Buntingford Congregational Church
Armistice Sunday
On Sunday evening last a special Armistice Remembrance Service was held at the Buntingford Congregational Church, and was attended by a large congregation.
The Town Silver Band (under the able direction of the Bandmaster, Mr E.J. Smith), the members of which are always willing to give their assistance, was present, and preceded the Remembrance Service with the following musical items: Handel's "Hosanna," "Jerusalem, my glorious home," and "a hymn of the homeland."
The Remembrance Service following. At the organ, Mrss Blanche Langham played for the singing of the hymns, "Oh Lord of heaven, and earth, and sea," "My God, my Father, while I stray," and "O God, our help in ages past"; the offertory voluntary and for the vesper following the Benediction; whilst the Band led the singing of John S. Arkwright's hymn, "The Supreme Sacrifice."
A large Union Jack covered the pulpit desk and the communion table below. The Lesson was from Deut. vi., and the Litany of Commemoration from "The Book of Congregational Worship," as also were the remaining prayers and appropriate invocatory sentences. The offerings were on behalf of the Church and the British Legion.
The Minister based his remarks on Deut. vi. 6-7 "And these words...thou shalt teach...diligently unto thy children." Memory in the individual life was one of the possessions of us all. There was also such a thing as a national memory. The Israelites, e.g., had been brought by God out of Egypt, and in those early days of the Hebrew race there were frequent appeals made to them keep fresh the memory of the Divine providence towards them, to "teach diligently (i.e., with constant repeptition) thy children" the history of their wonderful preservation. The stones set up after the crossing of Jordan were to be "for a memorial to the children of Israel forever."
The communion service - "This do in remembrance of Me" - is also an act of commemmoration. With the occurance of Remembrance Day our own national memory is touched, and as a nation we call to mind once more the years of the Great War, especially remembering those who laid down their lives in a great cause. The two minutes' silence have been set apart that in the midst of our work in the world we might remember such men (and not suffer their memory to perish from the earth), give renewed thanks for the end of the conflict, and (leaving not their work unfinished) reconsecrate ourselves in service to our fellowmen and to God.
The motto to be writ large upon our hearts is "Lest we forget, lest we forget" (Kipling).
"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them." (Laurence Binyon).
A generation is growing up to whom the war is but a name; they will ask, "What meaneth this Day, this service at the Cenotaph, at the memorial on the gill?" Remembering the injunction to "teach diligently," it must be ours to give the explanation, and to foster a spirit which will never cease is agitations until war as a means of settling international disputes is abolished from off the face of the earth."
After the service the Band again played selections, viz - the anthems "I will arise," "Lead, kindly light," and "The mighty Lord"; "The lost chord," "Sweet and low," Handel's "Largo in G" and "Abide with me," the latter including the "echo".
The Minister expressed thanks to Miss Langham and to the Band thanks and warm appreciation for their very helpful services, and the National Anthem, led by the Band, brought the whole exercises of observance and remembrance to a close.
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