VICAR'S LETTER.

My dear People,-

This month opens with All Saints Day and closes with the beginning of the Advent Season, which is the Church's period of preparation for the Christmas Festival. In Advent there will be four weeknight services on Wednesdays at 7.30 p.m.

November 30th, St. Andrew's Day, is observed throughout the Anglican Communion as a Day of special intercession for Missions Overseas. On this Day therefore I trust we shall all bear in mind the great claims which the Church in other lands has upon everyone of us. Parishes in England enjoy the priveleges of former people's generosity; few parishes have to maintain their parish priest, but in our Dominions and in foreign lands it is far otherwise. There, the congregations have to support their clergy entirely, and build and maintain churches and schools. It is a plain duty therefore for us to help our less favoured brethren. The collections on Advent Sunday will go to the society for the Propagation of the Gospel our oldest Missionary Society. A special preacher will be in Hartlip Church for this day. I myself have promised to go elsewhere and plead the cause of Missions, and I am glad to be able to do my little in this way.

Our Rural Dean, the Rev. G. J. Browne, the Vicar of Frinsted has accepted another Cure near Dover. He leaves this Deanery in January. He will be missed in many ways and not least in the Day Schools, for he has became known to us as a genial Religious Diocesan Inspector who has won the confidence of the children, and the esteem of the teachers.

Mr. George Hollands so well known in our midst, passed away on October 27th, following an operation in the Middlesex Hospital. Our sympathy goes out to his widow in her bereavement.

Yours sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER.

BURIAL.

Oct. 30th - George William Hollands, aged 63 years.

COLLECTIONS FOR THE MONTH.

£s.d.
Oct.11th.-Quota2111
Oct.18th.-Church Expenses225
Oct.25th.-Church Expenses262

MOTHERS' UNION.

A largely attended meeting was held last month under the Presidency of Mrs. R. G. E. Locke. Officers for the ensuing year were elected. Thirteen persons have given in their names for membership or associateship, and Mrs. Arthur Webb and Mrs. Noble, both of whom have worked so zealously for the Mothers' Union in other places, were elected as Honorary members. The Vicar gave a talk on some of his experiences in New Zealand.

The next meeting will be on November 18th in the church, when the new members will be received into the Union and presented with their cards of membership. All will afterwards adjourn to the Vicarage.

JUMBLE SALE.

Over £6 resulted from this, and has been added to the Parish Hall Fund. The Hall Connnittee are grateful to the donors of goods, and to the Vicar for permitting the Sale at the Vicarage

MOTHERS' MEETING.

The winter session started on the 22nd October with a splendid gathering of mothers. Mrs. Noble and her helpers are busy making plans for the future. New members would be welcomed.

WHIST DRIVE.

The Hartlip Branch of the British Legion are having an evening on November 13th, when the proceeds will be given to the Church Safe fund. Over £2 was paid over to our Treasurer, Commander Pitcairn, for starting this Fund, as a result of the Parish Social held on October 6th. In case our readers do not know, we should like to inform them that the Parochial Church Council agreed that it was necessary that a fire proof safe should be fixed in the Vestry to hold all the Registers of the Parish and the Church Communion vessels. It would be a serious loss if the old Register disappeared, for it contains Hartlip records dating from 1538 in the reign of King Henry the VIII. And of course we want to exercise every care in the preservation of the more modern registers.

A new green altar frontal has been added to the Church, so we have the usual set of colours complete to mark the various Church seasons.

The promoters of the sale of produce held in Mr. W. Luck's garage on October 10th desire to thank all who helped by gift and purchase. As a result of the sale £7 was sent to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and £2/8/6 to the Opthalmic and Aural Hospital at Maidstone.