Parish the thought

​​Those of you who are used to reading the Spirehill Parishes monthly magazine might be interested to read this one from February 1902... As well as a being a little bit of Stalbridge history it offers an insight into the relationship with the rector at the time and his flock. Readers might be able to help us with one query to do with the text... It mentions "This year, we in Stalbridge, have done a little better than in former years, owing to the Bicentenary Celebration being kept in June". Does anyone know which bicentennial is being referred to here?

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, STALBRIDGE,
PARISH MAGAZINE FOR FEBRUARY 1902.
 
Our February Magazine always contains the financial statement of our tiny little auxiliary to the cause of the Foreign Missions, and usually your Rector has, however reluctantly, felt it a duty to say things, not like the " smooth things" and the "deceits" of the false teachers, whom Isaiah speaks of, but things which, however true, were not pleasant either to write or to read. The fact is, that with regard to hundreds of Parishes, if one has not to say it of our Church as a whole, and even of the Church Universal, real keenness and interest in the imperial progress of the Master's cause, and in thy continual annexation of fresh provinces to His Dominions has not yet been widely reached. We can all be alert and thrilled with feeling, when the question is one relating to the spread of our Country's Flag, and anxious to promote to our utmost her imperial destinies, but somehow are not stirred as we should be by determination that nothing we can do shall be undone, which may tend to put the whole earth under the Banner of the Cross, to make the kingdoms of the world to " be­come the Kingdom of Our LORD and of HIS Christ."

This year, we in Stalbridge, have done a little better than in former years, owing to the Bicentenary Celebration being kept in June, but I should be sorry to say that the result, even now, is what it ought to be, or that our Master .can be satisfied with it. All the same, £15 10s. (which the following figures, when added to the £6 13s. 7d. forwarded in the middle of the year, amount to) is better than the £8 8s. 10d. of last year, so let us "thank God and take courage," and determine each to do something towards keeping up, or passing this amount in years to come. Our first need towards this end is more box-holders. Who will volunteer?
 
FOREIGN MISSIONS.                                                                                                                                                                                                            £              s               d.
Offertories, Nov. 10th, 1901 .......                            2              14            8
Meeting, Nov. 13th, 1901 ..........                             1              0              6 ½
Master Gordon Alexander ..........                            1              0              0
Mrs. Burge, 1900, 9s. 4d., 1901, 10s. 7d.                0              19            11
Miss E. Burge. 1900 and 1901 ...                             0    7    0
Mrs. C. Brown ......................... .                             0              4              11 ½
Girls' Sunday School .................                              0              17            2 ½
Rectory Children....................... .                             0              4              1
Miss Warner ...........................                                0              7              1 ½
Rev. C. E. Seaman, subscription                             1              1              0
                                                                               £     8              16            6

On January 8th, we held our annual gathering of the Ringers, and had, I think, a pleasant time to all. The collection was believed to have exceeded any of the past, and the division, so far as it affected the new Ringers, which is, according to the rules, decided by the votes of the old members of the team, seemed to me to be very just and proportionate. Next year (D.V.), all will rank alike as Old Ringers. Mr. Henry, senior, was re-elected Captain, all feeling that better could not be done, and that we are fortunate indeed in having one so suited to the office. One or two little additions to the rules were passed, and will be, I think, improvements.

The Church Ceiling Improvement, as far as Mr. R. S. Brown's kind donation would carry it, has been effected by Mr. H. Habershon, and undeniably makes that part of our Church look brighter and cleaner. All thanks again to the good donor.

Lent is early this year. We shall hope to have the help of divers kind brother Clergy of your Rector to appeal to Stalbridge Church people at Even-song, on some of the Sundays, and on some of the Wednesdays. More reality in making Lent a sincere spiritual stock-taking is what the Church at large needs, and not least the Church in Stalbridge. On Wednesdays, the subjects will be, I hope, as follows, on the "Condition!" of our Blessed Lord:--
1      The New Birth.   "Except a man be born again." S. John iii. 3.
2      Conversion.   "Except ye be converted," S. Matt, xviii. 3.
3      Repentance.   "Except ye repent,'' S. Luke xiii. 5.
4      Sacramental Union.   "Except ye eat," S. John vi. 53.
5      Righteousness.   "Except your righteousness," S. Matt. v. 20.

May it do us all good to ponder these solemn utterances of Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Whose promises and gentler words ordinary Christian people are apt to appropriate, even when ignoring His sterner declarations.
​
The arrangements for binding sets of the Magazines will be as in former years. The more we can send, the less is the amount charged for each. All wishing to have this arranged for them, are asked to send their numbers to the Rectory before February 20th, when the parcel will be despatched.

New subscribers to the Magazine will still be welcome.
I have with many apologies to put right some omissions made in the names of kind donors to the Church Bells Rehanging Fund. The totals and the figures were quite correct, but from the list of contributors of 10s., the name of Dr. Alexander slipped, and also that of Mr. Jacob Brown (placed elsewhere), and from the list of donors of 5s., the names of S. Morrish. Mr. Harry Harris, and Mr. Broadway. I trust that all these gentlemen will, of their goodness, kindly forgive the culprit, whether he be parson or printer.

PARISH REGISTERS. BAPTISMS.
1902.   Jan.              5—Margaret May, of William and Lily Mant.
                                 5—Robert Charles, of Joseph and Amelia Ashford.
BURIALS.
1901.       Jan.          4—William Ralph, aged 69 years.
1902.       Dec.         28—Lavinia Mogg. aged 60 years.
                                 8—Robert Curtis, aged 86 years.
                                14—George Bollen, aged 71 years.

We are indebted to Philip and Flavia Stainer, who donated the original copy of The Stalbridge Magazine 1902 - 1905. We hope you enjoy reading these extracts. Look out on the homepage soon for more extracts from the Stalbridge Parish Magazine of 1902-5...

You can read the current 21st Century version of the magazine by clicking below...

Spirehill Parishes Monthly Magazine