Page 16 - br-april-2018

April 2018 April 2018

BERE REGIS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH All this took a terrible toll on her, both physically and mentally. Her fiancé, brother
and two closest male friends were all killed at the front, part of what came to be
known as the ‘lost generation’. After the War she herself became one of the
Sundays 10.30am Morning Service taken each week by visiting insensitively named ‘superfluous women’, many of whom never found a partner.
preachers. Vera did in fact marry, although one senses her feelings for her husband George
Mondays at 7pm STS (Search the Scriptures) Youth meeting were never as strong as for her first love Roland.
Tuesdays at 9.15am (during term time) Chapel Toddlers Group After the War she completed her studies at Oxford and was among the first
Tuesdays at 7.30pm Bible Study and Prayer women permitted to graduate there in 1922 (female students at Cambridge had
to wait until 1948!) She then embarked on a career as writer and journalist,

campaigning actively for feminist and internationalist causes. The achievement
The baptismal service that was planned for last month had to be postponed of votes for (some) women in 1918 was only part of the battle. According to Vera,
because the snow made travelling impossible for our visiting preacher and for a the initial restriction of this to women over 30 reflected the apprehension of MPs
th
number of visitors who were hoping to attend. This will now take place on April 8 that women would otherwise form a majority of the electorate. The same
at 10.30am. Three of our members will be making this public confession of their diehards fiercely opposed enhanced rights for women in divorce and the raising
faith in Jesus, so fulfilling His command to ‘believe and be baptised’. Our Easter of the age of consent from 13(!) to 16, although these measures were eventually
Day service will be at the usual time of 10.30am. Everyone is very welcome to passed. Vera travelled widely in Europe, reporting in her journalism on the
these two special occasions when we remember with great joy the resurrection of devastating effects of the Treaty of Versailles in the defeated countries, warning
Jesus. of the possibility of another war and supporting the work of the League of
Nations.
Love Story Beautifully written, Testament of Youth has long been recognised as the best
book on the First World War by a woman. Vera’s story is desperately sad, but at
Years ago a man walked along Princes Street in Edinburgh and spotted an
impressive window display of some paintings. One of the pictures, entitled the same time an inspiring tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. Our group
‘Crucifixion’, portrayed the death of was unanimous in its praise and admiration, and felt it should be made required
Jesus Christ. reading in schools.

The man was transfixed. It was not John Dewey
simply the artist’s skill that made him
stop, but the painting stirred within him
some long-forgotten memories.
Suddenly he realised he wasn’t alone.
A small boy was standing nearby
staring at the same painting. As their
eyes met the boy launched into an
uninvited explanation. “That’s Jesus, sir,
on the cross. They nailed Him there
with that crown of thorns on His head,
and they killed Him. He was a good
man who died for us. That’s His mother
standing there, watching what they did
to Him.” The man felt a lump rise in his
throat. The lad continued, “He died for
our sins and then they buried Him
yonder.”

16 65