I’m writing this column during the Easter holidays, which for those who don’t know, is the Christian festival linked to the Judea/ Christian understanding of Passover when the Jews celebrate their historical deliverance from slavery. Passover is celebrated by the eating of a meal with lamb which for Christians symbolises the ‘lamb slain before the foundation of the world.’
Many homes across the land will have had roast lamb dinner on Easter Sunday, but why do we eat lamb?
This biblical story is fascinating because it helps us understand the spiritual principle of the death and resurrection of the ‘Lamb of God’ Jesus Christ who essentially has come to free us from personal bondage and fear and experience freedom from slavery and oppression
Please let me encourage you if you have a Bible, or go online, and look up Exodus 12 for the ‘wonder of this story’ and how it links Easter and Passover.
Many Christians throughout the ages have walked in that ‘spiritual freedom’ and since this year is also the 100th anniversary of the start of Great War of 1914 – 18, I thought I would share the story of a Devon born man who as an Anglican minister volunteered at the age of 51 to become an Army Chaplain in 1914.
His name is the Reverend Theodore Bayley Hardy VC, DSO MC. Yes besides winning many medals for bravery, he was also awarded the highest military honour in Commonwealth, the Victoria Cross. The citation read
Victoria Cross awarded for the most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on many occasions. Although over fifty years of age, he has, by his fearlessness, devotion to men of his battalion, and quiet, unobtrusive manner, won the respect and admiration of the whole division. His marvellous energy and endurance would be remarkable even in a very much younger man, and his valour and devotion are exemplified in the following incidents: —
An infantry patrol had gone out to attack a previously located enemy post in the ruins of a village, the Reverend Theodore Bayley Hardy (C.F.) being then at company headquarters. Hearing firing, he followed the patrol, and about four hundred yards beyond our front line of posts found an officer of the patrol dangerously wounded. He remained with the officer until he was able to get assistance to bring him in. During this time there was a great deal of firing, and an enemy patrol actually penetrated between the spot at which the officer was lying and our front line and captured three of our men.
On a second occasion, when an enemy shell exploded in the middle of one of our posts, the Reverend T. B. Hardy at once made his way to the spot, despite the shell and trench mortar fire which was going on at the time, and set to work to extricate the buried men. He succeeded in getting out one man who had been completely buried. He then set to work to extricate a second man, who was found to be dead.
During the whole of the time that he was digging out the men this chaplain was in great danger, not only from shell fire, but also because of the dangerous condition of the wall of the building which had been hit by the shell which buried the men.
On a third occasion he displayed the greatest devotion to duty when our infantry, after a successful attack, were gradually forced back to their starting trench.
After it was believed that all our men had withdrawn from the wood, Chaplain Hardy came out of it, and on reaching an advanced post asked the men to help him to get in a wounded man. Accompanied by a sergeant, he made his way to the spot where the man lay, within ten yards of a pill-box which had been captured in the morning, but was subsequently recaptured and occupied by the enemy. The wounded man was too weak to stand, but between them the chaplain and the sergeant eventually succeeded in getting him to our lines.
Throughout the day the enemy’s artillery, machine-gun, and trench mortar fire was continuous, and caused many casualties.
Notwithstanding, this very gallant chaplain was seen moving quietly amongst the men and tending the wounded, absolutely regardless of his personal safety.
When it gets dark we need men and women who can lead us in the light. It was primarily of Jesus that it is said ‘no greater love has a man than to lay down his life for a brother’ John 15 v13.