HARTLIP PARISH MAGAZINE.

MARCH, 1915.

Dear Friends,

The past week has been one of great sadness for the Vicarage Cottage. After two or three days' illness Mrs. Carpenter's baby died of bronchitis on February 11; on the 13th Tommy was taken to hospital with scarlet fever; the baby was buried on the 14th; on the 19th Donald (2 years old) was taken to hospital with the fever, and alas, died on the 20th, on which day a letter arrived from Carpenter, saying he was ordered from the recuperating base to the front. Well might his wife exclaim with the patriarch of old, "All these, things are against me."

Mrs. Carpenter may rest assured that she has the sympathy of the Parish in this most trying affliction; and the prayers of us all, that God will vouchsafe to her His Heavenly consolation, as also to her brave husband in his sadness away from home in the fighting line, and not here to share the terrible burden of sorrow, with his brave wife.

There is another note of sadness, though of quite a different kind, which most of you will feel. Our late Editor, Mr. Fredk. Sherlock, as you are aware, died suddenly. He was a great worker for the Church, and also for Temperance; and always doing kind things for somebody, and wherever he went, far or near, to lecture, etc., he insisted on paying his travelling expenses. This was a tax upon him, indeed he was too generous, and coupled with that he had business losses; the result being that his widow and two daughters are very ill provided for. His three sons, having all volunteered before his death, are now at the front. It was considered that the most fitting memorial to him would be the opening of a fund to present to his widow. This has been done in London and elsewhere. As many of you have heard him lecture, and appreciated his work, you might like to subscribe a something to his memorial. I shall be pleased to receive any sums, however small, and forward them with my own to the above Fund.

The Medical Mission Working Party meets month by month at Queendown Warren, and so precise are its arrangements that during 1914 it made 14 garments, which the S.P.G. will forward to St. Alban's Mission Station, Kaffraria. The parcel also included five fully-dressed dolls, which may be sent to the "Girl Wives Zenanas." The Secretary, in acknowledging these articles, writes most gratefully on behalf of the S.P.G.

Here is a series of curious wedding coincidences which disclose themselves by close Observation. A wedding took place in Hartlip Church on February 14, 1876, which, owing to a previous clergyman's blunder, had to be entered on the lower section of the page in the Register. That wedding was between Thos. Price Rose and Elizabeth Crayden. On February 6, 1915, a wedding took place in Hartlip Church, and owing to the aforenamed blunder of 40 years ago, the entries had to be made on the lower section of the page, and this wedding, also, was between Thos. Price Cecil Rose and Florence Bertha Crayden.

Surely, no more strange wedding coincidence could have happened of the kind. In wishing the bride and bridegroom all happiness, I may say that they were not related one to the other.

Lent is with us again: it makes demands upon our better self; it calls us to sacrifice. Our Lord did without everything for 40 days while in the wilderness. What are we giving up in order to curb the body and subdue our lower self? Is our love to God only a make believe, so that we are hardly sacrificing anything for His sake?

Lent is an opportunity to test ourselves.

And it is only by so doing that we will discover the depth or shallowness of our love to our Lord. We are in earnest about our patriotism in these days of war. Oh let us be at least as keen about our Christian patriotism.

I hope all the members of the Mothers' Union will try to attend their special service on Lady Day - the 25th, - at 3 p.m.

Your faithful friend and Pastor,

J. S. McMILLAN.

OFFERTORIES IN JANUARY.
£s.d.
Jan.1-Additional Curates Society0210
"3-Red Cross Societies249
"6-Additional Curates Society030
"10-Church Expenses0183
"17-Diocesan Church Builiding130
"24-Church Expenses109
"25-Additional Curates Society012
"31-Organ and Choir Fund01910
HOLY BAPTISM.
Feb.7-Gladys Elaine, daughter of Robert and Emily Maria Todd, Old House Cottages.
HOLY MATRIMONY.
Feb.6-Thos. Price Cecil Rose and Bertha Crayden.
BURIAL.
Feb.14-John Edward Carpenter, aged 8 months.
"24-Donald Richard Carpenter, aged 2 years.
CALENDAR.
Mar.3-Preacher, The Vicar of Queenborough, 7.30.
"10-Preacher, Rev. T. S. Porterfield, C.P.A. Sec.
"17-Preacher, Vicar of Upchurch.
"24-Preacher, Vicar of Borden.
"25-Annunciation B.V.M., Holy Communion, 10.30 a.m.
"25-Annunciation B.V.M., Holy Communion, 10.30 a.m. Mothers' Union Service at 3 p.m., address by the Vicar of Stockbury
"28-Preacher, Vicar of Halstow, 11 a.m.
"31-Preacher, Vicar of Bredhurst.