The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-12-08 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

RILDIIGI AND Mootr.—A very pleasant evening was
enjoyed at the Working Men's Club, on Monday Last.
The Rector kindly filled the chair, Mrs. Edwards and
the Blandford glee union provided the musical treat,
%ad the Rev. A. Littlewood, Mr. E. Fisher, and F. T.
Johns, Esq., read excellent selections of poetry and
prom. The audience, a very large ooe, cordially worded
a warm vote of thanks to their entertainer..

FOOLISH PISAN EIT SeaVerr MAIDEL—The quiet and
retired retreat of • highly respected and mush loved
clergymen, within • short distance of Blandford, has,
during the past week, been the soene of • somewhat
strange upset. One evening whilst the family were at
prayers, the front door bell warn rang very violently,
and some alarm was felt because, on going
to the door, co one could he seen. The next
morning • letter, written aed directed in •
a plain and apparently female hand was, as stated by
the servants, found outside the window of one of the
front rooms. This, on being conveyel to the worthy
owner, was found to consist of • caution to him to be
careful, for that withisi • month be would be shot at,
and that seven or eight men would surround the house.
The superintendent of police was consulted, and. for
three nights a policeman was stationed on the promotes,
and every endeavour made to trace who was the wnter
of the letter. From the first, however, those best
acquainted with such matters, had their suspicion that
it was no stranger who had written the letter in
question, and further inquiry proved that suoli • con.
jecturt was right. From certain remarks which from
time to time dropped from one of the female servants,
the kialienmaid, it was determined to search her boxes.,
and in one of them was found • piece of paper, evidently
part cf the sheet on which the letter was written. The
two peces when compared fitted exactly. The silly lass
was then required to write her name, and on compailug
the two handwritings all doubt but that she was the
eulpit vanished. After some prevarication, she at !eat
admitted she was the writer, and that the housemaid
wet her confederate. No doubt they were mach amused
when they saw the man in blue perambulating the
premises, but the sequel, it is to be expected, may
prove no laughing matter to them.
INDEPENDENT CHAPEL. - Anniversary services in
connection with this place of worship have been held
this week. Two exeellent and appropriate sermons were
preached on Sunday by the minister, the Rev. B. Gray,
but pressure on our space prevents our reporting them.-
1n Tuesday afternoon a public tea was held in the
assembly room at the back of the chapel, which was
very prettily ornamented with evergreens and texts of
scripture suitable for the occasion. About 120 satdown
to tea, the trios being famished by the ladies ef the
congregation. A public meeting was held in the chapel
In the evening. under the presidency of the Rev. B.
Gray. The attendance, in consequence of the unfavour.
able weather, was not so large as was sotitipateL—The
meeting commenced with singing the 314th hymn, Cou-
gregational hymn book. The Rev. B. Gray then read the
cclv. Psalm, after which the /tee. J. Rogers of Bridport
engaged in prayer.—The Rev. B. Gray sail that having
expressed his own feelings on the previous Sabbath
day, he would only further remark on the interest
shown by the young people of the congregation in the
work of rearing up the sanctuary in which they met
for public worship, and further entreat that earnest
peseta might be raised that such interest should continue
not only for the present year but for many years to come,
and that in after life they might have cause to rejoice in
coming to a decided decision to be on the leird'a side
through the services of that day. The rev. gentlemen
then ttated that the total cost of the chapel had been
ift.23o tower& which 1:1520 had been received and pro.
mised running on to 1862 amounts to £460, ard then there
would be £2lO to raise, lie was not, however, sure
that the whole of that lain would be required bemuse
many of the premises bad been very much exceeded by
the money actually given. He also very clearly showed
that there was no need for any fear that the total
amount required would not be forthcoming at the time
it was wanted. Mr. Gray then stated that the coat of
the organ was not included in the above, but that only
• small sum was due on that fund, it being kept as •
separate item. He then remarked that they had great
cause for thankfulness in the increase of usefulness, and
in the holy impulse of kind and affectionate feeling
between the me.obers of the churoh.—The choir then
sang an asthem from Psalm 64, "The righteous shall be
glad."—The Rev. J. Keynes expressed his pleasure in
being present, and that he could coogratulste them on
the favourable position in which they stood as regarded
money matters, and, alluding to Mr. Gray's remarks,
said, as he understood him, there was no danger but
that the total amount would be realised when wanted,
but that if all gave as some had done there would be a
surplus. (Mr. Gray explained that one card had been
sent in with four times the amount promised, and if all
come in no there would be • surplus). Mr. Keynes, in
continuation, said that if he was even to mention to the
Wimbome frieeds that the Blandford people wanted
help they would gladly respond. The rev, gentleman
then addressed to his hearers some very exellent remarks
on "Christian Life," in course of which he showed that
that life had for Its root and groundwork "Faith in
Christ," and *entreated the life of the mere wordly man
with that of the Christian, who, however, was more
fitted for the active duties of this life than he who lived
not the life of faith. He then observed that though
It was true "that eaten trembled when be
sees the weakest saint upon his kneed," yet he
would not tremble long if the Christian remeined
there constantly. The life of the Christian was to be
an active life, in support of which he quoted from the
remarks of Andrew Fuller and Henry Ward Beecher—
the day of devotion and the time of family prayer, and
reading the scriptures, were time. for supporting the
life of Christian faith, and preparing for the duties of
daily life, so that these duties might be carried out in
• Christian manner. Mr. Keynes then showed that the 1
*adulates of the Christian depended on the state of
holy Christian life which he enjoyed, end ennaleded by
earnest preyer that God would abundantly bless the
ministrations of the pastor of the church.—The choir
then sang= anthem 1 Chronicles Reis, It. "Thine, 0
Lord, is the greatness," ka—The Bee. J. Rogers. of
Mined, congratulated the minister and congregation
on the erection of such a beautiful house of prayer,
which he said far exceeded his expectation. It was •
perfect gear, and accorded with the beauty of the neigh.
bourhood. He trusted that Mr. Gray would long con.
Untie to gal. and out among them, a happy and useful
minister. He oongratulated the congregation on hawing
as • ministers business man, and one whoa:mid place the
financial statement before them in a clear and distinct
manner. After alluding to the statement given by Mr.
Gray, he said that be had been thinking of how to get
them out of their difficulty, and expressed • hope that
by mentioning their case to • friend, he might be
disposed to aid them. The rev, gentleman then said
that that building reminded him of the new walling of •
welL Now they knew that many an old well had to be
purified, in consequence of impure water getting in, but
he rejoiced that it vete only the outer wall in their
case which needed new material. The water in their
well was still pure, the gospel was preached in that
place the same as was preached by St. Paul, and it was
• matter of congratulation that in their body the fore,
solo speak of the gospel was maintained, the divinity
of Christ, and the great work of atonement. They
had stood up for the gospel, hut while they had
done so they had not been indifferent to the
spirituality and freedom of Christ's church. Their
work had alio been one of education, eapeci illy to the
ruing in the broad principles of Christian governmont.
He then showed that the liberty which they enjoyed
they gave to others, tally explaining the principles of
Congregationalism, which be stated were in accordance
with the freedom so dear to an Englishman, and that
was the reason why beloved it.