Newnham, St Peter's church Parish Magazine, March 1882

Vol, 1. March 1882, No,3

KALENDAR NOTES

March...1st...Boys' Confirmation Class 6.15
March...2nd...Mothers' Meeting 2.45
..............Night School 7.30
March...3rd...Girls' Confirmation Class 3.45
..............Choir Practice 7
March...6th...School Managers Meeting 4.30
..............Juv: Temp: Meeting.6.
March...7th...Night School 7.30
March...8th...Boys' Confirmation Class 6.15
March...9th...Mothers Meeting 2.45
..............Night School 7.30
March..10th...Girls Confirmation Class 3.15
..............Choir Practice 7
March..11th...Confirmation 3.o'clock
March..13th...Schoolroom Club 6.30
..............Mens' Temp: Meeting 8.
March..14th...Diocesan School Inspection.
..............Juv: Temp: Meeting 5.45
..............Night School 7.30
March..16th...Mothers' Meeting 2.45
..............Night School 7.30
March..17th...Choir Practice 7.
March..20th...Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.
March..21st...Night School 7.30
March..23rd...Mothers' Meeting 2.45
..............Night School 7.30
March..24th...Choir Practice 7.
March..27th...Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.
..............Mens Meeting 8.
March..28th...Night School 7.30
March..30th...Mothers' Meeting 2.45
..............Night School 7.30
March..31st...Choir Practice 7.

LENT.
A LIST of the Lenten Services will be found in another part of the Magazine. There were good congregations on Ash Wednesday, especially in the evening, when the Vicar of Westbury preached the first of the prescribed series of sermons on the "Christian Soldier." At the beginning of his discourse, Mr. Jones briefly reverted to the sad scenes and heavy hearts upon which Lent opened last year in this parish, when the Church had just become a charred ruin, and the congregation were forced to assemble for worship in the Schoolroom.

CONFIRMATION
On Saturday, March 11th, at 3 o'clock, the Lord Bishop of the Diocese purposes holding a Confirmation in this parish. The Church directs that "every one shall have a God-father or a God-mother as a Witness of their Confirmation." We would therefore invite the Parents and God-parents of those who are about to be confirmed, to be present during the Laying on of Hands, and earnestly to join in intercession for the sevenfold gifts of the SPIRIT. And we would heartily urge them further to bring the newly-confirmed to the Holy Communion, at 8 o'clock on the following morning.

It may not be without profit to recall a few facts touching Confirmation in this parish, during the last five or six years.
On Saturday, March 10th 1877, at 12 o'clock, after a long interval, the Bishop held a Confirmation in our then recently restored Church; the number confirmed belonging to this parish reached 79, (Males 25, females 54,) of whom 66 soon afterwards became communicants.
On Saturday, March 23rd 1878 20 women and girls were confirmed at Awre, of whom 18 received the Holy Communion on the next day.
In 1879 the Bishop again visited this parish on the 15th March, when 48 candidates - 24 males and 24 females were presented for Confirmation; of these 35 subsequently became communicants.
In 1880, 10 from this parish - 2 males and 8 females were confirmed at Westbury on Severn, on March 29th and all received the Holy Communion on Easter Day.
Last year, on Monday, March 28th, there was again a Confirmation at Awre, and 7 from this parish - 1 male and 6 females were confirmed, and all received the Holy Communion on Sunday, April 3rd.

Looking over the names in these lists we are reminded of the sad and disappointed words of the apostle, as he sorrowfully tells of the faithlessness of a disciple, 'Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.' Many, we thankfully own, still draw near to the Altar of the Lord, but some come not. To urge them to return, we recall these facts to their remembrance; many now pursue their different callings far from here, and may never see these words, but many still remain; and we pray that they may be found at the Holy Feast on Easter Day.

WEEKLY OFFERTORIES

"UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE AS GOD HATH PROSPERED HIM."

4th Sunday after Epiphany. . . . . . .£ 1 :18 : 6
Septuagesima . . . . . . . . . . . . .£ 4 :10 : 5
Sexagesima . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£ 3 : 8 : 2½
Quinquagesmia. . . . . . . . . . . . .£ 3 :13 :10½
S. Matthias. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 : 0
1st Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . .£ 2 :11 :11½

BAPTISMS

"ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM"

Sarah Sophia Symmonds . . . Daughter of James and Eliza Hall.
Eleanor Sarah Ann . . . . . Daughter of Daniel and Martha King.
Fred George Henry . . . . . Son of George and Mary Anne Drew.
Edwin Yarworth. . . . . . . Son of Edwin William and Eliza Cross.

BURIAL

"BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD"

Robert Hooper.. . . . . . . February 22nd. . . .Aged 60 years

PAROCHIALIA

The Night School Register up to the present time contains 29 names, and the average attendance is about 16.

A very successful Evening Concert was given by Mr Morgan, in the Town Hall, on Thursday, February 16th. The room was well filled with an appreciative audience. Miss Julia Jones from Cheltenham, has a powerful and flexible soprano voice, and proved herself an accomplished musician. Both she, and Miss Morgan who sang with her wonted taste and ability, where heartily encored. The Glevum Quartet fully sustained their reputation for finished part-singing, and Mr. Morgan who sang by request the touching song, 'The Midshipmite' was cordially received and loudly encored, as he deserved to be. The Concert certainly takes rank as one of the best we have had for some years.

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS

It may not be without interest to note as an event of some importance to the parish, that in the month of January last year, the Town Green and the Town Clock became completely vested in the Local Board of Newnham. this excellent arrangement was perfected mainly through the generous aid of Mr Cholditch - our old and highly-esteemed townsman, who on leaving the parish handed over a sum of £50, to be spent in some scheme of Town Improvement, as the trustees should determine. On the 14th January, 1882, Bye-laws for regulating the Town Green were duly confirmed by the Local Government Board. Various improvements have lately been made in the surroundings of the Green, under the direction of the Newnham Local Board: the paths have been re-laid, many young trees have been planted, and it bids fair to be, in the course of a few years, a very pretty public walk. We trust that all, young and old, will concur in preserving and protecting from injury and abuse, such an interesting feature of the town.

Mr. John Hill, another old and esteemed townsman, has with much kindness lately presented to the parish a small fresco painting, on marble, of the Church prior to the restoration in 1874. It hangs in the vestry, where it is hoped it will before long be joined by other pictures, marking the vicissitudes and improvements which the Church has undergone during late years.

The anniversary of the fire - February 28th, was marked by a celebration of the Holy Communion at 6.30.a.m., the time when a year ago the flames were raging throughout the sacred building, with intense fury. None can ever forget the awful sight; all must be devoutly thankful to Almighty GOD for the contrast which meets the eye to-day