Rushden Echo & Argus, 12th February 1932, transcribed by Kay Collins
False Ideas About Church-Going - Rev E Cushing Corrects Common Notions
Mission Band Anniversary
During last week-end the thirty-fourth anniversary of the Rushden Wesleyan Mission Band was celebrated, and the members of the band and church were greatly pleased with the presence of the Rev E Cushing, a former minister of the circuit who had paid a special visit from Lincoln, where he now holds a ministry, to take part in the celebrations.
The proceedings commenced on Saturday, when a well-attended public tea was held in the schoolroom. Afterwards in the church Councillor W E Capon presided over a concert, the programme of which was contributed by Miss D Clark (soprano), Mr F Stringer (tenor), Mrs J W Craker (organ solos), Mrs Jesse Gomm (monologues), Mr M F Clark (cornet solo), and Mr R H Benning (trombone), who played a duet with Mr Clark.
During the concert Councillor Capon presented two new instruments, recently purchased by the band, to the players who were to own them. The instruments had been previously dedicated by the minister, the Rev E E Bromage.
On Sunday the Rev E Cushing was the preacher at the morning and evening services. He preached at the early service on “The World in Crisis in the Light of Jesus,” and at the evening service he took his text from St John chapter 14, verse 21. At both of the services the choir, under the baton of Mr J Pogson, rendered anthems.
A young people’s service was held on Sunday afternoon, over which Mr E A Mayhew (a vice-president of the band) presided.
On Monday evening, under the genial chairmanship of Councillor A Wilmott, a public meeting took place in the church. The chairman was supported by the speaker (The Rev E Cushing) and the Rev E E Bromage.
The band was present and played several pieces under the direction of Mr F Robinson. One of these was “Les Hugenots” which is the test piece of the section of the Leicester contest which the band is entering this year.
Councillor Wilmott congratulated the band on having such a fine bandmaster, and the bandmaster on having such a fine band. They were bound to make headway and thus be a help to the church, he said.
The Rev E Cushing took as his subject “The answer of the Church to the man in the street.”
“There is an idea to be found in the streets of our towns and cities,” he said, “and I speak from knowledge, that we who go to church are a sort of folk who have got a little bit less than we ought to have. They hold all sorts of ideas about church-going people, and there has been no organisation in the world that has stood more fiery criticism than has the Church. From all sides in all ages the pressure has been tremendous. Every conceivable weakness, every fault, has been magnified a thousand times. A church-going man has only to make one error, one little fault, and he sets the place on fire. If anyone connected with the Church makes one error it is sufficient to hold the whole of the Church to scorn and ridicule. And so the world outside looks upon the Church. There is one main thing that stands out above all the rest, and that is the fact that the Church still exists; it still has its message which has been borne through the years, and it still wields its influence in industrial, communal and individual life.
|
