The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-07-09 00:00:00

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The first of two lectures on the above subject was
delivered on Tuesday afternoon, at the National School-
room, by the Rey. Dr. Cumming, of the Scottish
Nktional Church, Covent Garden, the talented author of
"Igigns of the Times," " Apocalyptic Sketches," the
"Daily Life," and numerous other works, all well known
both to the divinity student and the general reader. At
three o'clock, the time at which the lecture was sn-
pounced to comnience, the room was crowded with one
of the most attentive audiences which it has been our lot
to witness, including members at all classes and denoini-
Hons.
The ROT. TALBOT Orizarrs opened the proccediegs
by prayer, and explained the nature of prophecy, the
limits to which its study ought to be pursued, alluding
briefiy to the many abaurd statements and writings
relative to the Millenium, and the expected coming
of Christ, which have from time to time been put
forth.
Dr. CuinaNa (who was received with loud applause)
said,—The purpose for which he was there that day
was to assist the missionary efforts of the Protestant
Society to the Roman Catholics. The subject on
which he was to address them was "Prophecy
, and its approaching fulfilment." His reasons
toe addressing them upon this subject was because were
he to expend an hour in addressing them MOTO immedi
, ately in explaining the results and operations of the
' stoic y, he, alth nigh it would be wide' in its way.
would not attain the highest degree of usefulness at
which he aimed. tionie doubled if the topic he had
allows was a legitimate subject for investigation, and
thought that the practical duties of life on any exposi-
tion of Scripture would be far more suitable than
diving into what appeared sealed mysteries. Strange
to say that the most mysterious book in the Bible con-
tained these words "Blessed it Le that readeth, and
they t set undenteni the prophecy of this book." In-
stead of • prohibition there was* positive invitation to
Its study. If we were Protestants we did not
believe with the Agieist that • portion of the
Bible was absurd, and Out with the Roman Catholics,
who say that the Bible ought not to be dipped into.
The Bible from the first word in Genesis to the last in
the Apocalypse is genuine. If any one could prove
that the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelations were
not part and parcel of God's word, then he would
admit they ought not to be studied, but if it be
admitted that they do form part of holy writ, what
right has any one to say, "1 will study this, and shut
my eyes to that." "We tenet make the whole our
study to take the film from our eyes and the passion
from our hearts, when we might read by its brilliant
light what God has written for our learning. It was
one thing to be a prophet and another to hold the
subordinate position of interpreter to • pro:ibet ; a
prophst was one who predicted events train the inspira-
tion of the Most High. Foretelling future occurrences
and foretelling what God has written were very
different. The latter ought to be the delight of every
minister. If we had no revelation of our future state
it would be a very sad thing. We hail a full narrative
of the past, but might not expect • full detail of what
was to be. But we bad a gleam of heaven's own light,
and it showed a glimpse of the coining visit; we were
able to see that error is not to gain the day, that truth
shall triumph, that Christ shall return, restore all
things as they were, and make this earth • Paradise,
infinitely more beautiful than that on which the
morning dawned 6300 years ago. What is
prophecy? History written beforehand. What
Is history? Prophecy translated with fact'.
What does the Prophet? Ile records what God will
do. The historian simply and unconsciously bears
witness to the truthfulness and fulelinent of
prophecy. God is everywhere. There is no
circumstance or scene whore He is not acting.
Every day the history of the world is "God
=M prophecies
g his pphecies into facts" as Merle D'Aubigne
Ily expresses it. He is as much in the falling
of en hair from an old man's head, or of a tear from •
usother's eye, as in a text of Scripture of heaven limit.
There is nothing too immense or magnificent to be
beyond his control, or so insignificantly small as to be
beneath his notice. So truly did he (the lecturer)
belie ve that God is °rani poteut,t hat he w °midge w here d city
summoned him with the absolute certainty that he was
immortal till there was no work which God had him to
do. "Every bullet has its billet" was • wise old
aphorism. Go where duty bids you, but don't tempt
God's providence. Blondin, he considered, was now
doing the latter at the Crystal Palace. He could not
help contrasting hiiom with one whose dust he had com-
mitted to the grave last week, the intrepid BRAIDWOOD.
who, amidst roaring rushing flames yielded up his life in
the path of duty. Shrink not, never fear going where
duty bids you. Providence protects you, unless Clod
favours you by taking you from being an out-door ser-
vant to the chancel of the universe, the immediate
dwelling pbice of himself. The lecturer then
pairo.si on to the transitionary state, prophecy
passing into history, stating that upon this
subject he spoke with relicence, hut wished to call their
attention to some remarkable facts. If he were to ask
the distinguishing characteristic of our age, the reply
would be "locomotion," which had so wonderfully
altered the aspect of everything. A prediction of
Daniels' was "Many shall run to and fro, and know-
ledge shall be increased."—Daniel eh. 4. More had
been achieved by the human mind during the last forty
years than during all the intervening time since
the birth of Christ. What irresistible proofs have been
discovered by geology, as clearly WI two and two !mikes
four. that God has five or six times interfered and
created distinct dynasties of men. 11l the "Vestiges
of Creation" it is advanced that the Gorilla was the
grandfather of Adam, and that we are gradually deve•
loping ourselves to something higher. Hugh Miller,
who explored the old Red Sandstone and all the strata
down to the primitive rocks, showed that five distinct
times were living creatures, and according to the law
of He development from the higher to the lower, then
we found God at once creasing a distinct rue. A
German Philosopher recently made the discovery that
our sun was one of many immense groups revolving
round • central sun. The central sun round whom
these orbs and systems seem to revolve has been found
to be one of the Pleiades (Job xxxiii.. 31). There
were two Hebrew verbs alike in every respect
excepting the terminal letter, concerning which there
was a question as to the proper one to be used in the
passage already quoted from Nniel. If the disputed
termination was used the verse would read "know-
ledge shall be dashed like lightning." He did not mean
to say the latter interpretation was correct, but if it
were it would be a marvellous prophecy. Those who
lived many years would see startling phenomenal'. The
cry should be made from every pulpit" Be ye ready, for
the hour is at hand." In that day the earth would be
cleansed and purified, not destroyed, with fire. He
could not think that it would be totally destroyed.
What orb was there so rich in historic reminiscences!
Sinai, Tabor, the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane,
Calvary! What orb could equal these! This earth
the Saviour had made his grave in its dust.
Another reason for so conjecturing, was the utter
impossibility of the annihilation of matter, a fact well
known to most of you. And now let me show you
what is meant when Daniel speaks of shutting the book
for " • time, and times, and half a time." The seal of
this has been broken, were it not we should be "where
angels fear to tread." "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah"
opened the book that Daniel sealed up. There is one
great date in prophecy repeated in different formulas
but in all substantially the same, "a time, times and
half a time" means 1260 years, a time being 360 years.
In another formula we find forty-two months (Revels.
times xi. 2) equal to 1,260 prophetic days, or 1,260
literal years. Prophetic days really mean years just as
in a surveyor's map an inch. or part of au inch, is made
to represent a mile. We have distinct authority for
this. These (Numbers xiv 34., Ezekel iv. 6) prophecies
have each within them their own plan, the manner of
their scale. We date the full organization of the Papal
Power from the time that the Emperor Justinian, in
532, gave the Pope both spiritual jurisdiction and civil
power, adding 1,260 years to this, brought us to the
time when the French Revolution unvoiced entire
Europe, when the Papacy suffered a most severe blow,
its pried!' were massacred, and it so recoiled under the
shock it then received that altogether there were at that
time 5.000 priests in Paris, who might naturally be
expected to have doubled with the rest of the
population, yet there were now only 800 residing
in that city. Ho was sorry to say that this
was the only country in Europe where Papacy
had made any progress. Latterly 200 clergymen
of the Church of -England and Scotland had seceded.
Not being satisfied with the infinitesimal homeopathic
domes of Paseyisni they were now trying the allopathic
evils of the Church of Rome. He believed the Church
of England would last till it was finally merged into the
Milleniurn. If we added 30 years to 1791 we obtaited
1821 the year when Daniel's 2,300 years was accom-
plished and also the duration of the Malsoinetan power.
The passage" mounted on horses whose strengch is in
their tails" evidently referred to the hishoinetrn
Standard. The ablest divines concurred in
supposing that the siz days of the creation
were typical of the earth's duration, and
the seventh day of the millinium. If the date of the
birth of Christ be as it is now generally believed,
4432, we are now within flee or six years of 6000, ite
supposed termination, Rabbi Mauer, one of the
most eminent Hebrew scholars, Lactanties, unwise.
Bishop of Carthage, Latimer, our own old English
divine, all concurred in the opinion that the worid was
to change at the expiration of 6000 years. He did not
mean to positively say that such was to be its duration,
but all things indicated that a tremendous crisis was at
hand. Every country was preparing for war, every
man had his hand on his sword, and the aspect of
affairs was terrible. He would, the tune he had fixed
for his lecture having expired, enter further into and
fully explain the subjects upon which he had treated in
his succeeding lecture on the following day. (Great
applause.)
The proceeding closed with a benediction. A collec-
tion was made the door in aid of the society on
whose behalf the lecture was delivered.
March

EHERBOR N E.
RETIVALIOI.—On Tuesday evening last Mr. W.
Carter, a celebrated revivalist from London con-
ducted public service at the Wesleyan Chapel, in
this town. There was • large attendance, several
persons coming from Yeovil and other places in the
surrounding neighbourhood. It was announced
that he would address a meeting at the Independent
Chapel on the followin_g evening.
GRIND TEETOTAL Ficalvm..—Friday week WM
quite a gala day at Sherborne. As early as 5
o'clock in the morning the bells of the Abbey
Church rang several ;merry peals, and this continued
at intervals during the day. From an early hour
the town was all astir, and the teetotallers and their
friends were busily engaged in making their pre-
parations for the day s proceedings. About 10
o'clock the first excursion trains, both up and down
the line amved, bringing with them to the town
hundreds of excursionists from various parts of the
country. Shortly afterwards the Sherborne
Volunteer Ride Corps drum and life bead
paraded the town, followed almost imme-
diately afterwards by the Yeovil Sashoro band.
Subsequently, they adjourned to Dancing Hill, to
wait the arrival of other parties. About 12 o'clock
two more trains arrived, which greatly increased the
number already present, and closely following on
their heels were the Marniitill drum and fife band,
consisting of juveniles all under 12 years of age,
followed by the Milborne Port society, with banners
flying, the Temple Coombe, and other societies. All
then repaired to Dancing Hill, where, under the
direction of Mr. Hunt, the indefatigable secretary
of the Sherborne Temperance Society,sa procession
was formed. They marched thence down the hill
into the Dorchester road, somewhat in the following
order :—The Union Jack; Banner of the Sherborne
Society; Sherborne Ride Corps drum and fife band;
Sherborne Band of Hope and friends; The (Idling.
ham Band of Hope and flag; Yeovil Saxhorn band; I
Sherborne Band of Hope; Temple Coombe Band of
Hope; Poole Band of Hope, and some other societies
in the district, the Marnhull juvenile drum and fife
band bringing up the rear. The procession, number-
ing nearly 1,000 persons, including children, moved
through Westbury, Half-moon-street, Cheap-street,
round Greenhill into the grounds of Sherborne
Castle, which had been kindly thrown open for their
use by the proprietor, G. D. W. Digby, Esq. Here
a spacious tent was erected, and the necessary previ-
sions made to enable the company to join in various
athletic sports, such as quoits, football, archery,
dancing, k..c. A large number of visitors adjourned
to the lake, by the side of which addresses were
delivered by friends from Southampton and other
places, and the proceedings were enlivened by the
singing, in excellent style, of several temperance
melodies. Sitheequenely, tea was provided in the
tent, and not lees than from 1,200 to 1,500 sat down
to partake of "the cup which cheers but not inebri-
ales. ' This large family having done justice to the
good things provided, not only to their own satisfac-
tion, but also to the satisfaction, no doubt, of the
purveyors of the feast, another 'public meeting
was held, under the presidency of the Her. R. H.
Males, rector of Burleston, who read a letter of
apology from Sir John Lethbridge, stating his ina-
bility to attend as had been his intention, in conse-
quence of the marriage of his daughter, which was to
take place on the following Monday. The meeting
was addressed by the -Rev. R. B. Blathwayte
rector of Thornford ; Mr. Norton, of Shaftesbury;
Mr. John Hilton, superintendent of the United
Temperance League, and other gentlemen. At
intervals, during the meeting, the Sherborne Band
of Hope sang several temperance melodies, and the
Secretary announced that Dr. Lees would be unable
to lecture in Sherborne on the Ist July. as had been
announced, in conse4uence of his being suddenly
attacked by bleeding of the lungs.—At the close of
the meeting • hearty vote of thanks was proposd
and carried with acclamation to G. D. W. Digby,
Esq., for his kindness in granting the use of his
grounds for the temperance friends to hold their
fectivalin, and the secretary was requested to cons.
mimicate the same to that gentleman. Three times
three hearty cheers was then given for Mr. Digby,
one was given for Mrs. Digby, and the sports of
the day were resumed in good earnest till 9 o'clock,
when the company was rapidly dispersed by a heavy
shower of rain. Altogether the proceedings passed
off ins most satisfactory manner, with the additional
consolation attached to them that not one of the
company had to "think of his head in the
morning."
A NOVEL I)OCUMENT.-111 the shop window 0
Mr. Pollard, silversmith, is a novel document,
which has attracted • good deal of notice, being an
engraved bank note, of the Sherborne hank, of the
last century, for five pence. Ths following is a
verbatim copy :
"1274. SHIRDOES6 k COLD 11AEBOUlt BANK.
"1 promise to pay Yr. Edward Dodge or Bearer
Five PENCE on demand. Value received.
" For Dew, Son, & Co.
" Five Pens.
Entered W. C.—Win. Dow, May 7, 1792."
POLICE INTILLIGENCE.—Catherine Smith was charged
before J. F. Falwasser on Monday last by P. C. Symes
with having been found lying on the pavement on
Saturday evening, fast asleep, drunk, and quite
incapable.--She was fined 55., and allowed a week for
payment, or to be placed 6 hours in the stacks.