Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 18 June 1904
Church Parade at Denaby
A church parade, organised in aid of the “Fullerton” Hospital, Denaby Main, was held at Denaby on Sunday in splendid weather.
A procession, consisting of the Denaby and Cadeby Prize Brass Band, the Mexbro’ Concertina Prize Band, Conisboro’ Fire Brigade, Sheffield Equalised Independent Druids, Rotherham Equalised Druids, Sheffield Order of Druids, and Ambulance Brigade, together with their various banners, paraded the village, and then assembled in the church, where a special service was held.
The Rev. S. R. P. Maisdale, M.A., Principal of St. Chad’s Hostel, Hooton Pagnell, was the preacher, and there was a large congregation.
The rev. gentleman took his text from the 12th chapter of the 1st epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, 26th verse, “Whether one member suffer all the members suffer with him.”
The preacher delivered a most touching and eloquent sermon.
He likened the church to the human body. All the members were joined together in one great body, and not one could suffer without all the rest of the body suffering too.
Every member had its own work to do, and if it suffered the rest must, as a consequence, suffer too.
They were all one body and they all rejoiced or suffered together.
He took it that they banded themselves together in societies, in guilds, so that they might be able to share in one another’s suffering, and to help one another in time of distress.
There was a good reason why they should attend the church regularly; they acknowledged affinity, and acknowledged God as the highest power.
Religion and philanthropy must go hand in hand; they could not separate one from the other. If they lost one they would lose the other also.
When England lost her religion, her greatness would not be long in following. If they lost their philanthropy their religion would not be long in following.
There was a third reason why they should work together—a historical reason.
Surely those people who banded themselves together in order to alleviate suffering humanity were their ancestors, and they had come back to the church that gave them birth.
They were proud to be sons and proud to be followers of such a great and good mother.
Dealing with the motives that impelled them to follow in their footsteps, the rev. gentleman said they must have motives.
Why were they members of these friendly societies?
First of all they would say that these societies encouraged thrift. They helped a man to put a little by for a rainy day. They paid a little week by week, month by month, which they did not miss, so that when the time of sickness came they were provided for.
If one member suffered all the members suffered with him. They helped him in his time of suffering.
But in these societies there must be some self-sacrifice on the part of some for the good of the rest.
Men who joined simply to benefit themselves were not what they could call good members, but a man who joined with a determination to help his fellow creatures was a good member.
They all wanted to stand up side by side, shoulder to shoulder, to help their brothers in distress, so that there was a sense of oneness, of being united together.
He might point out that there was a danger, even of being united, if it was used in a wrong cause.
They must remember every individual member was responsible for the right or wrong of the body to which he belonged.
They must take care that their name was not sullied by any action that they would be ashamed of as individuals.
They must not allow their society to do anything they would not do themselves.
They needed to be united.
Referring to the proposed new hospital, he congratulated the men of Denaby upon the strides they had made in regard to it.
They had paid a little week by week from their wages towards it, and he wished them God speed in the work; it was something they could be proud of.
They all helped to make the place in which they lived what it was, and they were most of them governed by the society in which they lived, but they could do an immensity of work individually.
He referred them to the hymn, “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”
They must all be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and be prepared to stand up for Him.
At the close of the service a collection was taken in aid of the hospital.
Mr. W. H. Chambers was the reader, and the Rev. J. Brook and the Rev. H. P. Rigg assisted in the service.