The Vicarage,
27th August, 1926.

My Dear Friends,

With this number of the Magazine you wi11 receive the half-yearly paper from the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, which gives some account of the work of this valuable society. I hope it will be carefully read.

The greatest event in Hartlip during August was of course, the Annual Show of the Gardeners' Society on the 11th which was held again in the grounds of Dane House. We all felt how appropriate it was that it should be opened this year by Miss Barbara Locke and everyone agreed with the happily-worded little speech which Mr. Miles made in asking her to perform the ceremony. The Show itself well kept up the reputation of the Society in spite of a difficult season for gardening. We were fortunate in escaping the worst of the heavy storms which visited the neighbourhood on that afternoon and, as the attendance was good, I hope the accounts will come out on the right side. The children's exhibits of paintings and wild flowers were main numerous and the judges must have had no easy task in awarding the prizes given by the School Trustees.

By the kind permission of Mrs. Denson, the children of the Church Sunday School had their summer Treat at Queendown Warren on July 29th and spent a very enjoyable afternoon and evening in beautiful weather. It was good to watch their keenness in the sports and games and especially, perhaps, in the cricket and the time for the return home in Mrs. Denson's car and Mr. Miles' van came all too soon.

On Sunday, September 19th, the Rev. S. H. Courtnay-Smith, Secretary of the C.E.T.S. Police Court Mission, will speak to us at the 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. services on this important work. We all know something about it and what the Missioner in this district, Mr. Jacques, is doing to help many who need his help. There is, I believe, no cause that appeals more to people generally than this. I hope we shall have large congregations and good collections for the Mission on the 19th.

The Harvest Thanksgiving Services will be held on Sunday, October 3rd. Gifts of vegetables, fruit, and flowers should be sent, please, to the Church by ten o'clock on the Saturday morning, so that those who do the decorating many get on with their work. I always feel that it is nice, at a village Harvest Thanksgiving, to have contributions from a large number of the gardens and allotments in the Parish, so that many people may express their gratitude to the Giver of all good things by sending something to His House at the festival. Surely this is the meaning of the decorations at the Thanksgiving. You will remember that God ordered His people of old to bring of the fruits of the earth to His House at the Harvest as a thank-offering (Deut. xxvi 2.)

I mentioned in last month's magazine the "World Call" that is now being made to the Church - the special effort to realise how the world is calling at this time for the Message of the Gospel. The Church of Christ must be true to its Master and try to carry out His command to "preach the Gospel to every creature." I have now arranged with the Special Messenger to our parish (the Rev. G. Hillyard) the details of his visit to us for the week-end September 25th to 27th. They are given below.

The Saturday evening will not, I am afraid, be a convenient time for all, but we trust that some few at least will come to the Church for the short devotional Service to ask for God's blessing on the visit of the Messenger, and to hear his opening words. The meeting on the Monday evening is intended particularly for those who take part in any form of Church work but we shall the most pleased to see at it others also. Of course, we hope that at the Sunday Services Mr. Hillyard will speak his message to very many of our people. About the middle of the month you will receive a printed letter from the Archbishop on this subject, addressed to the parish, and a simple paper on the "World Call." Let us all do our best to make this special time helpful.

I remain,

Your sincere friend and Vicar,
D. H. CREATON.

"THE WORLD CALL."

Visit of the Messenger," (the Rev. G. Hillyard, Vicar of St. John's, Maidstone), September 25th to 27th.

Saturday, Sept. 25th, - 7 p.m. - Devotional Service in the Church.

Sunday, Sept. 26th, - 8 a.m. - Holy Communion,
11 a.m. - Mattins and Sermon
3 p.m. - Children's Service.
6.30 p.m. - Evensong and Sermon.

Monday, Sept. 27th - 7 p.m. - Meeting of the Church Council and other Church workers in the schoolroom.

The Messenger will preach at all the Services and address the Meeting.

COLLECTIONS IN THE CHURCH.

£s.d.
Aug.1-Quota to Diocesan Fund1168
"8-Church Expenses204
"15-"202
"22-"256