Library History
Special Prayers were then read
by the Vicar, , including the following special prayers :— “Almighty God, without whom nothing is f h ol Thee “to bless the work and duty here undertaken Thy 01 , he ., useandsel T ice °f man. We pray that these buddings may become living centre ?l u uman goodness and active duty; and that all those who may be put authority and power m this place may ever seel; the coming of the Kingdom of thy Son thro aßh the same thy Sou. Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” bl^ n 0f 0 ? the Father, the Son and the Holy £ rest place and upon all d Wfits Amen … ** the fi architect, addressed a few “* company- He said he did not know tnat ne. was very important person in connection with that building, because he was only the nuddla man, who put the benevolent idea paper and enabled the practical man to put it in.’to practice. It had been a great pleasure nim to prepare the plans for that building: fact, one of the greatest pleasures of life, especially to an architect, was to assist in carrying out such works that. If any of the ancestors of Sir Edmund Verney in centuries gone by had proposed to build a village hall for the people of that parish, he would not have sent for architect to draw up the plans. In those days the villagers would have been capable of carrying out the work themselves, lor as he read history, in the and 15th centuries building was profession in which nearly everybody took part. If they looked round the villages of England they would see how successfully they managed, by the beautiful buildings which had been erected, and they in the present day still had something to learn in the art of building from their forefathers. He hoped they would all take a great interest in that building. Alludinjr to the architectural features of the Sroposed hall, he said there would be a certain omeliness of style, and there would be nooks and corners, which could be used either by older people or lovers. After some further remarks, he expressed a hope that the future the building would be of great advantage the village, (Applause.) The Rev. A. Gordon next offered a few remarks. He said he did not expect to be called upon to make a speech that afternoon, but he had learnt to be prepared for surprises. If they wanted to find out how to name streets they should come to Steeple Claydon; they wanted to know what a school should be they should come there and if they wanted to see vicarage they should also come there. (Laughter.) It was dangerous to approach the region of prophesy. Some might say on looking at the ruin of the Vicarage not far distant that the work of the Church and of the clergy was not progressing, and that the future lay with books. He hoped there would be many books in that place, but he felt that interpreters of those books would be necessary to guide them in reading the hooks. He was absolutely certain that the clergy of the Church and the ministers of other religious bodies in this country were worth their salt there would always be a pressing need for a living personality. If not. the sooner their services were dispensed with the better. He hoped that that building would be a source of great benefit to the present and future generations, and on behalf of Middle Claydon congratulated them upon this initial step. to be continued……..
BICESTER HERALD FRIDAY 7 NOVEMBER 1902
