Summer message

The Summer message was kindly written by Revd John Campbell

Dear Friends,

Some quotations are legendary!  I am sure we all have our favourites.  People like Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde have given us many quotes which are highly entertaining.  In fact, you can go into a bookshop and buy books of quotations.  It is fortunate that statements have been recorded for posterity because it would be so easy to mis-quote a person thus altering the gist of what was said.

Samuel Clemens wrote under the name “Mark Twain” and amongst his many quotes is the famous "Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated". Truth to tell, however, is the fact that he did not say it!  Samuel Clemens had a cousin called James Ross Clemens who was taken ill whilst in London . By the time news had traveled inaccurately from one person to another and also crossed the Atlantic , the story had altered dramatically.  Not only had the person been changed from James to Samuel Clemens but also the condition of the patient had taken a fatal turn. 

A note which still exists was sent by Samuel to the New York Journal informing them of the mistake, assuring people that his cousin had recovered and adding, “The report of my illness grew out of his illness. The report of my death was an exaggeration.”  Now, it does not take much to follow the development of the story but isn’t it a shame that long after the event, Clemens is being mis-quoted? 

As we read through the Gospels we find that on no less than 78 occasions there is a record of Jesus saying “I tell you the truth….”  For example, in John 5:24 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth.  Whoever hears what I say and believes in the One who sent me has eternal life.  He will not be judged guilty.  He has already left death and has entered into life.”  And we can be sure that this is the truth.  Jesus has not been misquoted.  Had his words been manipulated into another meaning  ( and on 78 occasions! )  then his teaching would have become an object of ridicule.

I am inclined to suggest that we have never known anything happening in Parliament quite like the revelations which have been made during the past few days.  As I write this letter news is just breaking about the involvement of police who are going to investigate particular cases.  Regularly in church worship, we pray for those who have responsibility for matters of state.  Indeed, there is every reason why you should break off from reading this letter and offer a prayer right now. Ask the Lord that common sense and responsibility will be restored.

 So, getting back to

 Whenever we put trust in another person we have to hope that they are trustworthy.  In most cases, people are decent, upright and honest yet we know from experience that the newspapers and television are always drawing our attention to people’s failings.  Would a newspaper survive for very long in a competitive market if it only concentrated on stories of good news?  I am sure you can work that out for yourself. 

John Campbell