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Harvest Festival 1878

Wellingborough News, 28th September 1878, transcribed by Kay Collins

CHELVESTON-CUM-CALDECOT - HARVEST FESTIVALA thanksgiving service to celebrate the ingathering of the harvest, was held in this Parish Church, on Sunday last, and, as usual, the sacred edifice was very tastefully decorated. Each of the window sills had a beautiful bed of moss, and was studded with dark red dahlias, with a bunch of wheat ears as a centre-piece. The chancel windows were similarly decorated, with the addition of three miniature sheaves of wheat and barley. Around the top of the east window, on a red ground, ran the text "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son;" and along the bottom of the window was the inscription "I am the Bread of Life." On each side of the window were suspended Oxford frames, composed of flowers and evergreens, enclosing a splendid bouquet as a centre-piece. Above and below each of these was a hunch of choice flowers and evergreens. The space underneath the window, above the communion table, was fringed with sprigs of evergreen, intersected with flowers, a pretty floral cross depending from the centre. The reading-desks and lectern were each adorned with knots of green leaves and flowers. The pulpit was elaborately decorated with a profusion of flowers, intermingled with ears of corn and sprigs of evergreen, very artistically arranged, and the effect very neat and pretty. The font was adorned with a bed of moss at the top, around which were arranged dahlias of various colours, with a pyramidal centre-piece composed of four small rafters covered with moss, inside of which hung a pretty cross with a groundwork of moss studded with immortelles.

The decorations, which were solely the handiwork of Miss Eady and Miss Bonfield, were much admired, and reflected threat credit on these ladies. The flowers for the decorations were supplied by Mr. Gray, one of the churchwardens. The service was held in the afternoon. The prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Templeman, Vicar of Higham Ferrers, and the lessons by the Rev. E. R. Mason. The sermon was preached by the Rev. E. R. Mason, of Rugby, from the 9th and 10th verses of the 5th chapter of Galatians—"Let us not be weary in well doing" &c.

After the sermon, collections were made on behalf of the funds of the Church Missionary Society, the sum realised being £2 0s. 9d. There was a good congregation present.



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