Boys’ Brigade To Mark Anniversary

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 16

Boys’ Brigade To Mark Anniversary

The Girls’ Brigade and the Boys’ Brigade movements had forced the church to see that, the church was for every man, said the Rev L. Jones at the church service celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of the 6th Christchurch Boys’ Brigade company at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Cashel street, yesterday morning. “No person should be excluded from the church,” he said.

Sir William Smith when he founded the Boys’ Brigade in Glasgow in 1883 took any boy into his company and church. He took every boy, for there was no barrier to fellowship said Mr Jones.

Today, with the brigades taking both Christians and non-Christians, into their movements, they showed that God needed all. No-one was excluded and there was no distinction. Members came from all parts of the community, he said. The celebrations began on Friday evening when the Boys’ Brigade company and Life Boy team showed visitors a normal programme. A combined 6th and 23rd Christchurch band with the 6th Christchurch Boys’ Brigade and 20th Christchurch Girls’ Brigade paraded from Latimer square before the service.

On Saturday evening 108 former and present members attended a dinner in the church hall. The 21st cake was cut by the present captain, Mr M. J. Gray and the company chaplain, the Rev. L. Jones. A bugle was presented to the company to mark the celebration by Mr and Mrs J. M. Fulford who have been associated with the company for a number of years. There were eight holders of the Queen’s badge present and one holder of its predecessor, the King’s badge, the last to be presented in New Zealand. After the dinner, more than 200 attended the annual display and presentation of

awards in the Christchurch Technical Institute assembly hall. The inspecting officer was Mr R. Yates, captain of the company from 1946 to 1948. On their arrival in Christchurch they were greeted by the Mayor and councillors and the Boys’ Brigade Band gave a display. The highest award obtainable in the Boys’ Brigade, the Queen’s Badge, was presented to Corporal P. Merrin by the wife of the inspecting officer and former captain, Mrs R. Yates. Mrs Yates also presented the awards and badges gained by the boys during the year.

The first Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award in the company was gained by LanceCorporal L. Russell. The Inspection Cup was presented to Corporal Merrin, who gained 323 points out of a possible 344 during the year. The Privates Cup was gained by C. Nimmo and the Recruits Cup was presented to Private W. Sloss.

Three boys were presented with 11 badges and certificates each. They are Corporal Merrin, Lance-Corporal L. Russell and Private G. Cummings. Lance-Corporal J. Walker gained the highest number of badges and certificates in the company during the year with 12 awards. At the display the members of the company presented the captain, Mr M. J. Gray, with a gift as he has resigned to take a teaching appointment in Marlborough. The company chaplain announced the name of the new captain at the church service yesterday. He will be Mr K. J. Gray, father of the present captain.