The Revd Writes… The 28th of May is the centenary anniversary of the death of Sir James Cantlie (1851 -1926). He is undoubtedly one of the superheroes of a previous generation who, as a surgeon and physician, dedicated his life to public service. Born in Mortlach, Banffshire in Northeast Scotland, he often remembered as a child attending church and noticing the squint (small window) through which lepers of earlier centuries would watch the service from outside, the congregation being fearful of contamination. He carried this pain of exclusion with him all his life. It was to be a motivating influence in his later work with lepers in Hong Kong and the Canton colonies. He trained at Charing Cross hospital and became a Fellow of the Royal College of surgeons in 1877. After much heart-searching, he resigned from his post at Charing Cross to go to Hong Kong where he founded the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese. Up until this point the practice of western medicine had been the jealously guarded prerogative of Europeans; Cantlie was at the forefront of breaking this taboo. His most famous student was a young Chinese, Sun Yat-sen. Sun would go on to become the first president of modern-day China. He was saved from certain death when kidnapped in London by the Chinese Legation because of Cantlie personally organising a media campaign to secure his release. They were to remain friends for life. The Hong Kong College of Medicine would later transform into becoming Hong Kong University. Two years after returning to England, in 1898 he started the Journal for Tropical Medicine and went on to found the London School of Tropical Medicine – now one of the world’s leading public health universities. Arguably, his greatest work was in promoting what we now call First Aid. He wrote the first manual for St John Ambulance, First Aid to the Injured, which became a crucial reference when dealing with those injured during World War One. The work brought together for the first time up-to-date instruction on bandages, anatomy, treatment of wounds and how to move the injured, amongst much else. What became known as the ‘ambulance movement’ owes much to him. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to describe him as the first modern-day paramedic. He often used a farm cart to demonstrate how to load and unload stretchers when carrying the injured from the front. He married Mabel Brown in 1884, and they went on to have four sons, all of whom went on to have distinguished careers of their own. ‘The Kennels’ in Cottered became the Cantlie’s country home, a place to retreat to at weekends, but also a place of constant fun, intellectual rigour and hospitality. Cottered Church is hosting a display throughout the year commemorating the huge achievements of Dr Cantlie. The Church is open each day. Pop in and be inspired! God Bless Mark
CHURCH OF ENGLANDSt Lawrence, Ardeley; St Peter’s, Benington; St John the Baptist, Cottered; Holy Trinity, Throcking and St Mary’s, WalkernChurch Services: May 2026Sunday 3rd Easter 59.30am Holy Communion St Lawrence, Ardeley9.30am Family Communion St Mary’s, Walkern11.00am Morning Prayer St Peter’s, Benington11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, CotteredSunday 10th Easter 69.30am Holy Communion St Lawrence, Ardeley9.30am Holy Communion St Mary’s, Walkern11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, CotteredSunday 17th Easter 79.30am Holy Communion St Lawrence, Ardeley9.30am Morning Prayer St Mary’s, Walkern11.00am Pet Service St Peter’s, Benington11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, CotteredSunday 24th Pentecost9.30am Family Service St Lawrence, Ardeley9.30am Holy Communion St Mary’s, Walkern11.00am Holy Communion Holy Trinity, ThrockingSunday 31st Trinity Sunday9.30am Benefice Holy Communion St Mary’s, Walkernwww.ubbw.
The Revd Writes… Last year saw the publication of Churches of Hertfordshire by David Gouldstone. This is a must have guide for anyone interested in exploring the rich heritage that our parish churches hold within them. The book is no detailed architectural guide but rather sets out to whet the appetite of anyone willing to spend a couple of hours immersing themselves in discovering the stories portrayed in ancient stone and monument. The author picks out forty-three churches from across the county with which to encourage the intrepid pilgrim. “The county’s churches are similar in that they are often overlooked and underappreciated, yet they afford many pleasures for anyone who takes the time to look.” Of the forty-three churches, fifteen are within the Deanery of Buntingford and four of the churches mentioned are within our own benefice, only Cottered has been excluded. This says much about the special qualities of the country churches in North and East Hertfordshire. David Gouldstone’s style of writing might be described as relaxed; whilst well-written it has a cheeky sense of fun. “My first visit to a Hertfordshire church was in 1957… I paid little attention to the tracery and tympana… perhaps forgivably in the circumstances, the occasion being my baptism.” His tongue-in-cheek approach translates into the mini guides he presents for each church - focusing on one or two features rather than a detailed history. Commenting on the thirteenth-century monument to the knight, William de Lanvellei in St Mary’s, Walkern he writes, “… grasping the hilt of his long sword (which extends down to his feet), apparently in the act of drawing it with hostile intent. It is the stuff of nightmares.” Describing the different designs on the font at Holy Trinity, Throcking he pens the following, “One flower has a face with a gaping mouth and, apparently, a protruding tongue, like a louche ancestor of Little Weed from the Flowerpot Men.” It is a delight to read. What David Gouldstone can’t capture is the way in which all our churches will be dressed to celebrate the feast of Easter. The sombre purple of Lent gives way to the white and gold for vestments and altar cloths. Beautifully crafted flower arrangements will announce the season of resurrection; a reminder that in these troubled times we continue to believe that life is stronger than death. Music will be played and sung, and prayers and worship will be offered in thanksgiving to God for the gift of love manifested in the example of Jesus shared amongst us. And church doors will be open for all to enter the sacred space that has sheltered and given sanctuary to generations who have gone before. You are more than welcome to pop in! Happy Easter God Bless Mark Churches of Hertfordshire by David Goldstone is published by Amberley publishing ISBN 9781398119291
The Revd Writes… 2026 has seen the re-introduction of an old word into our vocabulary and one which focuses the ongoing crisis in world affairs at the present time - and that word is ‘imperialism’. Imperialism is of course very familiar to us not least because our own British Empire was, at its height, the largest empire in human history, incorporating a quarter of the earth’s peoples. In recent years we have begun to reflect as a nation on what empire and colonisation has meant for indigenous peoples and the less powerful and that leaves many of us feeling uncomfortable. The triumphalism of imperialism, and the building of empire, comes at the cost of leaving many people being disenfranchised from meaningful political engagement and, sadly, the erosion of their culture, language, heritage and sometimes even religious freedoms. Smaller countries, from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia on the Russian border, to Greenland, within reach of the United States, and Taiwan within the orbit of China, find themselves consumed with anxiety about national security and the very real possibility of simply being caught up in the ‘wilderness’ of real politick in which the rule of law is abandoned and replaced with ‘might is right’. The New Testament makes much of the Baptism of Jesus and the beginning of a new chapter in the unfolding story of God’s love for all humanity. Pivotal to this story is John the Baptist. John takes himself off into the wilderness and it is in the wilderness that he contemplates the meaning of life and what it is that God is saying to the people around him. It is no coincidence that the Gospels place John in the wilderness. The wilderness was where the Israelites wandered for 40 years after fleeing the wrath of Pharaoh in powerful Egypt. In the deserts of the wilderness the Israelites rediscovered their identity as God’s people; they repented of the fact that in Egypt they were not always as faithful as they might have been and they rediscovered the meaning and value of the rule of law as a way of living a fruitful, faithful and wholesome way of life. John must ultimately give way to the Messiah – the ‘Anointed One’. He has done his best in communicating the need for a new way of life that is faithful and honourable in all things. In Christ the wilderness years are banished as the Kingdom of God – a new vision for society - comes nearer to us, and the gulf between Creator God and God’s creation are brought together in love. History – the unfolding story of God’s salvation – teaches us that imperialist powers, and the empires that they build, come and go. British history alone teaches us that there is folly in investing too much in the immediate events of the day. This is not to deny the often-tragic consequences for those people and countries who are vulnerable, sometimes caught up in events, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Christian faith teaches us that the human story often repeats and that the current events unfolding on today’s world stage is not new. Empires come and empires go - but God is ever constant - and our faith in God is constant too. God Bless Mark
