VICAR'S LETTER.

My Dear People,

The School re-opens on October 3rd at 9 o'clock. I hope all the children who, return will have benefitted by the holidays. Certainly we cannot complain of the weather, and this year there was no delay when hop-picking once began, and I'm told the hops this year were of remarkably fine quality. One of the Educational Officers visited me to make arrangements for the transit of children to the Central School at Rainham. Up to the time of writing this I have had no final information but I expect a circular letter has been sent to all the parents of the children concerned so that they will know what they are to do.

You will all regret to hear that Mrs. F. C. Hales, our Infant mistress, is in St Bartholomew's Hospital, where she has undergone a necessary operation. We shall hope she will make a speedy recovery and after a time of recuperation be back again to carry on her work in our midst. In the meantime I expect we shall have the help of a relieving teacher. Mrs. Cook will find her work much changed with the reduced number of scholars and having to teach lower standards.

All will join in congratulations to Miss Harden who is shortly to be married and will have her future home in Dartford.

The Church box has been plundered three times recently, and on the last occasion the thief went into the Vestry and broke up the clock hanging there. The works have disappeared and the case with broken dial, pendulum and hands was found on the Vestry floor. It is a sad thing that a Church cannot be left open without suffering such mean treatment. Very little would be found in the box as I have regularly opened it and removed the contents which seldom amounted to very much.

With the Autumn we begin some of our activities. The Mothers' Meeting restarts; the Mothers' Union will again meet regularly and the Girls' Friendly Society will re-commence its work under Miss E. Donaldson's supervision towards the end of the month. The girls will meet in the Schoolroom.

Yours sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER.

The Rev. N. E. Robertshawe, Vicar of Newington, will preach at Matins on October 9th.

HARVEST.

We shall be keeping our Patronal Feast and Harvest Festival while this Magazine is in the Press. The Vicar of St. John's, Chatham, is preaching on Thursday, September 29th, at 7.30

p.m., which is St. Michael's day. Then on Sunday, October 2nd, the Vicar of St. Augustine's, Gillingham, is coming to preach at the Evening Service. The Missionary potatoes are to be sold and the money given to the Melanesian Mission. The other gifts will be sent as usual to the Keycot Hospital. The alms on Sunday will go to St. Bartholomew's Hospital at Rochester. At the Children's Service in the afternoon there will be a nest box in the Church and the scholars are asked to bring one or more eggs to be also sent to the Hospital. We hope there will be very hearty congregations to render thanksgiving to God for the bounty of the Harvest. A list of Services was printed last month.

PARISH HALL.

The opening of our new Parish Hall is fixed for Friday, October 7th, at 4 'o'clock. After the formal opening there will be a social gathering with music until 6 p.m. Teas will be provided for adults at 6d. and children 3d. Then at 8 p.m. there will be a Carnival Dance with songs etc., between the dances and refreshments. The Imperial Dance Orchestra has been engaged. Tickets for the night are 1/6 each. The hall is now nearly complete and looks a most serviceable building. The Committee have bought new lamps and chairs and Mrs. Rainey is most kindly giving a new clock in memory of the late Mr. R. Savage who did so much for the scheme when it was first started. We hope the hall will prove a real boon in the social life of our village.

MOTHERS' MEETING.

This will restart in the new parish hall. An informal meeting will be held by Mrs. Noble on the day of opening the hall to fix upon the date. New members will be welcomed. It ought to be a joy to get out of the old club room which was never a very cheerful building on dismal winter afternoons.

MOTHERS' UNION.

The first autumn gathering will be held one day in October. Mrs. Pitcairn, the secretary, will send notices of this to the members.

The Vicar has had two letters from Australia from a former choir boy - Stephen Sage. He is now a theological student at St. Columb's Hall, Wangaratta. It is most pleasing to know of an old boy of our school preparing for the Ministry. The prayers of the congregation are asked so that we may sometimes remember him in our Intercessions. When he is ordained his name will be added to the Diocesan list of workers Overseas.

MARRIAGE.

September 12th. - James William George Lusk to Ellen Edith Steer.