Centre Spiritualist Church

~~ Lest We Forget ~~

Let us today, on Remembrance Day, 11th November 1999,
give thanks and remember the men and women who gave their lives
during the many wars our country has been involved in.
Courageously they fought and died, that we may be free and live
in peace in our beautiful country.

********

They shall grow not old, As we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
With the setting of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them.
Lest We Forget

In Flanders' Fields

That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing,
fly scare heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders’ Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe; to you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders’ Fields.

The verses were apparently sent anonymously to the English magazine, Punch,
which published them under the title,  “In Flanders’ Fields”.

Colonel McCrae was wounded in May 1918 and died after 
three days in a military hospital on the French coast. 
On the eve of his death he allegedly said to his doctor, 
“Tell them this. If ye break faith with us 
who die we shall not sleep”.

'The Ode'

They shall grow not 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. 

poet and writer Laurence Binyon and was published in London in
'The Winnowing Fan Poems' of the Great War in 1914.
The verse which became the Returned Services League Ode
 was already used in association with commemoration services in Australia in 1921.

For The Fallen

England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
 

The Meaning Of The Bugle Calls

Many young people are mystified by bugle calls on Anzac Day 
and Remembrance Day.
For this reason it has been suggested that the meaning 
behind these calls is explained.

 During the service there will be two bugle calls. 
The first is the “Last Post”.

"Last Post" is the call sounded at 10pm each evening to inform 
the soldiers that they should be inside their quarters for the night. 
It signified the end of the day's activities and ushers in a period of 
rest and quietness. 
It is sounded at military funerals and commemorative 
services to indicate that the soldier has completed his life's 
work and has entered into his rest.

The second, following the reading of the Ode, and the 
two minutes silence, is “Reveille”.   

     "Reveille" is the trumpet or bugle call sounded in all military 
barracks and camps first thing in the morning to awaken 
the soldiers and tell them to get up and dress. 
It is also sounded at military funerals and 
commemorative services to signify the resurrection 
of the body after death and the awakening of 
the soul into a new life.
 

They served and fought and died, so that we might be safe and free,
Grant them, O Lord, eternal peace, and give them the victory!
And in these days of unrest, filled with grave uncertainty,
Lets not forget the price they paid to keep our country free.

And so, on this Remembrance Day, we offer up a prayer,
May all the nations be united in Thy care.
For earth's peace and man's salvation can come only by Thy grace,
And not through bombs and missiles and our quest for outer space.

For until all men recognise that 'The battle is the Lord's',
And peace on earth cannot be won with strategy and swords,
We will go on vainly fighting, as we have in ages past,
Finding only empty victories and a peace that cannot last.

But we've grown so rich and mighty, and so arrogantly strong,
We no longer ask in humbleness, 'God, show us where we're wrong.'
We have come to trust completely in the power of man made things,
Unmindful of God's mighty power and that He is 'King of Kings'.

We have turned our eyes away from Him, to go our selfish way,
And money, power and pleasure are the gods we serve today.
And the good green earth God gave us to peacefully enjoy,
Through greed and fear and hatred we are seeking to destroy.

Oh, Father up in heaven, stir and wake our sleeping souls,
Renew our faith and lift us up and give us higher goals.
And grant us heavenly guidance as war threatens us again.
For, more than guided missiles, all the world needs is guided men.

© Helen Steiner Rice
 

Our Gift To Mankind

If we all just cared about everyone we knew,
the world would be a much better place.
If no judgements were made on our differences,
we could all live, as only one race.

If you care about me, and l care about you,
then the chain of friendship has begun.
lf we continue to link this wonderful chain,
it would spread across the world, and include everyone.

Then there would be no excuse for war,
because of race, or religion, or just plain greed.
And no reason for any weapons to hurt each other,
for if we're all  joined as friends, there could be no need.

This isn't a perfect world for you, and for me,
but it is the only one we have to live in.
We can give our gift to mankind, by saying "l care",
and let the chain of friendship begin.

© Pamela Hall
1st May, 1998