From the Morecambe and Heysham Visitor and Lancaster Advertiser April 26th, 1933
The Scout Laws for Twisty Corners
IMPRESSIVE SERVICE AT ST. LAURENCE’S
An inspiring St George’s Day service was held under the auspices of the Morecambe and Heysham and District Boy Scout’ Association at St. Laurence’s Church on Sunday afternoon, when the congregation consisted largely of a fine muster of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
The interior of the church presented a fine sight with its rows of uniformed Scouts and Guides. The Cubs and Brownies sat in the front seats and the height of the youngsters gradually rose to the biggest boys and girls in the back benches. With its white ground and vivid red cross, symbolic of the martyr’s blood, a banner of St. George draped the altar.
MASSED SCOUT PROMISE.
To the strains of a processional hymn, the Scout Chaplain, Rev. Egerton Ward (Vicar of St. Laurence’s) entered the church from the vestry, preceded by surpliced and cassocked servers and choristers in scarlet and purple. They circled the church and then proceeded to the altar, where the chaplain exhorted the Scouts to remember the Scout Laws. Then solemnly every Scout in the church repeated after the chaplain the Scout Promise.
With heart and voice the fervent young congregation then sang the National Anthem. It was sung in a manner which thrilled, and it was good to hear such heartfelt strains. All the time, colour bearers from each company of Scouts and Guides had been standing to attention in the centre aisle, each of them with an escort on either side.
A colourful show the banners of the Scouts and the Union Jacks of the Guides made as they stretched in a line extending from the altar almost to the back of the church. One by one, the colour bearers marched to the sanctuary steps with their escorts, and knelt while the chaplain received their colours from them.
LIFE’S WHITE LINES
THE MAP FOR LIFE’S TREK.
After the lesson had been read by Mr A. V. Hammond, an address was given by Chief Scout Commissioner W. E. Henderson, M.A., M.B., Ch.B., who adopted more the style of a heart-to-heart talk with his hearers, whom he addressed as “My brother Scouts and sister Guides.”
He said they all had to play up to the ten Scout laws and the ten Guide laws. There was no better day for renewing their promise than St. George’s Day, for St. George kept his promise, was courageous, chivalrous and a fearful upholder of the right.
The Chief Scout asked them to “look widely.” That was what they should all do, for the person who did not help other people at all times and who was wholly wrapped up in himself, was, as the Rover Scouts would say, “a pretty small possum.”
“The ten Scout laws are like white lines round the dangerous twisty corners of life’s long trail. In life’s long trek we need a map – a chart. Our chart is our Bible.”
CYNICAL, EAST-WINDY PEOPLE.’
He emphasised the Chief Scout’s love of the “wonders of the wondrous universe,” and urged the Scouts and Guides to study those wonders. “However old you get,” he said, “don’t lose your sense of wonder. Wonder is the half-way house to worship, and worship leads straight to God.
“He who loses his sense of wonder becomes one of those east-windy, cynical people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
After the blessing, the Chaplain presented each company with its colours.
THE COLOUR BEARERS AND ESCORTS.
The colour bearers and their escorts carried out their duties with smartness.
They were (the name of the colour bearer is given first in each case) as follows: 1st Morecambe and Heysham Cubs: Jack Cockroft, Tom Taylor, F. Ashton. 1st Morecambe Scouts: John Knowles, Noel Bracewell, George Sunderland. 3rd Morecambe Scouts: M. Gatfield, Roy Milner, Russell Pym. 5th Morecambe Sea Scouts: Laurence Harling, Charles Bailey, Eric Pickles. 7th Morecambe: Roland Bannister, Jimmy McNeal, Sam Gallagher.
Girl Guides: 1st Morecambe G.F.S.: Audrey Wortley, Marjorie Helme, Kathleen Pickles. 2a Morecambe Guides: Margaret Horne, Laura Dixon, Iris Ankers. 4th Morecambe: Winifred Oxley, Muriel Carter, Barbara Booth. 5th Morecambe: Annie Corris, Hazel Hodgson, Muriel Cavanagh. la Heysham Guides: Gwen Gaunt, Clarice Howarth, Gladys Hodgson. 3rd Morecambe Rangers: Maggie Isherwood, Florence Dangerfield, Mary Dawson. 7th Morecambe Rangers: Annie Cottam, Jean Hutton, Marjorie Taylor.
SCOUT AND GUIDE LEADERS.
Among those present at the service were Group Scoutmaster George Whittles, S.M. Ted Wilson, S.M. Carl Harmsworth, A.S.M. A. Antenen, A.S.M. Robert Procter, A.S.M. Norman Peel, A.S.M. S. Makin, S.M. F. King, and Cub Mistress Miss Marion Peel.
Girl Guide representatives were Mrs. S. A. Wolfenden (District Commissioner), Mrs. Disney (District President), Miss E. Shaw (District Secretary), Miss Yates (7th Rangers Captain), Miss McDonald (3a Rangers Captain), Miss G. Livesey (2a Morecambe Guides), Mrs. C. H. H. Pullan (4th Morecambe), Miss B. Livesey (Badge Secretary), Miss. Mitchell (1a Morecambe Brownies), Miss. R. Wilkinson (2a Morecambe Brownies), Miss Boyce (4th Morecambe), Miss B. Fox (5th Morecambe), Miss Gray (1a Heysham Brownies), Mrs Wilson ( 2nd Heysham), and Miss F. Wilkinson (3rd Heysham).
Scouts took a collection during the service for the World Jamboree Fund. The service was well organised, and special praise is due to A.S.M. Antenen, who marshalled the parade. Miss C. Benn, A.R.C.M., was at the organ.
