The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-05-19 00:00:00

XINTERNE ILAGNA.

FI'NIIII4I. oV I.4Di plow.
Qn Fcid&y, the titlf itialant, the mortal remains of Lady
legliy MISS consigned to their but reeting place, in the
family vault attached to the church of this parish. As it
it was desired that the funeral should be of a private
character, there were few mourners present beyond the
members of the family and their immediate relatives.
During the morning of the day • number of earriages
arrived at Minterne House with relatives, to condole with
the bereaved (wilily. The funeral drew together a large
number peophi from the adjacent villages to pay their
last tribute of respect to the memory of one who, by her
many excellent qualities, had endeared herself to them
all. The following is a list of the members of the Digby
family who were present :—Lord Derby. the lion. Theresa
Digby, Captain the lion. E. H. T. Digby, the lion. A. K.
Digliy, Captain the Hon. KC. Digliy. The following
relatives of the family were also present :—Lally C.
Kerrison, the Rev. Kenelin Digliy, Lord Ashburton, Mr.
P,. Marker, and the Karl of Ilchester. The general
biourners included .--11 e. 11. Franipten, Mr. B. Little.
bales, Dr. Hcßnery, c. Several of the relatives of the
deceased who reside in distant parts of the country were
prevented by unavoidable causes from joining in the sail
ceremony. About 12 o'clock the funeral party left the
family mansion, and, having formed into procession at
the.frent entrance, proceeded to the church an the follows
ins &Her ;
The Rev. W. Pletuher, and Dr. Reknory.
Mr. W. li. (lark fundcrtakero and Mr. M. batten.
The Oolln
(Borne by eight men eniployed on Lord estate.)
lord Dlithy and the Hon. and Rev K. lilghy,
Capt. the Mai. E. 11. T. idgby, and Hon. A. jihrby,
Capt. the /lon. E. 1644,
Relatives of the family.
Men servant, the llousehoW.
. . . _

The clouded state of the sky, no thy pro...whin wended
its way towards the church, deepened the general gloom.
The slow and measured tolling of the church bell was the
only SOllll,l that was beard. As the procession entered
through the portals of the church, the organ pealed forth
the bea4 March. its dirge like semii reverberating
through the ramarl edifice. The COnill having been placed
in the chancel, the Rev. Dr. Fletcher proceieled ton real
the burial "eerie in a most impressive manner. The
pulpit and reading de,k were shrourled with Mark drapery.
After the I...ag‘, fnan ('or. ov., the minister 1.1 the pro-
cession to the family vault, where he real the remainder
of the appointed °thee. The mourners took a last look at
the coffin as it cm Icing lowered into the vault, after
which • number of beautiful liliee. Mhieh had been broneht
by the members of the family, were placed upon the
coffin by Capt. anew, aa a hurt token of filial affection, and
the sorrowful party returned. The coffin was covered
with black cloth, and the gilded shield upon the lhi bore
the following inecription —"Theresa Anna Maria NOT,
wife of Edward, ninth Baron Dishy. Born Jan. 11th,
1,11. Died May ssl, Itgl." All the appointtnente for the
funeral were furnished by Mr W. H. Clark, of I 'erne
Abbas, under whose personal superintendence all the
details connected w:th the interment of the leelj• were
carried out in the nimt satisfactory manner.
The Rev. Dr. FLETCHLR, on the following Sunday, iriale
some allusion to the above event, hefore co iiiii lencing his
sermon. He spoke iu eloquent ternc, of the interest which
the deceased lady took in all that c• arn.l their hest
interest. The congregation listened with marked Atten-
tion as the rev. gentleman went on to speak of the kind-
ness and charity of the deceased, to whirl' he could, lie
said, hear willing testimony. Ile concluded his remarks
by making • touching appeal to his hearers, asking them
for their sympathy for those on whom the I lee', utttirtion
had more especially fallen, and urged them to pray that
the bereaved family might be tilled with peace end
heavenly consolation.
The rev gentler°an deterred the following sermon, taking
his text from 14th Revelations, and lath verse—" And I hood
• voice frem heaven saying unto nie, write, from henceforth,
blessed are the deal which die in the Lail even so, saith the
- pint for they rest from their labours." These words are
not ouly remarkable In themselves, hot also from the manner
in which they are introduced. The writer, an male in the isle
of Patmos, hears a voice from heaven bidding him to commit
to writing the usesea„e, and put It on record to all coining
ages. The mamma bout the chump and impress of Divine
revelation. ill, in the gospel alone that life and immortality
are brought to light. These are the triumphs of Christianity.
Though it had no others to recent, here are enough to shew
what it is, and whence it comes. A principle which ran
Menem Death of its terrors and light up the grave with bright
beams of glory, can have but one origin it comes from riot.
In such scenes.. that which has passed before our mat during
the p.m week, how sweet are these words, coming to us from
the doors of heaven. I need not ask your attention m •
menage so deeply iruportain in itself, and rendered still more
inerressive by the lIIMIner Of Its delivery. The very eircurn-
Sawmill under which I speak to you to-day, themselves claim
your attentive regard. " Blessed are the dead which die In
the Lord." They who die In the lord are they whom the Spirit
prouounees blamed. Some, Indeed, einem of the future
bleesednem of all men ; they picture to themselves • state in
which all will be eased. But they who indulge such
dreams, will at length experience • dread wakeeing.
The Scriptures make a wide distinetion between these who
serve elod, and those who serve him not ; and whether we look
to the general tenour cif the Scriptures, or to particular
pareages, we end it still the wile The eyes of the Lord are
over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But
se there is adherence in the sight of God between the righteous
and the wicked in this life, so there le in the world to coma
"Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him, for be shall
eat of the good of hi doing : woe unto the wicked for the
reward of his hands shall be given hi." Thtu the blessedness
which I. pronounced in our text is for those who die in the
Lord . Death is the common end which awaits us an High
and low, rich awl poor, master and servant, the good Lai the
evil, must all lie down together in the grave. There is no
ementrtion from this law. Various are the emditiono under
which we pass to our end. Scene are cut of in the vigour of
their strength, and they vs hence, and are im more seen.
Others are consumed by emitting sickle:we and pine toray by
stow dmay On some, death lays his hands with vielrnee, and
others past away without a etrusele. But whether we leas
throu.rh gnat tribulation, or our departure hence ls calm and
peaceful, It is appointed unto men once to die; and after death
the judgement After death the judgement ! Here wows the
decisive point ; and on what does this decision turn! We
have the answer in God's wont. "Behold I come quickly, and
niv reward is with me. to give every man according a. his work
shall he" "Blo,eat are the dead which die in the Lord."
"Whether we live, we live unto the L ; or whether we die,
we die unto the lord ; whether we live there-
fore or die we are the font'," For if any nun be
In Christ he is • new creature,--old thing, are pissed
away, behold an thinp are become new As the spiritual
life axles only in sod through Christ, an it comes to
us only by union with Christ. We are one with GUn, and He
with us, or we have n spirituat life in us. And LS with onr
life so with cur death. If we lire In the Lord we shall meet
sesureilly Me In the Lord ; for death comae change our relation
to Him. The Apostle says If we believe that Jesus died
and rose again. even .0 those that sleep in Jesus will nod bring
with Him " Sleep in Jesus how inexpressibly sweet are these
words ! Sleeping In Jesus is • raging from labour, until the
morning dawn upon us of that eternal day, which shall call
forth the children of the resurrection to • more devoted service
in that exalted state, where they shall serve God without inter.
emitter, without hindrance or restraint Even now there is •
rein for every believing soul. We that have believed, says the
Apostle, do enter into rest. What is this rest which God gives
to His children! Rost In His previous blreel shoaling, as the
sprice of our redemption. But there is a nolder runt yet riniain-
for the people of God ; a higher state a enjoyment, where
nes of joy is at (lode right hand. The chikbere of Israel
who came forth jubilant from Rapt, fall in the wilderness
through unbelief ; and so it will be with those who Mum to
submit thouselrm to the guidance of theist. But God's true
and faithful eervants enter into rest, and that rest hi an entrance
into bemire", Whatever the irdenuoliate state ef the dead
may he, this we know- -that the souls of the faithful, after they
are delivered from the burden et the flesh, are in joy
and felicity. They are absent from the body; they are
prawn' with the Lord. Our Lord promised to the
penitent thief—" this day 'halt thou be with me In Paradise ^
dimmed are the deed which the in the Lord." They at once
enter into a state of constant enjoyment and though the
perfection of their bliss he de/1)-ot till their body be raised from
the graie, and fashioned like Christ's glorious body, still even
now we know that the souls ef the righteous are, at once, in
their separation front the frail aril mortal body, in a time of
ge rest.
resultsan
ous tl,..n.,p,en of actions
ic aridolthat "their
.4
works du 1,110,11,011.
e nghtovo,u
will follow them to the eternal world. We canna, indeed spade
with certainly 1114, the state "(any indivWual after he pares
from this world. We cannout trace at the oulorts modes of
, operation which regulate the doings of men ; but this vor
I know —that no man that liveth can claim a reward fa his
I geed deeds ; and If any hops to be rewarded this principle,
they are resting their hope on a foundation which caner.
stand, or else Christ has died in vain We need no tlitriour it
we ean ease ourselves. It is said respecting the dead ill Mist
that "their works do follow therm"- -" verily there U. reward
for the righteous." All that has been done and suffered for 1
Christ will be rewarded —"Their works do follow them."
Nothing else can follow us to the eternal world, my brethren. '
We an toe nothing with us when we die. If we have heaped
te.euree we must leave them. If we have left LH honour- •
name and filled • high pram among men, we cannot take these
things with us. So with the lear Water we laid in the silent
reee but yesterday- It Is only our weft/ ; the
results of our conduct here -these will be found with um here-
after, even throughout eternity itself. And, in this reepect,
'terrine will be but • continuation of the prment life for as
we are In this lift, so than we be In death, and so shall we be
throughout eternity 0! that this truth were 'swatted in ear
hearts—es our life I, so will our death be. How rime is the ,
ee.e.ectiee, between the present and the future ! If it Is • '
bled thine to rile in the Lord, so it MIA aiso be • blamed
thing to Pe in the Lad ; to Bee se that our life may he.
daily preparation for death ; to die so that death may be the
eoenmeneerneet of • new and blessed state of everlaeting
happiest. 0 ! that this happiness may be yours, In Its happy
measamatreiti ! God is most willing to bestow upon you Ills
nova abundant Ohs of pun ; 0! seta than whde they are to
be found I Wu IN palm away, and can-ylng with it your
met., orportftroUf maw of gram 0! lay thesso

things to heart ! Be wise while it is ca/led today, tbe night
cometh In which no man can work ! I entreat you by all the
preatoimayas of thrist, to think on those things. I warn you,
is God's minister, by .11 the solemnities of death, Judgement,
and eternity--think of thi.se things.