Another HE Old Year has gone, the New Year is come. footprint has been left in the sands of time to mark our onward progress; another portion of the lives of each one of us been added to the irrevocable past. And now, on the threshold of a New Year, what are our thoughts and feelings, as we look back on the weeks, and days, and hours, gone by for ever; and forward to the future which may yet await us? What is past has been ours, and for its use or abuse we must certainly give account at the Last Day. What is present is indeed our own now; but already, before we have time to realise its possession, it is past and gone for ever. Like the ever flowing stream, it seems to elude our grasp, even while we hold it in our very hands. And yet these swift flying moments, which pass by us like the quick flashes of light, are all that we certainly possess and have in our own power. In them we must do the work God has assigned to us, or leave it for ever undone. And then, that which is present becomes past, and the future takes its place. Yet for all these fleeting moments, of the sum total of which our lives are composed, God will bring us into judgment. And what has each one of us been doing during the past year, to make us more meet for the kingdom of Heaven-the inheritance of the Saints in Light? Surely at the beginning of a New Year it is well to consider our ways, so that we may correct and amend whatever has been amiss in our past lives, and live better in the future. God grant that the New Year, upon which we have now entered, may be spent by all of us in His service and to His honour and glory. So shall it indeed be also a happy one: and, by bringing us daily nearer to Him on earth, make us more meet to dwell with Him in Heaven. Parish Notices and Reports. HEADINGTON MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT.-On Wednesday evening, December 19, 1877, the Headington' Choir and others (Mr. Farr, the Organist and Choir-master, taking the general management) gave a Musical Entertainment in the New Headington Infant School-room. It will be seen from the subjoined programme that the selection was a well varied one, and adapted to different tastes. The efforts of those who took part in the performance to please their audience (and the room, in spite of the exceptionally bad weather, was full to overflowing) seemed to be most heartily appreciated; and the whole affair may be pronounced a decided success. Everything, indeed, passed off very pleasantly: and, though the first attempt of the kind by the present hands, without any mistakes or drawbacks to mar the general effect. It is proposed to give the next entertainment of the same kind in the Boys' School-room, in order to accommodate a larger number of persons who may wish to attend; as it is hoped that the second attempt may prove even a greater success than the first, and be not less kindly received by those for whose amusement it is designed. Due notice of the day, &c. will be published beforehand. The following was the programme on the 19th ult. : Part I.-Overture from " Henry VIII.," Mr. Farr; Glee, "Since first I saw your face," the Choir; Song, "The three fishers," Mr. F. Adams; Piano Duett, "The Sweetheart's waltz," Miss Kate Latimer and Miss Urquhart; Duett, "The minute gun at sea," Mr. and Mrs. Farr; Reading, Tennyson's "May Queen," Rev. Á. W. Pearson; Song, "The bashful man," Mr. Farr; Song, "My pretty Jane," Mr. Graham; Song, "The warrior's grave," the School-boys; Piano Solo, Miss Polehampton; Song, "The dumb wife," Mr. Farr; Glee, "Come and see the daylight dawning," the Choir. Part II.-Song, "The Gipsy's warning," Mrs. Farr; Piano Duett, "The brigands of the Black Forest," Miss Kate Latimer, and Miss. Urquhart; Song, "Please, God, make room for a little child," Mrs. Farr and Choir; Song, " Nancy Lee," Mr. Graham; Reading, "The death of Little Nell," Mr. Morris; Song, "Hearts of oak,' Mr. John Price: Song, "The lost child," Mr. Farr; Song, "The skipper and his boy," Mr. F. Adams; Glee, "Now pray we for our Country," the Choir; "God save the Queen." PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS' TREAT.-On Thursday, December 27th, there was a large gathering of the school children in the Field Schools, when upwards of 280 were provided with as much tea, cake, and bread and butter, as they could get through. The Girls' and Boys' and the Old and New Headington Infants' Schools assembled on the occasion. All went merrily; both girls and boys sang several songs, and the former also recited some pieces of poetry very creditably. After tea, the boys were amused with games during the distribution of presents to those girls who had been most regular in attendance at School, and behaved well when there. The same rule was carried out with respect to the boys to whom presents were given; and in some measure even with the infants, though all the last had a small gifts bestowed on them. The tea, cake, &c., were furnished by Mr. Wyatt, of the White Hart, and were very good and satisfactory. The festivities were wound up by three very hearty cheers from the boys. "Alice MAGIC LANTERN ENTERTAINMENT.-On Saturday, December 29th, the children again assembled to witness a Magic Lantern very amusingly exhibited by Mr. Taunt, of Broad Street, Oxford. in Wonderland was the first subject in the programme, and was followed by several other scenes both grave and comic. Both boys and girls, and, by no means least of all, the infants, seemed greatly to enjoy themselves, and throughout the whole performance of two hours were very orderly and well behaved. THE CHRISTMAS CAROLS.-A selection of these were very nicely sung by the Choir in Church, immediately after the evening service on Christmas Day, (instead of a sermon), and gave, we believe, very general satisfaction and pleasure to those who heard them. It certainly seems far better to confine the use of such sacred words to the Church, rather than have them sung about the streets. It is also a great thing to save the Church Choir the tedious tramp on Christmas Eve, with its ill effects on the voices of both men and boys; and the usually indifferent singing in Church on Christmas Day, owing to the previous night's exposure and fatigue. The grossly irreverent way in which the most solemn words are bawled out-often intermixed with, or followed by, profane and foul language-by those who now go about the streets at this season, under the pretext of carol singing, makes it especially desirable that the Church Choir should not be confounded with such questionable performers, but sing their carols where they can do so most reverently-keeping sacred things for sacred places. 542 Lending Library.-Headington Quarry.-Calendar for the Month, Parochial Lending Library. Contributions promised or paid. (p) paid. Major-General Desborough, C.B. J. T. Edgecombe, Esq. (p) Rev. W. Latimer, (p) ... £ s. d. 1 0 0 10 0 10 0 Several volumes of books from Major Urquhart, acknowledged with many thanks. I 23.-George Coppock. 30.-George James Trafford. BURIALS. 6.---Maria King, aged 74 years. Calendar for January. Tu Circumcision of our Lord.-New Year's Day.-10 a.m., W 3 TH II a.m., Church Restoration Committee Meeting. 2345 F 5 12, Litany and Churchings at N. H.-7.30 p.m., Choir practice. At Evensong, Collect for Epiphany. The Epiphany.—11 a.m., O. H., H. C.- Ath. Cr., Pr. Coll. 11.30 a.m., District Visitors' Meeting. TU S. Lucian, Priest and Martyr. [Ep. & Gos. IO II 12 W TH F S 1 TU 16 W 17 TH 18 F 19 S 12, Litany and Churchings at N. H.-7.30 p.m., Choir practice. 1st S. a. the Epiphany.-8 a.m., N. H., H. C.-S. Hilary, Oxford Term begins. [Bp. & Conf.-Cambridge Term begins. 23 S. Prisca, V. & M.-12, Litany at N. H.-7.30 p.m., Choir practice. 10 2nd S. a. the Epiphany.-S. Fabian, Bp. & Martyr.—8 a.m., TU S. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr. W TH At Evensong, Collect for Conversion of S. Paul. 24 25 F 26 S [O. H., H. C. Conversion of S. Paul, A. & M.—11 a.m., O. H., Matins.— [7.30 p.m., Choir practice. At Evensong, Collect for 3rd S. a. the Epiphany. 27 3rd S. a. the Epiphany.-3 p.m., O. II., Litany & Baptisms. 28 29 TU 31 W TH Charles I., King and Martyr, 1649. No. 109. THE HEADINGTON PARISH MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1878. PRICE 2D. Feast of the Purification of S. Marp the Oirgin, or Candlemas. HERE could be no impurity in the Son of God; and yet the Son would be circumcised and the Mother purified. He that came to be sin for us would in our persons be legally unclean; that by satisfying the law He might take away our uncleanness. He that was above the law would come under the law, to free us from the law. Not a day would be changed, either in the Circumcision of Christ or the Purification of Mary. No sooner is the Blessed Virgin able to walk, than she travels to Jerusalem; to perform her holy rites for herself, for her Son; to purify herself, to present her Son. She goes, not to her own house at Nazareth; she goes to God's House at Jerusalem. If purifying were a shadow, yet thanksgiving is a substance. Those whom God hath blessed with fruit of body and safety of deliverance, if they make not their first journey to the Temple of God, partake more of the unthankfulness of Eve than Mary's devotion. The law of Purification proclaims our uncleanness. We are all born sinners. The very infant, that lives not to sin as Adam, yet sinned in Adam, and is sinful in himself. But oh, the unspeakable mercy of our God! We provide the sin; He provides the remedy. Behold an expiation, well near as early as our sin; the blood of a young lamb or dove, yea rather, the Blood of Him Whose innocence was represented by both, cleanseth us presently from our filthiness. First, went Circumcision, then came the Sacrifice; that by two holy acts, that, which was naturally unholy, might be hallowed unto God. Under the Gospel, our Baptism hath the force of both: it does away our corruption by the Water of the Spirit; it applies to us the Sacrifice of Christ's Blood, whereby we are cleansed. Under the Gospel we are all first-born, all heirs; every soul is to be holy unto the Lord; we are a royal generation, a holy priesthood. Our Baptism, as it is our Circumcision and our sacrifice of Purification, so is it also our presentation unto God. Nothing can become us but holiness. O God, to whom we are devoted, serve Thyself of us, glorify Thyself by us, till we shall by Thee be glorified with Thee. |