The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-07-30 00:00:00

BAND OF HOPE FESTIVAL AT
PUDDLITRINTHIDIL

ellalvereary of the Band of Hope was omebrated
WM en the 17di last, under the mod pleasant dr-
allendellbs. The weather was beautiful, and the
was all mar stat (fatly hoar, decorating,
1111111130. the ehildren assembled with their tip and
lellaagra, and headed by the members of the Pud&etre°.
Haas Ledge of LO.G.T., to fall regalia, promeded to
Pedal&tube, where they were joined by the Puddle'
Hutto Bead of Hope, and, headed by the Stioklaed
Heals Bend, preeed to the parish church, where
the bliewlag steeliest sermon wr premised by the
Heber of Paddlaidatoa (Rev. T. H. Roper), from pert
et ihe 17th wee of Gelation. v. Its side' Purpose
was to enquire whether the radon of total abstinence
wee nesemary, or If It WM not mammary, whether It
was hopeful, and of reel profit, to She Sinner in be
greet Arlie between tbe flesh and this spirit, to which
It Paul refers in the test. The preacher said that
speaking for God, and in God's ROlllll, he Gould not
look at total &bassos. from any lower point of vie..
He sabered himself naable to believe in the Necessity
if the system, bet declared himself strongly in favour
u_l Ii as • very reel hob to men in the greet
werk of ernifying the flash with the affewitions
iled Inset The !Mesas evil of the love of drink;
and the acknowledged bloom of total abstinence
In overwinds. It, were the chief grounds
sa whisk he reseed kb approval and recommendation of
Ye spits.. of total abstinence. He referred to the
malts of triableness, and quoted the i
Weeds el Holy ablpture in oosidannatton of ilt,trM
appealed to the szperienee of persons of all kinds and
In all peels of the 'emery as to the Influesos of toad
abstiasnee to ebeeking the love of drinking. It was
evident that, though unable to regard total abstinence
as • seemelty for all men, the preacher felt warmly in
It. favour, and much desired • larger use of it The
serum meoluded with warnlop given in • very kindly
merit spina an ataggerstwi sedate of total abedoeuse,
and aloe against an unkindly disocouragensest ef it by
them who do not feel it needful for themselves to
pmellee it. We subjoin extracts from this portion of
the dissoune—" Do not' said the preacher to the
shataben before hlm, "do not, any of yea, spell your
geed work by exalting it out of Its place, or yobselves
is amount of it Use total abstinence as • means to •
great end, and as nothing more; be abstainers bemuse
in all things you would subdue the ebb to the Spirit,
bemuse you would give glory to God by your victory
over the flash, because you would win Salvation for
younelves In and through Christ I feel that told
aketimeoe is but one means amongst many by witiob
She flesh is to be oonquered—that there are other sins
brides drunkenness to be overcame, and that if saber.
nem and temperas°e are to recommend you to Gol's
favour, you most also be bumble, gentle, kind, truthful,
bomb, and pure. • • • • A great thing indeed
It Is to overcome • love of drinking. I cannot say how
peal I think it when I look around and set that drink
b the instrumest of robing souls everywhere. Happy
are you who never drink strong drink, mush to be
aimmesded are you for your giving up of an indulgers.. ,
whisk In its exam Is on all &ides manifealy to be sees
at lb feadol week of oarryiog year brethren into hell.
ifee—elsis b what drink is doles in every direction, and
you are Wile, truly wise, when you pet the drink from
you, and say you will hem none of It; but see, I pray
yoe, that your wisdom is not for this world only, see
that Isle for the soul and eternity; be sore that it
Is as • part, and • part only of your great battle with ,
the leak, tUt you are total abstainers, so indeed will
you make total abstiassos • profitable work, so will
you ant the mouths of many obj,-otors against your
system, so will you win on all sides good wishes and
mers; so, best of all, will you draw down God's
as what you are doing. And there Ia another
word c 72 caution I would say. Are there any here who
do what they obi to diewarage total abetinenos, who
show weedy that they dislike it, who by smile, sooff,
and jeer, or even by quiet and honest argument, try to
draw men away from It? mks care, I would say to snob, ,
take care what you are about. In God's mercy you
=fir streogth—l don't my that you do find strength, '
you do not, but at best you may, by God's
mercy, and strength enough to stand against • love of
drink, you may fable to play with edged tools and
set hurt yourselves; but if your brother or neighbour
besot, and 'you know and see that he cannot, and
eatis:; Oh it is very easy if you are obefol, tone.
im tool with misty," and so you persuade him
to me t, and he hurts and soon& himself, and perhaps
so badly that he never recovers it, what is your res-
possibility It would shook you perhaps if I 'eked
whether that brother's or that neighbour's soul might
not cry out against you some day as its destroyer.
Bet Is It Impossible? I think that It is by no means
laposdble. Therefore, I say, be careful what you do.
If yen ma overcome the flesh wholly, and give the
to the without total abstinent's, thank
.10Vog =
It' take the ooarse you find to bring you
Ntre the Lord. Bat do not hinder or discourage
who feels that for him • different souses is
best; rather sympathies with bins, encourage him,
emit bier, be thankful to see him so far in earliest in
patting himself out of harm's way. You cannot have
eye' and ears, and doubt the ahooldng missidef
eaS the love of drink is everywhere dung; therefore
do nit des, to help on the missidel even in the moat
Wheel el ways, do not ran the lead risk of helping
Icm And even far your own sakes in this very
abler of drinking. I would speak thm—yoo
demise the weakness that makes total abstinenee
• neesedty--ah I yes, my friends, but remember,
pride many times smith before • fall, and it was an
rikwho gave as the most necessary warning "let
that thlnk.th he statideth take heed lest he fall."
Mbar eervlre the company reformed, having been
i= by the Good Templar' from the Dorchester
and visited some of the principal houses in both
Alamos. They thee separated for dinner, and re-
easeabled about three p.m., and entered do field kindly
lent byr. Symms, Req., where • tee was provided for
She Brad of Hope nnaberira 00, and about 30 old
Ps** over 70 years of age, Hew shish a public, tea
WY provided. at whicat Lbout 150 Sit down. After tea
Melees ammeassibe took pleas, swings, cricket, Ito.,
lenee the little ones, and other, enjoyed themselves
with &ming, Ideete.ttiering, Ito,, anal the shade. of
evesing pat an end to their pleasures. The refresh-
ment booth kept by Brother Grove. wee liberally pat-
ronised for gfraffirboar, lemonade, to. The temperanee
bleeds bat a- most susemstni eanlvermn, and it is
'O&M di* asses la prospering In this village.