The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-04-21 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND SUNDAY SCHOOL
UNION.

The inaugural public meetings of this Union were held at the
beginning of this week
On Sunday afternoon, the Weymouth connected schools met
In Bank Buildings Chapel, marching from their various school-
rooms in order to the place of meeting. and the Wesleyan
Sunday schools also came. The chapel was quite full. in fact
crowded to excess. The various ministers were present, also
Mr. Hoban., and Mr. A Dennis, hon. secretary of the
Union._

Rev. W. Lasts, president nf the Union, Introduced Xr. Brehm,
of the Central Sunday School Union, which trios to bring
together Sunday Schools, and to help them.

Mr. F. BRAINS said that only while the arms of Moses were
uplifted in prayer, Israel prevailed over the Anislather. We
may work ; but God alone can give the bloating. Ile therefore
invited all to meet at the prayer meeting to-night. The subject
of the conference on Tuesday evening would be " I/ow can
Sunday School Unions, churches, and schools be helpful to each
I.ther." The agents of the Union are not paid for anything
they do ; and his mission was of this kind, he had no object in
coining there but to encourage them. But they expected •
reward from the Lord himself. He then gave an address Irma
I John v. last verse " Little children keep yourselves from
idols." He drst spoke of the idolatry of the children of Israel,
in worshipping a calf, ill idol borrowed from the worship of
hi' and ikirie in Egypt, where they were 1..01 down under
the forms of a cow sod • bull. But there are other forms of
idolatry mionstat them would be that of • minister who Wok
the prnise to himself if I.i...4:hinge'd converting a 00111 iaatl=d
14 ethilli; it to God. Anther as, that of an old lady, who fed
herself upon stale buns, In .enter to save up legs of gold.
Another ass that of a shipmaster who gAVC large subserimions
to see his name on the lists, which were his idols, for beset
his heart 111.01 them. God web: us men Wel woluel, in order
that we may serve him, doing gosh. The Chinese have •
Melte " Hewed the day before you die !" saul a phiboopher
explained it by saying we moat reput be-clay, at mice, for we
know not whether we shall live till to-morrow. The only thing
worth securing is the salvation of our souls. Jesus is or
friend, who has secured this for us, and shows us the way. Oh
let WI give ourselves to Him, it is the least we can do, and let
no idol, as money, • new draws, a friend, shut out our love for
Christ.

At Portland also, the connected schonts met at the Bible
Christian Chapel, blaidenwell, when addrunass were given by the
Revs. Z. 11.1 ton and J. Bailey.

In the e VI:MN:, a special united prayer was held at. Hope
Chapel, when the tdor.ol thc omneeted school met unitedly
to Kay for God's blessing cm the work.

On Monday evening a sermon was preached In Ohmmeter.
street chapel, by the lice. 1.. C. Bevan, LL.B., of Tottenham
Court-road, 'Amnion, from the following text Matthew lit
17 to 21. The preacher among his remarks said These word;
were fhwt of all spoken by Isaiah In the find four versia.4 the
42n4 chapter. Be hail been speaking of the coming destruc-
tion which was very near and would shortly overtake the
people. Their idolatry was rapidly separating them from God
and Ills favour, and they would be soon carried array into
Babylonish captivity, worse than F.gyptian sorrow. Then,
looking to the regions beyond, he sees the great Prince whole
to be thegJellverer of the people--tyfilie, by whom hell, the
nation shell be restored. But the Prophet still look. forward
to the more remote events. History, we say, repeats itself;
but the prophecies ere not m niuch prophecim as instruc-
tion., monitiome, and all the epochs culminate in the gnat
epoch, every King h a symbol a the Great King, Babylon is
forgotten, sin is only thought of, the Jews an, forgotten, and
before the Prophet stands nun, Cyrus is forgotten, and before
him stands Jesus Christ. In our text we have the commiseion
and ordination of our Lord, the work Ile had to do, the power
a-hereby lie was sustained. It was the epee/tees duty to-night
to see how Sunday echo.' work is linked on to forms Chriat's.
The church has too much neglected ?Imlay school work, in-
deed all evangelical work, fur there ia too much dmire to enjoy
the comforts of the Gospel for ourselves If such people had
been In the place of Jonas Christ, they would timer have left
heaven, runt conic down to save the lost. 'tut the hightail,
privilege,the highest development of Christian life, Is to empty
ourselves for othem Let no consider the work of Christ. it
Is said" Behold my servant." Christ had all the glory of the
Divine nature, but when he laid that aside, then Ile became
I over than the Father, so that he could my "My Father is
greater than I," (-UM was sustained by God. 'The man who
entruats an agent with work, gives him power to carry that
work: God therefore sustained the servant of Ills bow, Christ,
end our mileage is simply to tell people, to tell children, to
eon,. to Christ. We have sometime. to do tentative work •we
sometimes wake up and fancy we have •scheme for regenerat-
ing the univer.e, and we have to go end try it, sometimes In
disappointment But Jesus Christ was sure of hie work, Cod
lays " Behold, my servant, whom I uphold." Ours Is not a
doubtful memsge, it I. the only way to woe the world. News
had come to heaven that this world had fallen, that man was
corrupt How shall it be restored? Shall there be afloat of
Ural to restore it? He can say" Let there be light." lint..
far as we know, God cannot say to a world " lie saved,"
Angels may be swift to fly, forceful to guide; but they Canliot,
redeem the world. "God en loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever bellereth on him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." Observe she Ood'it
approval, "Mine elect, In whom my soul delighteth." God
showed that approval at his baptise], at the Mount of
Transfiguration, Gem again, when the people laid It
thundered; but really the voice had come "I have both
glorified it and will glorify It again." When he breaks the
bread, when he walks on the ma, God shows his approval. Ilia
touch is health-giving, is life-giving, and yet lie becomes
.01iject to the King of Terrors. Ilell was looking on 111 fiendish
triumph, Earth smitten back front its Mot expectations, and
the angels looking on In wonder. but there enure an earth-
quake, and Ile is risen again the proof of hod's approval. And
has he not fed tu with broken bread, refnwhed us with the
smitten rock In Horeb? Have there not been tweasiona alms
, for us the very graven have been opened, and the sheeted dead
come forth to life? What waa Christ's words? Ile shall show
, judgment to the Gentile. The manitg is that Jum Christ
came to establish right, tunnels Ile came to allow Bud's love
man, to die for man; but the end of it all is to establish
righteousnese, to do away with the wrong and cast out the devil.
. end we must suspect all preaching, all teaching that docs not,
eiaue to that. ['nine the mirk of the Goapel duce not establish
that, there Is enything of the goipel in It. A non may to
a very fervid man, but I/ he gore out and chests his neigh-
. bows, If he shows barmen an ill-einditioned mare
'1 at home the repel has had nothing to do for Into. Chriat's
love am; pity are all to set righteousims in the earth. Some
teachers ...am to aim at excitement ; but that is not the highest.
type of religious teaching ; but after ell, the undo( all teaching
is to preterit Ci Cl) n.ai, perfut before Got Let us °molder
the way in which Jur. Christ did this. " Ile shall not strive,
nor cry • neither shall any man hear his voice in the struts.—
' A bruised nail shell he not brolc, and enoking itot shall he
not quench, till he send forth judgment into victory.
timid is our model ;the common 'mink heard him gladly ; can
we catch his spirit. It was unobtruaive ; he sought retiremeeit,
from the big log to die end his work wag markol by
unobtrusiverom lie was born in litUe Bethlehem, iii a lowly
wayaide ion, in the atiV•le nt that i 1111 l the SOH f a lowly
woman ; Ile was trained up iii hub Nazareth, and afterwards
tinachiog in the wilderness, WI the mountain. No gnat blow-
ing 4 trumpet., no show with Chrtd. he t marideat
pople are taut always the beet workers, not the newt like
Jo.. Christ. It is riot always the grandest pommoion that
Inkomps tin the truest church, nor alwaym the newt showy
people whom powtr is flaol ori tlio truest basis. The little
slwaineciigiiie to mino)", the march of tile heavens silent ; the
Northern lomn•works are ludo ' • but tkoa work in the greet,
the growth of all things, llooli look at the temlernme
Christ, "the bruised rood shall lie Ind linak." hi hat a poor
thing IS a brutes' ! But Ile will not linak it. Human
nature at beat is poor and acal. es a rood pipe, Which nnnugl.t t.•
siatml. inelialy ; hut it io bruiwal, all harmony is gone
mit of it; but Ile will tune it again " the amoking flax will
ire not ;" he will trini the lainp. lie will wait till it
burst out into a fiance. It may be pier tunntiro.rriy we are
making • but he sill Isar with it till it 111a1.11110. You may bee
poor backslider, maims and disagreeable. Ile will kiln' le a itli i
thy Ireorta rernembrance of Ills merry, he will Isar with Uiee ;
lii,, smoling fiat lie will imt quoit:h. JeSl/1 Christ is the Mille
yalltcr.l4, t.. lIAy arsi for over. Ile bee the tame actions row
as then. When he mess nitlirig to meat, • nor wretched atimer
came in, watered hia feet with her tcara, wll crl them with her
heir ; and poured over them the precioto ointment. Ile said
" Thy sins are fuMiren thee ; peace," or an it heir
be rendered ••Un iido palm." Whitfield mice mid " Chriit
will receive the Alt%irs castaways." Inc waa criticised for that
by a person who said it woo beneath the dignity of the pulpit.
A nide was brought to him saying that a poor outowit 1,01
crawled into the mating in gnat misery. and 1.11.1k011 hien for
the manage. Christ received the poor dying thief. See his
treatment of Peter—" I know Mut not," said Peter, but lie
went out and wept bitterly, and ] hrisCa only reproach was
"Simeon, son of Jona., lovat thou mu more than these?"
Christ's ISM* IS ton be finally triumphant. Ile has power to do
the work, has perfect sympathy with the work, the approval
of his conscience, plenty of time, and will be finally trium-
phant Christ'. tnutoph is secured, men may have pone,
conviction, but time is wanting. Jesus Owlet has all time to
labour in, all the woe are hi. he never grows; old. Shall Mir
nation or the other fall? That may be matter fur debate; but
humanity shall not fall of attaining Its highut aspiration*
We are on the skinning aide, the lake are walling for his law,
China is ea. log up, Jodie kr tossing her mountains to the
moles and bats. 'The Isles shall wait for His law. Are we
waiting for Uhl law. We who have heard Christ In the first
lisping. of Infamy, hani-hearted Mill of bminess, little chikl,
the most pitiful el all, are we waiting for Ills law? Shall they
come from the Fast and the West, and the children of the
kingdom be shut out? God forbid ; hod help is. all to receive
him and his work. "his la Christ's work, our work; ('heist's
' way of doing It; our way of doing it; Christ'. imwer, our
power. May he enable us to du it for His Il•100.11 sake. Amen.
The tnrea,d,cr said he wan. glad that wo have her,, eatablipl,rd a
lbnmnlq bchool Union; the work cannot Inn nbo.iv' in lonlatln,n
The Union had done good work in boidon ; but it could not
continue without union, In, the cauouy, and In conclusion he
asked the oongregation to contribute to Hartland,.
The concluding hymn was
likst work ! the youthful mind to will. •
The congregation was pretty numerous.

_
Trusser.
The Conference was hekl at Moneys Mr-street schoolroom,
where there sasembled Rev. W. Lewis, president of the union,
Mr. T. lirsine (London), Rev. .1. Bailey, Rev. W. W. Shorren,
Mr. R. if. Eliot, Rev. L. Demn, Rev. T. Heave, and Rev. .1. E.
Brett, Dorchester, Mr. A. Donnie, hon. sec., end shout 100
teachers.

Rev. W. Lewis said when they opened the union In a
kind of iporlyste meeting, they ffrst looked to periodical
meetings for prayer, and then to the hops of meeting. for con-
ference as well as prayer They had had the devotional
meetings, sod God has biassed them ; we have been made
more conscious of the fellowebip we have In the work of the
Lord. se well as In the grace of the Lord Though rather de.
layed, they had now their conference, and their dear friend,
Mr. Brain., one of the earnest workers In London, had Mailed
them, seen their schools, and now .1.11 about to introduce the
dieemeion. After this, he would be glad of any suggestions,
remarks, or criticism from any protein, for none would have
assembled at this lea convenient hour, if they had not sym-
pathy with Sunday school work.

pow CA, Lau. v!noss, cnracau, AD ecoooui, mums*

usi.r TO aloll aim's.

Mr. RADII road a paper on this question. Ile advieed
Sabbath evening prayer meetings, at the awe of the service.
The rooms should be light, airy, healthful, and suitably
furnished. One good room for the infante, containing a gallery
black hosed, and Sunday pictorial illustrithons ; and one room
supplied with inace,ka , or elm etholars will not be maintained.
Visitors should inspect libraries, and where required, should
advise the schools to obtain fresh libraries, which arc supplies'
ant at one-third and then at half-price, by the central union.
Visitors should enquire Into the schools, and perceive the
quancation of the teachers. Ministers are most fitted for
conducting preparation cleave. for Machete, at which each
member should procluce his share of illustrations, mid the art
of taaehini; and putting questions may be studied. The church
will send its best educated most deeply pious members to he
teacher., and sJI it. own children to the school. In the schools
of Wales are to be found all ape from infanta to :0 years .1
age. Churches may help their schools by afilliating them to
the union, out pnicurinr the right for the teachers to compete
with idhers on Biblical subject,. Minister* will be omsidered
the host friends and guide-, and the ahead will help the church
by its teachers taking tart in the devotional exercises .4 the
Maces. Teachers will invite the parent, and children by the
public ministrations of the Word. It teachers are detcnuhsal
li harl every scholar to Christ, and mipecially if remembering
that even young children eats become the lord's, teacher*
will aloe strive to set a poiii example of conscientious.... ;
they must practice what they botch, fel:Ace °Ter tech other's
slicer. am.
nd s! their wants before Nal in prayer. They
should encourage the younger scholars to make their peator
their eitillalant, and should Minable.: them to his, and thus
a.„oki the cnion's churches and Sunday schools render the
Diet efficient service to each other.

Rev. T. Murk of Dorchester, is • member of another Union,
thought something might he saki to bring the Wey month 1.,11.41
1114, cloeer iainnection with the union at Donthester, and that
the two small unions might b extinguished, and one stnoiger
union formed. In io rcheeter they had hail a Ullioll for *one
time ; but excepting the rielt of the deputation ....11i40111111y
there we no sitri of the =ion at all. Ile thought that little
unions for little town. dud villages were IRA 44 1.11/Ch 'Nod,
and it struck him whether the Episcopalians, Methodists,
congregationalist., and !artists, ought it all unite MINI bring
relt less otiluenve to hear upon the education of the young.
Could there not ho some kind .4 mutual co-operation between
the various scalene of INC ehrhltiAll Church? When Mr. Braille
was at Dorchester, his demands upon the teachers were extra.
ordinary; but they really did not require so much mental
culture ; what we need in • much higher spiritual life, that our
teachers should get more into sympathy with the living Christ,
not simply with the geOlfrePhY. loPolfrePhl, and euatoms.4 the
land where Ile lived, lie fear.' there was • want of fervour ;
we need a baptism .4 the Holy Ghost, to mike them Moro
sympathetic with Christ, and ai we should gain more than by
more intellectual culture. In the re, Vied in Scotland, the
revivalists have not taught the people fnsh truths. hut thy
have stirred up spiritual life. And what we want ii in.re
unction of the Holy Ghost, and if we could meet f. .r
fere,,ce, and air up each other, we should ammudish much
for our Sunday schools, so that he hoped we might receive
moan AilaWne hod pc good for our Sunday schools Wm atter-
woo.