Hartlip Parish Magazine - on-line archive
January 1915 : page 2 (of 2)
HARTLIP PARISH MAGAZINE.
JANUARY, 1915.
Dear Friends,
Several of you expressed regret at, and most of you have read of, the death of the versatile Editor of the Church monthly - Mr. Fred. Sherlock - who was known to a considerable number of you by the "lectures" he kindly gave here from time to time. Being such a prominent and leading Churchman, he was in request all over the country, yet last winter he readily came down and gave us his "Dickens" lecture, which resulted in £3 odd for one of our Orphan Schools, while that same lecture cleared £35 when given in Newcastle! So you see how ready he was to address a tiny audience as well as one of thousands.
His death is a loss to the Church everywhere, especially in Hornsey, where as Churchwarden and leader of a Men's Bible Class there must be a great gap.
One has been privileged to have his friendship, and draw upon his editorial experience for some fifteen or sixteen years, and therefore one feels his death keenly.
The Magazine will continue, I believe, on similar lines, as the management had been augmented a short time previous to his operation.
The Church Abroad will again be provided gratis, as it is much appreciated by some of you, and any trifle sent me will go towards this additional outlay, as our interest in missions abroad is worth maintaining at all costs.
Not for many a long year has there been such a gloomy Christmastide as this last one. Sadness hangs over the land like a pall; homes overclouded with anxiety for absent ones, or thrown into mourning for brave hearts who'll never return again to tell us stories of heroic deeds that saved the Empire, whether in the cold, muddy trenches of France, or the thin khaki line, where cooks and camp followers and every one rushed to fill the gap, and only just blocked the inrush of the barbarian Huns through our lines. As also the "jolly tars," who day and night keep guard on our Island Home, and save us from invasion.
Brave hearts and true, we mourn for you,
Who've fought the fight, and done the right
In honour's cause.
Sad it is for Christianity that the Festival of "Peace on Earth" should witness the greatest war in history. But when the Rulers of a nation become possessed by the unchristian spirit of arrogant presumption and military dictatorship, they stop at nothing, even the murder of innocents and the wanton destruction of cities and villages, yes, and churches.
In that case, even Christian nations have no choice but to fight for their very existence. For such we are fighting to-day; and also for the principle that a nation's word is her bond.
Sunday, January 3, is the day appointed for the National Service of "Humble Praver and Intercession on behalf of the Nation and Empire at this time of War." This is a very necessary service at the present juncture. We need as a nation to seek deliverance from the sins of pride, boasting, self-indulgence, and trusting in our own strength. To seek forgiveness for our want of love and faith and blindness of heart. To intercede for our King and his Allies: our Navy and Army: for all the hosts of sufferers: for our Enemies: and for Peace.
Let no one imagine that he or she has no need to do this. Every soul in the land ought to do so, for their own sake and their country's sake.
God is speaking to us through this terrible war in a way He has never done before. Therefore let us listen to His voice, and humbly seek Him with all our heart at this special service on January 3, and so begin the year 1915 in His house; and then we may hope to have His blessing on our lives, on our homes, on our Empire, and on our brave forces at the Front.
They are doing their very best for our King and for us; therefore let us do likewise, by MEETING TOGETHER on Sundays and Wednesdays, to pray to God for them. To know that we do so will be a great encouragement to each of them.
Your faithful friend and pastor,
J. S. McMILLAN.
P.S. - Owing to the Printers' delay, this Magazine will be some days late probably.
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| OFFERTORIES IN NOVEMBER. | ||||||
| £ | s. | d. | ||||
| Nov. | 1 | - | Church Expenses | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| " | 8 | - | Church Expenses | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| " | 15 | - | Additional Curates Society | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| " | 22 | - | Church Expenses | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| " | 29 | - | Organ and Choir Fund | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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| CALENDAR. | |||
| Jan. | 1 | - | Circumcision. 10.30 a.m., Holy Communion. |
| " | 3 | - | National Service of Prayer for the Empire in this War, 11 and 6.30. |
| " | 6 | - | *Epiphany. 10.30 a.m., Holy Communion. |
| " | 25 | - | Conversion of St. Paul. 10-30 a.m., Holy Communion. |
*Every Wednesday - Short Intercession Service for the War at 7.30 p.m.