An enduring love legacy

With the close of February it seems right to leave the Agapemonites behind (see my previous posts this month).

But perhaps before I go I'll turn to the Daily Express last November.  For in a quiet media corner amid the arrival of a new American presidency the living constituents of the family of Mr Smyth-Pigott came to court in London.  Now the nature of bloggery is that links do not necessarily last - as I write you can read all about it by clicking HERE.

In the interests of a more lasting record we note first of all that, as any 21st century media would, the whole emphasis is placed on S - E - X.  Now to be fair to Smyth-Pigott this is unlikely to prove his main problem at the Last Judgment for despite this juicy reporting, repeating some efforts from the media at the time, there is little evidence that Smyth-Pigott had multiple sexual relationships - perhaps just the child-bearing one outside his 'official' marriage.  He certainly did have a harem of adoring and communal women followers.

There seems something hugely appropriate that the court case turns out to be all about one of the three great vices.  Here, in memorial of a man who claimed divine Messianic power and who consequently enjoyed an indecent width of sex or sexual interest, is his 21st century resurrection as an issue in court - and it's all about vice number three, money.  Money, Sex and Power.

What happened next?

Well, the family lost the case.  Thus the £1 million is to be distributed by the Charity Commissioners to charities that most resemble the Agapemonites.  Now there's a challenge.

An important footnote is that neither I nor our Church have been approached by the Charity Commissioners on this matter . . .

Free

It wasn't especially hot today.  But for me it was extraordinary none the less.

 

First, I was walking along through the town and decided to buy a bottle of fizzy water.  It's Market Day.  There are people everywhere and lines of people in all the cheap shops.  I decide that I have no time to line up so I'll get my drink in a more expensive shop.

 

A strange conversation ensues.  I don't have enough change so I offer a £10 note.  This requires over £8 in change.  As the lady (I think she is the owner) starts to get the change together I hit upon some extra change in another pocket.  I offer the change to make it easier for her.  She looks at the change.  Says in slightly broken "English you want the change?" and proceeds to give me the ten pounds back while taking her change back.  So far so good.  So I offer the right money.  She says, "You have paid" and I say "I have not" and she says, "No, that is good -it is finished - you paid" and (she is a slightly irritable lady) shoves the till shut and sits back down saying thank you and expecting me to leave.  I have a free drink having placed all kinds of stuff on her counter but having been given it all back, and a drink.  All of which might not be very bloggable were it not for this afternoon.

 

This afternoon I was visiting the hospital.  It is a decent journey and with no drink in the car I headed into the Café before doing my visit.  As it happened, and keeping the calories decently low, I set out to purchase the same kind of fizzy water again.  And a dark chocolate  because I'd had no lunch.  The lady in front of me was served.  Then a young, business-looking lady kind of pushed in the line in front of me (I think I was dozingly debating whether to have exactly the same bottle as in the morning).  I was politely  frustrated as I was in a bit of a hurry and she asked for four different drinks for her party.  Ah well.

Then she said, "And I'll pay for this gentleman's drink and chocolate too".  I looked up. "Please", she said.  "I have to use up the company expenses or Ill get offered less next year.  I know it sounds ridiculous and it is.  But I'll buy them".  And so she did.

So I sat down and drank my second free drink of the day (this time with a free chocolate too!)

Or was it the third? Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life

Andrew Bailey

Today was the end of Andrew Bailey.

Andrew is still alive (as far as I know) but disappears into history for most of us as of today.

 

For it is his signature, as Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, that has changed pieces of paper into promissory notes - or, as we might say, real dosh.

 

 

 

Now, moving to another highly-paid job, we rely instead on the signature of Mr Salmon.  I do not know Mr Salmon either of course.

 

It is at least a little bit interesting that in the history of the Bank of England its notes have always been guaranteed by the signature of a man.  There may be irony there: it is certainly a pattern that also exists in the localised environment of our family . . .

 

Of deeper interest may be the continual reproduction of new signature notes (now somewhat inconvenient with electronic notereaders) as one office holder passes to another - a kind of economic never-ending relay race.

 

Casting a Biblical eye over it reminds me that the priesthood operated like this before it ended: Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood.   Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  The Lord is a better guarantee of everything important than anyone else is of anything.