Service of Remembrance to William Barnes

By Marion Tait

*The wreath was laid at the foot of William Barnes statue by David Downton*

On Sunday 8h October 2017 10:30am, at St Peter's Church, Dorchester, the Morning Service to commemorate the death of William Barnes took place. It was followed by a wreath laying at the statute.

17th Sunday of Trinity.

The Service was officiated by the Revd. Claire McClelland and the Revd. Canon Richard Franklin preached the Sermon.

It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and a blue sky. There was a good attendanceÂ from both the congregation and William Barnes Society members

The hymns for the service included:

Christ is made the sure foundation
God is love, his the care
Great is thy faithfulness
When I survey the wondrous Cross
All for Jesus.

The post-communion anthem 'A Grace' was written by William Barnes with music composed by the Church's Director of Music, David Fawcett, and sung beautifully by St Peterâ€™s Church choir. It was the first time the anthem had been heard in public.

Sermon-Matthew 21. 33-endÂ Â The Parable of the Wicked Tenants.

Canon Richard Franklin gave a very interesting and thought-provoking sermon where he linked the gospel reading regarding the tenants being thrown out of the vineyard to the plight of tenants and other small farmers in the Blackmore Vale where William Barnes grew up. He outlined some of Barnes' achievements as a poet and scholar. before considering the religious elements in his work, his love of nature, his trust in God, the connection between faith and life, and finally the dignity of work.

Canon Franklin presented Barnes as manifesting the best of Anglicanism, indeed the best of Christianity.Â William Barnes spoke to his parishioners in the language of ordinary people-Dorset dialect. He concluded by emphasising the importance of caring for creation and the need for the church to stay close to the society it serves.

Following the sermon Brian Caddy the William Barnes Society Chairman read a dialect poem â€˜Sleep did come wi the dewâ€™

Sleep did come wi the dew
By William Barnes

Summer. Sleep did come wi' the Dew

O when our zun's a-zinken low,
How soft's the light his feace do drow
Upon the backward road our mind
Do turn an' zee a-left behind;
When we, in childhood's days did vind
Our jay among the gil'cup flow'rs,
All drough the zummer's zunny hours;
An' sleep did come wi' the dew.

An' afterwards, when we did zweat
A tweilen in the zummer het,
An' when our daily work wer done
Did meet to have our evenen fun:
Till up above the zetten zun
The sky wer blushen in the west,
An' we laid down in peace to rest,
An' sleep did come wi' the dew.

Ah! zome do turn - but tidden right -
The night to day, an' day to night;
But we do zee the vu'st red streak
O' mornen, when the day do break;
Zoo we don't grow up peale an' weak,
But we do work wi' health an' strength,
Vrom mornen drough the whole day's length,
An' sleep do come wi' the dew.

An' when, at last, our e'thly light
Is jist a-drawen in to night,
We mid be sure that God above,
If we be true when he do prove
Our stedvast faith an' thankvul love,
Wull do vor us what mid be best,
An' teake us into endless rest,
As sleep do come wi' the dew.

After the Service, the choir processed to the ceremony at the William Barnes statue.

The choir sang 'Linden Lea' -words by William Barnes with music composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The wreath was laid at the foot of William Barnes statue by David Downton, Dave Burbidge read the first part of verse 4 from 'Culver Dell and the Squire'.

'But now I hope his kindly feace, is gone to vind a better place, But still, wi vok a left behind, He'll always be a kept in mind.'

This was followed by a short prayer by the Revd. Claire McClelland.