Sermons in Chalk

By GMW Wemyss

Levavi oculus:
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills : from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh even from the Lord : who hath made heaven and earth.

The past few years have been difficult ones: in the Woolfonts, and in the wider world. His Grace and the Canon have known illness even amidst joys and triumphs. Mr Wemyss, chronicling the Woolfonts, Beechbourne, Chickmarsh, and the Downland parishes, has likewise seen his non-fiction co-author and Bapton Books partner, the valiant Mr Pyle, in and out of hospital, and full several times near death.

For such reasons, both the tale of Ordinary Time in the villages in 2017, and the history of the July Crisis of 1914, have been delayed in publication.

But for such ills there are remedies: and here is one such, the mixture as before. Collected in this volume are many of the homilies and sermons preached to date in the Combined Benefice of The Woolfonts, Somerfords, & Harstbournes, by Canon Paddick, Fr Campion, Fr Bohun, and Fr Gascelyn Levett.

Some may be recalled fondly by Village Tales fans; others shall be new to most; and a few are thus far exclusive to this volume. The Church Year, the Kalendar, is represented, feasts and fasts, major and minor; and here are words apt to the chances of this mortal life, and its portals and points: christenings, marriages, burial services, and Remembrance.

And so, despite storms and delays, a happy Christmas to you all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bapton Books
• Release date: Dec 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463555866

GMW Wemyss

Parliamentary historian, chronicler of Titanic’s sinking and Churchill’s ascent, annotator of Kipling and of Kenneth Grahame: GMW Wemyss lives and writes, wisely pseudonymously, in Wilts. Having, by invoking the protective colouration of tweeds, cricket (he was a dry bob at school), and country matters, somehow evaded immersion in Mercury whilst up at University, he survived to become the West Country’s beloved essayist; author or co-author of histories of the Narvik Debate, the fall of Chamberlain and the rise of Churchill, of 1937 – that year of portent – and of the UK and US enquiries into the sinking of Titanic; and co-editor and co-annotator of Kipling’s Mowgli stories and Kenneth Grahame.

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Sermons in Chalk

GMW Wemyss

Bapton Books

Edition distributed by Smashwords

GMW Wemyss lives and writes, wisely pseudonymously, in Wilts. Having, by invoking the protective colouration of tweeds, cricket (he was a dry bob at school), and country matters, somehow evaded immersion in Mercury whilst up at University, he survived to become the author of Cross and Poppy: a village tale and of its sequels, the Village Tales series; of The Confidence of the House: May 1940 and of Sensible Places: essays on time, place & countryside; co-author of The Transatlantic Disputations: Essays & Observation; The Bapton Books Sampler: a literary chrestomathy; When That Great Ship Went Down: the legal and political repercussions of the loss of RMS Titanic; '37: the year of portent; and of the forthcoming history, The Crisis: 1914; and co-editor and co-annotator of The Complete Mowgli Stories, Duly Annotated, and The Annotated Wind in the Willows, for Adults and Sensible Children (or, possibly, Children and Sensible Adults).

Mr Wemyss' Twitter account is @GMWWemyss; it tends to be active only during The Ashes. The Twitter account for Bapton Books is @BaptonEditor. The partners in Bapton Books maintain a Tumbler presence, to be found at baptonbooks.tumblr.com; the Bapton Books website is at www.baptonbooks.co.uk.

Other books by GMW Wemyss

from Bapton Books

baptonbooks.co.uk

Village Tales:

Cross and Poppy: a village tale, GMW Wemyss

Evensong: Tales from Beechbourne, Chickmarsh, & the Woolfonts, GWM Wemyss

The Day Thou Gavest, GMW Wemyss

Ye Little Hills Like Lambs, GMW Wemyss

Ordinary Time, GMW Wemyss (forthcoming)

Bapton Books Annotated Classics (with Markham Shaw Pyle):

The Complete Mowgli Stories, Duly Annotated

The Annotated Wind in the Willows, for Adults and Sensible Children (or, possibly, Children and Sensible Adults)

Bapton Books History Selections:

The Confidence of the House: May 1940

When That Great Ship Went Down: the legal and political repercussions of the loss of RMS Titanic (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

'37: the year of portent (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

Essays:

Sensible Places: essays on time, place & countryside

The Transatlantic Disputations: Essays & Observations (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

The Bapton Books Sampler: a literary chrestomathy (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

Freedom, Fascists, Fools, & Frauds: Bapton Books Position Papers and Other Critical Pieces, 2011 – 2014 (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

Other fiction:

Crafts and Assaults: Two Uncanny Tales for the Season (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

Forthcoming:

Ordinary Time (in the Village Tales series)

The Crisis: 1914 (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

The Annotated Kidnapped (Robert Louis Stevenson) (with Markham Shaw Pyle)

Britain by the Slice (in two volumes):

From Samphire Hoe to Saunton Sands (vol. I)

From Kinnaird Head to Dancing Ledge (vol. II)

Copyright © 2013 – 2018 by Bapton Literary Trust No 1 (for GMW Wemyss)

Edition through Smashwords

All rights reserved

Book design by Bapton Books

A note to the reader: it is the aspiration of this imprint, small though Bapton Books be, to have as few errors and literals – 'typographical errors', misprints – as occur in any average Oxford University Press publication (which, alas, in these thin and piping times, gives us a margin of perhaps five or ten). Any obliging corrections shall be gratefully received.

Some portions of this anthology have previously appeared in substantially similar form in previous works in this series: Cross and Poppy; Evensong; The Day Thou Gavest; Ye Little Hills Like Lambs; and the forthcoming Ordinary Time.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment, and yours alone. This ebook mayn't be re-sold or given away to others. Should you wish to share this book with others, do please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or should it not have been purchased for your use only, then do please return to the site of purchase, and purchase a copy of your own. We shall be greatly obliged to you for respecting the hard work of our authors and this publishing house.

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

For Claire O'Toole

and for

Gordon Kellogg

Contents:

Other books by GMW Wemyss

A note, from GMW Wemyss Esq., official parish historian

A few words from HG the duchess of Taunton [Professor Millicent the Baroness Lacy suo jure DBE FRS FSA FRSE FRHistS FBA FAcSS, late Professorial Fellow, S Chad's, Dunelm, Quondam Fellow of All Souls in the University of Oxford, Director, The Great Dig]

From HG the duke of Taunton

A few prefatory words: The Rt Rev'd Stephen Chubb Dip CRES MA (Lond.) (KCL), Bishop of Sarum

Prefatory note from The Ven. Nigel Philips MA (Oxon) BTh (Westcott / Cantab), Archdeacon of Beechbourne

Introductory Statement: The Very Rev'd Simon Blanchard BA (Dunelm) MA (Oxon) BTh (Chichester) MTh (Oxon) DD (Oxon), Dean Emeritus, Rural Dean (Dean of Wolfdown)

The Churches of the Woolfonts, Somerfords, & Harstbournes

Occasional Services

The Kalendar

Occasional Services:

Inductions and installations

Rectorial induction

By Canon Paddick upon taking up his incumbency

Christenings

By Canon Paddick, at the baptism of his late wife's brother's daughter (see also, S Enurchus; Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin)

Solemnisations of matrimony

By Canon Paddick, on Candlemas, Millicent the Baroness Lacy to Charles duke of Taunton (see also, Candlemas)

By Canon Paddick, Constance (Lady Crispin) Fitzjames-Holles-Clare-Malet to Sir Giles Trulock

Burial services

By Canon Paddick, on the death of Caroline, Lady Douty. This was his first service in his new incumbency, and indeed was taken under Canon C 12, as it antedated his induction as Rector.

By Canon Paddick under licence, as requested by Mrs Pryor, at Fr Matthew Pryor QHC's burial service, S Peter Wolverhampton

By Canon Paddick, at the Cathedral for the Mass, the committal being at S Margaret Woolfont Magna, of the victims of a road smash: the sister of his late wife's brother Will, and a lorry driver suddenly taken ill on the road, Kenneth Poucher, of Lincs

By Canon Paddick, at the burial services of His Grace' brother Lord Crispin

By Fr Bohun, on the Feast of S Bartholomew, at Harstbourne Fitzwarren, upon the burial of the widow, Bess Targett, of an extensive Downlands farming family

By Fr Bohun, on the Eve of the Feast of S Cecilia, upon the burial of retained firefighter Dick Applin, fallen in the line of duty

The Kalendar:

Advent Sunday

By Fr Bohun

O Sapientia

By Fr Gascelyn Levett

Christmas Eve

By Fr Campion

Christmas-Day

By Canon Paddick

Hilary, Bishop & Confessor

By Canon Paddick

Octave of S Hilary; and the Friday after the First Sunday After Epiphany

The Conversion of S Paul

By Fr Bohun: 25 January, Paul's conversion upon the road to Damascus

By Fr Campion: 25 January, Paul's conversion upon the road to Damascus

By Fr Gascelyn Levett: 25 January, Paul's conversion upon the road to Damascus

By Canon Paddick: 25 January, Paul's conversion upon the road to Damascus

HM the Queen's Accession-day

By the Rev'd Sir Gilbert Bohun Bt MC, late Major, the Blues and Royals

Good Friday

By Fr Campion, at Crucis

Easter Day

By Canon Paddick, when the Feast fell upon the 16th day of the month

By Fr Bohun

First Sunday after Easter

By Fr Bohun, in the Downlands, at Somerford Mally

By Canon Paddick, when a General Election was called at the same time

S John, Evangelist ante Portam Latinam

By Fr Gascelyn Levett (patronal festival, S John ante Portam Latinam Cliff Ambries)

Rogation Days

By Canon Paddick, reading an early and extra Mattins, comfortingly, in the ducal chapel, the duke's eldest Clumber Spaniel having died overnight

Ascension Day

By Canon Paddick

Aldhelm, Bishop

By Fr Campion (patronal festival, S Aldhelm Woolfont Crucis)

Sunday after Ascension

By Canon Paddick

(the 'Army with banners' sermon)

Whit Monday

By Canon Paddick

S Barnabas, Apostle

By Canon Paddick, at the midday celebration, on the day of the Grenfell Tower disaster

The Translation of King Edward

By Canon Paddick, at a time of much tale-bearing in the villages

Second Sunday after Trinity

By Canon Paddick

'The Northern Soul Sermon'

By Fr Bohun

Third Sunday after Trinity (week of)

By Canon Paddick, saying Evening Prayer in the ducal chapel at Tidnock Hall, at a time when he and His Grace had alike been sent to recover from illness

The Visitation of the BVM

By Fr Campion at SS Mary & Leonard Woolfont Abbas (lesser patronal festival)

By Fr Gascelyn Levett at All Saints & S Mary Somerford Tout Saints (patronal festival)

The Translation of S Martin

By Fr Campion, at Abbas

Thomas Becket, Archbishop & Martyr

By Canon Paddick, at SS Thomas of Canterbury & George Somerford Mally (patronal festival)

Margaret, Virgin & Martyr

By Fr Campion, at S Margaret of Antioch Woolfont Magna (patronal festival)

S Mary Magdalen

By Canon Paddick to his parishioners at Thursday Evensong on the Octave, regarding his recurrent illness

Lammas Day

By Canon Paddick, at Evensong

By Fr HGL, at S Peter ad Vincula Chalford Mallet (patronal festival)

The Transfiguration

By Canon Paddick

The Name of Jesus

By Fr Bohun at S Saviour Harstbourne Fitzwarren (patronal festival)

S Lawrence, Martyr

By Canon Paddick

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

By Fr Bohun

S Bartholomew

By Canon Paddick

Giles, Abbot

By Canon Paddick

The Nativity of the BVM

By Canon Paddick, at Abbas (patronal festival)

Holy-Cross Day

By Canon Paddick

By Fr HGL, at Crucis (lesser patronal festival)

S Matthew, Apostle

By Canon Paddick

S Michael & All Angels

By Canon Paddick

Harvest Festival }

Faith, Virgin & Martyr }

By Canon Paddick, at Abbas, at a troubled period in the benefice

The Translation of King Edward the Confessor

By Canon Paddick

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

By Canon Paddick

Crispin, Martyr

By Canon Paddick

SS Simon & Jude

By Fr Bohun, coincident with the Abortion Act Vigil the Eve preceding

All Saints

By Fr Bohun at Somerford Tout Saints (patronal festival)

All Souls

By Canon Paddick

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

By Canon Paddick

Leonard, Confessor

By Canon Paddick, at Magna

By Fr Campion at SS Mary and Leonard Woolfont Abbas (patronal festival)

Remembrance Day & Remembrance Sunday following or preceding

By Canon Paddick

Edmund, King & Martyr

By Canon Paddick

Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr

By Canon Paddick (S Cecilia, & music festival)

S Andrew, Apostle

By Fr Campion

End: The Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity

A note,

from GMW Wemyss Esq.,

official parish historian

The past few years, although not without their triumphs and joys, have been difficult ones for all of us, alike in the Woolfonts and in the wider world. His Grace and Canon Paddock have known illness; and I, chronicling the Woolfonts, Beechbourne, Chickmarsh, and the Downland parishes, have likewise seen my regular (and indispensable) fellow historian, co-author, and Bapton Books partner, the valiant Mr Pyle, in and out of hospital, and full several times near death.

For such reasons, both the tale of Ordinary Time in the villages in 2017, and the long-deferred history of the July Crisis of 1914, have been yet further delayed in publication; and it long seemed likely there should be nothing from us at Bapton this year, at all.

To have thought so is to have doubted the providence of God: for here, comfortingly, in sudden inspiration, is something inspiriting, and, so, much wanted; and given out timely to be what the Scots side of the family call, as, A Christmas handsel (from which you may correctly conclude that the Scots relations are Piscies with a few RCs superadded, and not Calvinists distrustful of Christmas).

For all that Mr Pyle, say, can ruefully observe that he has spent time enough in hospital that it is now his residence for electoral purposes, and been often enough at Death's door that he's become friends with Death's cat and Death's postie; for all the late trials bourne by the Stamfords, and Canon Paddick, and the Burtts, and the duke: hope abides, and comfort, and specially so in this season.

For which season and which reason, in comfort and assurance, are collected in this volume, by their kind permission and that of the ecclesiastical authorities and the patron, many of the homilies and sermons preached to date in the Combined Benefice of The Woolfonts, Somerfords, & Harstbournes, by Canon Paddick, Fr Campion, Fr Bohun, and Fr Gascelyn Levett.

A very happy Christmas to us all, and the much-wanted comfort of God.

GMW Wemyss

Wilts, Worcs, Glamorganshire, Co. Galway, & Inverness-shire

Advent 2018

A few words from HG the duchess of Taunton

[Professor Millicent the Baroness Lacy suo jure

DBE FRS FSA FRSE FRHistS FBA FAcSS,

late Professorial Fellow, S Chad's, Dunelm,

Quondam Fellow of All Souls in the University of Oxford,

Director, The Great Dig]

Wolfdown House

Woolfont Abbas

Wilts

One cannot but be aware that, in the lives of nations, of friends and family, of husbands, and of colleagues, quite extraordinary crises do arise: and that this is the quite ordinary pattern of ordinary times and days. It is quite troubling to think of friends or connexions, let alone, of spouses, become martyrs to chronic illness (one thinks sadly of poor, dear Mr Pyle in America, in unceasing pain, which must be terribly distracting to a scholar, even to one as conventionally wool-gathering as is he – and I must say I think it quite unfair of the go-getting, Wall-Street sort of American to dismiss him, saying, Clever, yes, and knows things, but he couldn't park a bicycle, which one presumes is a recognised test of some sort of competence in the United States. There is more to life – certainly to the life of the mind – than spatial awareness and bodily dexterity, surely). And yet, all this is the common lot of man, to be borne: and for many of us it is made bearable by the consolations of religion. I can, as a parishioner of the Established Church (and as a daughter of the Rectory), attest to the impulse and to the comfort; as a scholar, I should note that the impulse is an ancient one, far antedating Alfred's choice to translate and distribute Boethius, Gregory, Augustine, and the Psalter, which that monarch decided upon hereabouts but a mere eleven centuries since.

I find that, for rather more of us than commonly confess it, the old, sovereign specific and remedy, the mixture as before, yet works, and brings relief. It is my earnest prayer that, this Christmas, it does so anew for each of you.

Millicent Taunton

From HG the duke of Taunton

Wolfdown House

Woolfont Abbas

Wilts

Ours is a chalk district, not Willy the Shake's Forest of Arden (and mind you, Her Grace, like her predecessor as duchess my late dear mother, is of a family with ancient ties to Herefs, Worcs, Staffs, and Warks): as you like (or don't like), Sweet indeed are the uses of adversity, and this our life, exempt from public haunt, does find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in every thing: with the trifling caveat that hereabouts, the stone from which sermons are hewn, is chalk. Whence the title of this volume. (God damn my soul, no one reads Shagsper in these mean and squalid days: which is why and how this royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, this earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, this other Eden, demi-paradise, this fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war, this happy breed of men, this little world, this precious stone set in the silver sea, which serves it in the office of a wall, or as a moat defensive to a house, against the envy of less happier lands; this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, this land of such dear souls, this dear, dear land, dear for her reputation through the world: is now leas'd out, owing to that damned May woman, like to a tenement or pelting farm, and