The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-18 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

AT WIMBLEDON.

The glorious weather which ushered in the pro-
ceedings of the National Rifle All•OCildh011 prize meeting
appears likely to attend it to its clown, wed every day it has
bad the effect of increasing the number of visiton. This
war very strikingly exemplified on Saturday, for throughout
the day the carriages with many membersof the aristocracy
were constant in their arrival at the Common, and many
elegantly-droned iodise were to be seen at the different
firing points.
Dr. Waitron:on, surgeon to the National Rifle Amnon.
tion, who has a medical and surgical tent fitted up DOLT the
Windmill, reported on Saturday night that he had brought
under his notice since the commencement of the meeting
31 cases of enmities, bet noes of a serious nature.
Yesterday Divine service was performed far the volunteses
in the large tent on theoommoo, and the Archbishop of York
preached the sermon. The tent yes decorated with
flap, which were suspended from the top, reach*
nearly to the ground. At one sad et the tent a sort of dais
was erected to serve the purposes of a reading-desk, and
also fora pulpit. Os the dais was plead a table, on which
was • large drum, covered with a Cedes Jack. The hour
for the commencement of divine service waa fixed for eleven
o'clock, but long before that time the tent was taken posses-
sion of by a huge number of ladies and gentlemen riskiest
in the neighbourhood, so that really very little room was
left for the accommodation of the volunteers, for whom the
services had been specially provided. Snob being the one,
this state of affairs was brought under the notice of Lord
Eleho, who addressed them, and said that be was extremely
sorry to disturb them, but as the service was specially for
volunteers he must beg them to withdraw and give place to
them. This was at once willingly done, sad woo afterwards
the teat was filled by the Guards, volunteers, and the
polies on duty on the nominee, very little room being left
for other persons. The Rev. T. Healy Ball, lecturer of
Wimbledon, read the prayers, after which hymns and the
Old Hundredth Psalm were sung being acaompanied
by the band of the London Scottish, under the
direction of Mr. Macfarlane, the bandmaster. His Grace
thou commented his sermon, taking as his text
the 2nd Book of Kilns, chap. 9, v. 18, "So there
went one on horseback to meet him, and said. Thus
with the king, is it peace? Aad John and,
What had thou to do with pesos Turn the*
behind me. And the watchman told, laying, The messenger
came to them, but he cometh not again." The right rev.
prelate maid the volunteers should remember that they were
soldiers of Christ ea well as of the Queen. They bad work
in hand for all of them to do, and when the rumour reached
them that their isle was threatened with invasion, that body
sprang into existence, and their object was pence, but had
anyone dared to approachthe chalky cliffs of England, such
• sight would have met his view as would cover him with
dismay. rhere were rumours of war floating in the air,
but by the blessing of God he trusted that peace would be
maintained, and that the only battle they would have to
tight would be the battle of Christ and against the enemy
of mankind. Tin right rev. prelate enlarged his views upon
this theme, which were listened to with the deepest atten-
tion. His lordship pronounced the benediction, and the
heed of the London Scottish played the Hallelujah chorus
as the different corps were being marched off the ground.