CANCELLED SERVICE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume 4185, Issue 4185, 20 November 1934, Page 7

CANCELLED SERVICE

“ STORM ” AT A CHURCH PREBENDARY CARLILE’S “STUNT.” Prebendary Garble, the veteran leader of the Church Army in England, was recently mildly surprised at a storm which had blown up in Surrey and caused the cancellation of a service to have been conducted by him the following Sunday at Hook. The vicar of Hook, the Rev. W. T. Featherstone, objected to suggestions which were made for the conduct of the service. In particular he objected to bills with references to “ Outcasts of England and outcasts of India,” and an appeal for “ witnesses plans for a procession to the communion rail at the close of the service; and a request that the vicar’s wife, or some other lady with a smile, should shake hands with all present and invite them in turn to shake hands with Prebendary Garble. In the view of the vicar “ stunts ” of this kind appal churchgoers. Prebendary Garble thinks otherwise. The Church of England, he said, could do with a lot more hand-shaking and more participation by the laity in its services. , It is quite usual at Prebendary Garble s services for people in large numbers to conic forward to the communion rail and renew their vows, shaking hands with him as they do so. At Church Army headquarters it was stated that the bills to which exception were taken were similai to those used tor special services for several years past.