The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-12-29 00:00:00

11 R IST3I Ati DECORATIONS.

The citurelies of Wey lb have scarcely °shad ted that
profusion if ornament which has been sometimes seen.
It may be that the reeent excesies of ritualistic sacramen-
t:ilia, 1.4%e Warooll Cliurch,iien oft from the dangerous
ground of too much outward show, and on the other
hand of tic, blues mystic symbolism ; but, whatever the
cause, there is • strikieg decrease especially in the
1111 l ber of 1110110,.111111., and other de, ices, the decorations
this year showing to reaction towards the older style of
ielerning mainly with evergreens.
The parish church of Meleombe, St. Mary's, was
undertaken by 'apt. evhute Piers, IL N., and a committee
of belies, and the design was bold, simple, and complete.
The pillars supporting the galleries had their ample
proportions wreathed with twining hands of ivy, and
for the pulpit lattrustintis laurel, and holly were used.
Wreaths &WI herders of evergreen were round all the
texts. In front were the words in plain roman letter; so
it 4 to Is. " understaii.l.l of the people," " Light is come
into the world, " white on a blue ground. In front of the
galleries, in large bold capitals three parts round the
rhumb " threugh the tender merry of our God, wherebt
the dayspring from on high bath visited us. Luke I, 7S.
Over the commandments, &c., was "I ant the bright and
morning star." It will thus be eeen that the idea of the
deeorators was one --to remind the worshippers of the
advent of that Light, who shall scatter the blackness of
misery and the mists of superstition and ignorance.
Trinity Church was lightly adorned ; the great arch
of the wind window was marked out with several delfcate
tracings of ivy. Over the north window was "On Earth
Pato& g towards men." The ic.is standards were
wreatliol with ivy. In front of the mailing desk was
"Alleluia," and in front of the ends of the chew stalls
wore " 1.11.5. " " X P., " and croases, edged with cypress
and iturnortv;lles. In front of the communion table
" 1.11.5.," in white on a red ground and edged with holly
leaves. The pulpit was adorned with variegated holly,
cypress, myrtle, and yew. There were also numerals
hands and borders. making a finish to the architectural
lines.
Christ's church rather astonished us by Its adornments,
for the apptsmnee of the place had been very much
altered ; in fact we could scarcely have thought it could
have been made tolook so *elk The text ' I ant the
bright and morning star," in scarlet letters on • white
grimed, faced you in the chancel, this was done by Mrs.
East, and underneath was "God is love," surrounded by
re I berm-jet holly; the comumuion table was edged with
holly kayos, and Mrs Dodd adorned the commumon rails.
There was an "1.R.5." hy Mrs. Lei= and several stars by
Miss Gundry relieved the appearance of the walls. On
the left hand side, near the belfry, was " Hallelujah "
in white docked with green, and algal with holly, laurel,
and !tux, relieved with flowers. Miss Amelia Churchill
decorated the pulpit, which had all its angles covenal with
perpendicular li"rders of leaves, and in front was a
monogram "I. !Ls." by Miss Martin, so rich in material
that it looked its if cut out of a sheet of ~now. The pillars
were wreathed with masses of ivy, with sprays hanging
&Awn in a remarkably natural manner. Over the south
door was" God so loved the world that He tame Ilia Son,"
in ornamental scarlet letters on a white ground, and edged
with green leaves. Almost all the architectural lines were
traeed in eve.rgreens, except the great chancel w iudow ;
there were a few monograms, and on the walls were the
texts "Watch :mil Pray," and " Usikbx.; unto Jesus,"
I.> the Misses Yearsley. The tie rods between the arches
V ere covered with evergreen; with pendant wreaths.
Near the lolsby doer Was the text" quench not the Spirit,"
and the font wim wreathed with laurel and box, the base
otveretl with lattristintts, and over the bowl %vete trailing
boughs of some reddiemol creeper. Among the ladies
and gentlemen who helped in the decorations were—Mr.
Ayling, Mr. T. berg. Mr. I). Legg, Mines Yearsley, Mrs,
Venue, Miat Martin, Mivs Wilt.laire, Hutchinge,
Mrs. liesant, Mrs. IP:sant, jetir,. Itlissus Morant,_Nliss
Rice, Misses East, Mrs, Giddy, Misses Oundry, Misses
a,-
St, Jolvt's Church hat a very pretty look; the pillars
.111,,wrcathed with ivy, the capitals with
laurel Roily. The font WU adorned quite differently
from th, plan. of former years, by Misses Cotterell, the
qaart,rf being ftlleil with moo, met the rim SUN
unt4.4 with a broad b•rffer of laurustinus, snowball, due,
.orl the hroad extensions of "Ilmicity" give it a quaint
appearance, variety being given by belly berries Rnli iIO-
-1.1-rtellos. The g&v standards were wreathed with
iiiiinortellev, hog, and cypress. The Puha Fallel*
wero pieked "it with single sprigs of ivy, and the in-cut
work finial with moss. Great wreaths of evergreens
lined the large arches, and the panels of the reredos were
distinguishol by sprig: if ivy arranged diagonally on the
rep:lT:ging uprights, while in the top of eArti pinel there
v. 11.4 sonic, pretty design as a Latin or Mahteui crime,
InolloZrarli, or emblem Along the sill of the chancel
wykslew was laid a broad border of evergreen, and in the
relitro WaS mired a Lain cross, made ery beautiful with
ferns and made to Lai: hrighter with artificial flowers.
Among the leak.; who worked at the decorations were
Miss Younglitishaint, Misses Smith. Misses Cutterell,
bliss Mein, Miss Frampton, Mrs. Oakley, Miss Hay, Wailes
Miller, 31bni Wilding, Misses Hopkins.