BOYS’ BRIGADE NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21709, 2 May 1934, Page 3

BOYS’ BRIGADE NOTES

[By Chum.] 8.8. BOYS FIGHT CHURCH FIRE. When the boys ol a Glasgow Boys’ Brigade Company met for Bible class on a recent Sunday morning they found that fire had broken out in the roof of the boiler house and was spreading to the church and hall. They formed a fire-fighting squad and held the flames in check with buckets of water until the brigade arrived. The blaze was quickly extinguished, the church was saved, and although the church was still filled with smoke the morning service proceeded as usual. BOYS’ BRIGADE IN NEW PLYMOUTH. The newly-formed Boys’ Brigade hold a church parade and enrolment service at the Baptist Church, New Plymouth. A very largo congregation gathered to witness the official enrolment of the brigade. The members assembled about a mile from the church and marched to the accompaniment of the drum into the tabernacle and took their seats. The commissioned officers, Captain Easthope and Lieutenant Hector Hogarth, made'the officers’ declaration, which was put by the chaplain, the Rev. Stanley Tonkin, minister of the church. The declaration was read as follows: —“Realising the responsibility of the duties involved in these offices, do you desire to serve Christ in furthering the objects of the Boys’ Brigade, the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among boys, and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect, and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness? The officers replied “ I do.” The declaration of the non-commissioned officers and the boys followed. , The hymns chosen were those used by the brigade at its weekly meetings. The chaplain spoke to the officers and boys first of all on the subject of the early history of the movement, bringing it right down to its present strength very many thousands. It differed from the Scout movement in that the spiritual side was in the forefront of its rules, also that the members must belong to some church or Sunday school. The chaplain, wearing the emblem of office, based his remarks on the words of the Apostle Paul to the young minister Timothy. “Keep hold on faith and a good conscience.” The greatest and most honoured lives in the world had been and were those who had treasured the Bible and accepted it as the Word of God. He urged the brigade to listen to those voices better able to give an opinion on the truth of the Scriptures, those whose lives had been changed and made glorious by the indwelling of the Spirit of God, and to ignore all who in any way sought to belittle the inspiration and truth of the Scriptures. After the benediction the congregation remained seated whilethc brigade hoys, preceded by' their banner, marched out. The boys showed keen ill* tcrest in the service. They look spick and span in their new uniforms.

the lifeboys. [By Campfire.] The Ist Dunedin (Caversham) team, under the leadership, of Mr F. B. Carter, had a good parade, when some nineteen boys were present. Alter fall-in and inspection each group leader took the group for a ■ short heart-to-heart talk, after which came the devotional section, during which the leader in charge gave the boys an instructive talk on the sentence ‘Show Your Colours.’ After practice in figure marching and physical exercises the balance of tlie evening was taken up with games. All were pleased to have a visit from the inspecting officer during the evening. St. Peter’s (Anglican) team met on Friday evening, when nineteen boys were present, 'including several new boys. The team is fortunate in the fact that it will have three boys from the newly-formed Boys’ Brigade Company to act as group leaders. OUR FLAG. Almost the first operation after fallin on parade nights' is the flag raise, and it might interest boys to know how our flag came into being. I refer, of course, to the Union Jack, which is used by most' Lifeboy teams. The Union Jack is made up of the flag of St. George—a red cross on a white ground. In 1606 Ring James L added to it the banner of Scotland, which was a blue flag with a white St. Andrew’s Cross from corner to corner. In 1801 the banner of St. Patrick of Ireland was added to the flag. St. Patrick s Cross was a red diagonal cross on a white ground, so that the flag really means the union of Kngland, Ireland, and Scotland into one nation. There is a right and wrong way to Hy our flag. Quite a number of people Hy the flag the wrong way up, which is really a signal of distress, but it is really hoisted that way by mistake or ignorance. Now every Lifeboy should know the correct way to hoist the flag. The red diagonal arms of the flag have a narrow white band on one side of them and a broad one on the othei. Well, the broad white band should be to the top of the flag on the side nearest to the flag pole, that is the hoist of the flag, and towards the bottom of the flag in the loose end. or, as it is called, the “ fly.” . , It was called a Jack either from “ Jacques/’ the nickname of King James L, who first started it, 1 or, move probably from the “ jack or “jacket” which the knights used to wear over their armour to show which nation they belonged to.