Hartlip Parish Magazine - on-line archive
June 1915 : page 2 (of 2)
HARTLIP PARISH MAGAZINE.
JUNE, 1915.
Dear Friends,
Since writing my last letter to you, two of our oldest parishioners, and regular communicants, have been called away from our midst, to pass over the border line into the land of rest. They both realized how solemn a thing it is to live, and, therefore, death was no alarming thought, but rather that of peace, and joy beyond.
Maria Louisa Clout came to Hartlip when quite a young woman, where she was prepared for Confirmation; and ere many years was married; and has lived here with her family ever since. She was a constant member of our congregation, and most interested in the general work of the Church, and a regular subscriber - according to her means - to one of its societies. Her illness for some time was of a very trying nature, and she longed for her call to come. She passed peacefully away on May 8.
James Rayner, everybody knew; for he was always on the roads, which he knew so well how to keep in such good order. He had a cheery word for us all, something akin to his garden, which was always a picture in spring and summer. When at all fit, he was never absent from Church on a Sunday morning; no one of us enjoyed more the Sunday services than did James Rayner; his heart was there, where true joys are to be found. After much suffering, he was called to his rest in Rochester Hospital, on Monday, May 17. We shall all miss him.
Tuesday, May 11, was beautifully fine, and the evening calm, when clergy, choir, and people assembled in the Churchyard for our fifth Rogation Service, of penitence for national sins, and intercessions for the seeds and fruits of the earth. It is but a revival of an ancient custom, which reminds us that the people of long ago seemed to realise, far more than many of us do now, that God's blessing was needed for the crops.
Hospital Sunday in London is June 13, and St. Bartholomew's, Rochester, has adopted that date as Hospital Sunday down here. But seeing that we always give our collections at the Harvest Thanksgiving to that object, our date will, therefore, be some three months later; somewhere near St. Michael's Day.
We have now hanging in the Church porch, a list of parishioners who are serving their King and Country at this critical time, at home, or abroad. It is not given to the majority of us to take such an active part but we can all pray earnestly, every day, for our King all his advisers, our forces, and Allies. This is a lever for good, in the hands of each of us. Let us use it all we can; and who knows but
God may send us the blessings of Victory and Peace for we believe firmly that we are fighting the Lord's battles, for our homes, our lives and our very Christianity. It verily seems as if the Powers of Darkness were arranged against us, and stop at nothing in their warfare. But in this compulsory war, "let us fight" to quote a Prussian of 50 years ago - "as gentlemen." But we fear THEY now ignore such a noble sentiment.
We are sorry to say that one of Hartlip's soldiers is wounded, viz., Wm. T. Carpenter. It is simply marvellous that he had escaped so long, seeing the battles he has been in, during the last nine months. His new Colonel and Major were both killed. I am sure we all shall wish him a complete recovery from his serious wounds, and be ere very long restored to his little family. And one of Hartlip's soldiers is now a prisoner of War, at Gottingin, viz., Frank Ascott; he has written home quite cheerily, which, we trust, means that he is treated well.
Will you remember our weekly short service on Wednesdays at 7.30 p.m., when we intercede for all ?
The Church is open each day for private prayer. I trust it may be so used. God is teaching us a lesson, in this respect, by the war; let us try to learn it.
Your faithful friend and Pastor,
J. S. McMILLAN.
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| OFFERTORIES IN APRIL. | ||||||
| £ | s. | d. | ||||
| Apr. | 2 | - | Jews' Society. (less 4s. 1d.) | 0 | 14 | 7 |
| " | 4 | - | Dilapidations Fund | 3 | 12 | 5 |
| " | 5 | - | Dilapidations Fund | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| " | 11 | - | Sick and Poor | 0 | 13 | 9 |
| " | 18 | - | Church Expenses | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| " | 25 | - | Church Expenses | 0 | 18 | 3 |
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| BURIALS. | |||
| May | 11 | - | Maria Louisa Clout, aged 77 years. |
| " | 21 | - | James Rayner, aged 73 years. |
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| CALENDAR. | |||
| June | 11 | - | St. Barnabas, A. and M. Holy Communion, 10.30 a.m. |
| " | 13 | - | G.F.S. Intercession, 8 a.m. |
| " | 24 | - | Nativity of St. John Baptist. Holy Communion, 10.30 a.m. Intercession Service, 7.30 p.m. |
| " | 29 | - | St. Peter, A. and M. Holy Communion, 10.30 a.m. |
Intercession Service, 7.30 p.m. on Wednesdays, except the 23rd (see above).