool-room under
the presidency of Mr. ffonsonby, the expense of which,
as well as the outlay for travelling, le paid by the
Winiborne district of tbe association. Mr. ileekingham,
of the Railway Hotel, was the caterer. The health of
the district secretary was most cordially received by the
company, and to whom we desire to tender our thanks
for his courtesy and kindness.