The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-12-24 00:00:00

CorrcoponDrnct.

[The following appeared in our conteallawarg, the
Telegra :—J

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, AND A "CHRIST

MAS SHIP."

DEAR SIR.—At this festive season, with Christ-
mas close at hand, your readers are pretty well aware
that all sorts of trickery, begging lettere, printed
circulars, and even men, women, and cliildren
resort, in various strains, to every "artful dodge" to ,
obtain the " ready" for some particular purpose or I
other, under the garb of (in many cases) what is so-
called charity! soil every one is also aware that
great discernment isalurolutely necessary before we
put our hands in our pockets to shell out the need-
ful, be it little or much—for oftentimes we read in I
the London and local press, many instances where ,
peisons have been taken up for obtaining money
under false pretences. lint in this instance, this said
" Uhristuiam Ship" is a real bona fide atfair. The
only thing that struck me as being singular in a
" printed circular" sent me a few ilaj a ago, is, that
the object of this" marine wonder" is. as the circular
states—" It is proposed to exhibit a Christmas Ship,
the cargo of which will be sold for the benefit ot
the fund for repewing St. Mary's Church, Mel-
combs Regis. Contributions of work (not naming
what kind) and also groceries, fruit, and all kinds of
goods, will 1* thankfully received at the rectory, by
Nies. Talbot Greaves. It is hoped that the contri-
butions may be sent in by the 23rd instant." I
presume—that the ship may haves good cargo, and I
think it • gross neglect that the auctioneer's name
was not appended to this very attractive circular,
as the sale, no doubt, will draw many of the
grind and well-disposed.
The only thing, Mr. Editor, that most surprises
many, is that the neat and comfortahle church of
St. Mary's was ever turned inside out ; and people's
seats were subject to destruction and re-pee log—
simply to please one man's whims—should have ever
been so rudely and wantonly disturbed; and that
the rector should now resort to the present mode of
obth g money. I was led to suppose, with the
town generally, that ample funds were in hand to
carry out this piece of arrogant alteration of private
property. Shonlrl this not be the ease, I, for one,
can have no objection to this exhibition. The
design, Mr. Editor, no d3ubt emanated from the
fact that H. NI .S. Britannia was shortly coming to Port-
land roads, and all I grieve is, that neither the ship
or the young gentlemen on board will be pre-
sent upon so interesting an occasion; yet I would
suggest and hope, should the fund still prove short,
that on the arrival of the Britannia and some of the
fleet, that either a large " three•decker," or a model
of the "Great Eastern" be at once put open the
! stocks, and got ready with • fall cargo of everything
that is lovely and good to the eye and appetite, so
as to give the "youngkers" a treat on their first arrival
at Weymouth. An invitation, with the parson's
name attached,which is so welt known *nil esteemed
I on board many ships that have been here, every
chance of success must be the malt.

In giving my opinion, I am, Mr. Editor, one of
the ofd-fashioned churchmen, who like to go back
to the " Primitive times" for authorities and pre-
cedents ; and I in vain search the apostolie records
for anything which can possibly warrant such a
method of raising money for• Christian object. Icon-
fess that I blrth. "appeal direct" in all such matters,
without the aid of such apparent "clap trap" as is
now suggeated by the idea of a "Christmas Ship."
Sheridan. I think, tells us of such a thing as the
" pull oblique," and we may certainly call this the
"parson's obliges." Instead then of having recourse
to such a method of raising money, which, to say
the least, is of ambiguous character, and savours too
much of " Yankee commercial smartness," let me
respectfully suggest to the rector of St. Mary's
Church, that in any future appeal he may bee tit
to address to his parishioners and friends, he will
adopt • plan more consistent with the character he
holds as a Christian minister and with the true
principle of all real Christian charity.
Obliging your readers with a full insertion of this,
apoligising sa most writers do when they occupy
your valuable columns,