Badsey (with
Aldington) and Wickhamford
Parochial Magazine
1908
OCTOBER
By K. H.
On Monday, September 21st, the members the Parish Church choir, accompanied by a number of friends, left Badsey soon after five in the morning for the Franco-British Exhibition, and reached Paddington a little before nine. On arrival there the party divided, the men visiting Covent Garden, St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, and other places of interest, and making their way to the White City in the afternoon. The boys, with the Vicar, Mr. Binyon, and Mr. Moisey, proceeded at once to Shepherd's Bush by train, with a view to devoting the whole day to the Exhibition.
To all who saw the White City for the first time it must have been a revelation, for nothing of the kind more beautiful or imposing could well be imagined. The stately buildings with their fretted work and pinnacles, the water winding gracefully in and out between them, the motor-boats gliding noiselessly by, the exquisite gardens laid out by such firms as Sutton and Carter, all combined to produce a wonderful effect. And yet, beautiful as was the scene by day, it was, if possible, still more wonderful by night when the whole 'city' was brilliantly illuminated, and the glass steps of the cascade in the Court of Honour were lit up from behind by coloured lights which imparted their ever, changing hues to the failing water. In the different 'palaces' the chief products of Great Britain, France, and the Colonies were shown to advantage, and the attendants were all most courteous in supplying information and answering questions. Those who have visited the White City know how utterly impossible it is to see everything in one day, but the Badsey boys saw about as much of the general exhibits as was possible with a thirteen-hour time limit, in addition to treating themselves to many of the side shows, such as the scenic railway, the various 'villages' and the firework display in the Stadium.
The 'flip-flap' was admired, but not patronised although strongly recommended by the authorities as a 'pick-me-up,' which it certainly is in one sense and may be, of course, in another. Lyons' Popular Cafe, where the catering is both, cheap and good, provided liberally for the wants of the inner man. A move was made for home about 10.45 p.m., Mr. Binyon organising a march from Shepherd's Bush to Paddington, 'just to keep the boys awake.' All arrived in good time for the train, and, leaving Paddington soon after mid-night, the party reached Badsey at 3.10, little the worse for having, once in a way, turned night into day. Through the courtesy of the Great Western Railway Company carriages were reserved and the excursion was stopped at Badsey both on the outward and return journey, while the boys were gratuitously driven to and from the station by Mr. Wilkins and Mr. G. Marshall. It should be added that Mr. Binyon, whose help on such occasions is simply indispensable, accompanied the Vicar at very great personal inconvenience.
In the course of a sermon at Badsey Church, on the "Marks of a Christian," on Sunday, September 27th, the Vicar said: "It is likely that any one of us will ever have his flesh branded with evidence of his faithfulness to Christ, and thus be able to, share literally in St. Paul's proud boast, I bear branded on my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.' Can we therefore never hope to have proofs, which may be seen and read of all men, that we do belong to Christ? Certainly we can. Indeed if there be no such evidence as plain and unmistakable as the marks of St. Paul, though 'no man' may 'trouble' us, we have the very best of reasons for doubting our own sincerity.
The marks for which God and man look today are marks in character and conduct. There are certain things which, to a Christian, ought to matter, certain principles which he cannot disregard without it being guilty of disloyalty to Jesus Christ. One of these principles is the observance of the Lord's Day, the keeping of Sunday. I may be told that it is going too far to make the keeping of Sunday one of the tests of a Christian; that the keeping of Sunday is merely an English fashion and is not universal in Christendom; that on the continent they do not keep Sunday. This is not true. Although, according to continental fashion, more than half the day is given up by the majority to worldly pleasure, and consequently, in the case of many, to worldly business, Sunday is not allowed by the devout Christian to pass by unmarked by any outward sign of devotion: indeed the continental churches at early Mass on Sunday would put most of our English parishes to shame. The observance of Sunday by some mark of devotion is characteristic of Christianity throughout the wide world. Therefore, to blot out Sunday altogether as a holy-day is to be guilty of disloyalty to Christ.
You have, doubtless, guessed before now what has suggested this train of thought. Many thousands of our countrymen have deliberately agreed together to blot out Sunday, September 27, 1908, as a holy day, and are devoting, the day partly to business of a more or less serious character, and partly to hilarity, and duty to my office compels me to make this public protest. I say, nothing of the merits or demerits of the cause which is being advocated. I have altogether refrained from criticism of the Licensing Bill in the pulpit, which is more than some clerical opponents of the measure can say. I say nothing of the merits or demerits of the cause, and would have uttered a similar protest against such wholesale desecration of Sunday by supporters of the measure. It is urged that for such a demonstration trains could not have been secured on a week-day. In that case, a reference to to-day's Gospel, which has something to say about the conflicting interests of God and Mammon, might have provided a solution of the difficulty. The 'demonstration' is described by its organisers as 'national.' I hope the description is misleading, for, if to-day's 'demonstration' is in any sense 'national' it is surely a demonstration of national apostasy. But the language of the promoters of to-day's proceedings is obviously an exaggeration I know—and I am glad to be able to tell you—that there are some connected with this church, who have much at stake over this Bill, who are not at all favourable to such wholesale desecration of the Lord's Day, the sanctification of which is, without all contradiction, one of the 'marks' of a Christian."