Anglicans way going on

EARLY CONGRATULATIONS to de Anglican Church on its 200 Anniversary in SVG in September dis year.

Once upon ah time (40 years ago) de Anglican Church had de largest following in SVG near 30,000 members.

Den came de Evangelists and de Pentecostals whose Water Baptism pulled thousands away from de major churches. Men’s fellowship was strong, close to 100, wid Biscuit Mc Intosh leading dat group; today ah overs dey’s no functioning Men’s Fellowship Group. Dat is alarming! What is surprising is dat de planning committee foh dis year’s Festive Occasion, is comprised of eight members, seven of which are women and one male, unheard-of. To dat one male Lie-Za say: “blessed art thou amongst women.”

What de heck is going on wid our men-folk in de Anglican Community and Christianity in general?

BISHOP RAISED DE PULPIT But Alas! Anglican Bishop, de Right Rev. C Leopold Friday CMG, was at his very best last week. He accepted de Bold Challenge, to deliver de Sermon at de annual Ecumenical Church Service to mark de opening of de Sitting of de High Courts.

Present were members of de Judiciary: Chief Justice, Judges, Masters, Mad-isstraights, Senior and Junior Lawyers and police officers of all ranks. My side-kick wants to know if any corrupt ‘ministers’ of Go-venommint were present.

Another good piece ah Reporting by Searchlight. De Paper says dat de Bishop in his message, went straight to de book of Deuteronomy, de Oldest Law Book dat gives in detail, de Original Guidelines foh practicing Law and administering Justice. Those Guidelines are as good today as dey were yes-today and tomorrow. Seems like de Man of God fed up, like he too had E-nuff in his craw.

Now ley me use Lie-Za’s vernacular to write way de Bishop say eh, because de Chief Justice in Court warn all de Internet Crazies bout running dey mouth pon Judges; ah doh want any ah dem Judges send ‘bench war-rant’ foh me or de Bishop. “Doh distort Justice!” says Bishop Friday. “ Doh be Buy-us! Doh overcharge!

Doh accept bribes, for Bribes blind de eyes of de wise and rob all those who are in de Right! Justice and only Justice we shall persue!”

De story also says dat in his address, Bishop repeated dem Biblical C’Laws and Buy-Laws several times. Ah tell Lie-Za dat Bishop like he know something. She corrected me and said. “Bishop see, hear and know plenty thing way going on!”

Ah remember Bishop Friday when he was ah lickle youth playing cricket at Grammar School Grounds.

He fancied himself as ah fast-boulder, (run up to de wicket fast but pelting boulders like mad). Lie-Za beg me come off de Bishop. Yes his dad was also an Anglican Priest, and his elder brother was ah Land Surveyor, actually my colleague. But ah hold great respect foh ah special cadre of young men, well dey lickle older now, men like Bishop and before him Fr Ulric Jones: Fr Syl Regisford, Fr Michael Stewart, Fr Rene Howard (deceased) Fr Everton Weekes, Fr Mark Da Silva and others of course. Why?? Dey all gave up good lucrative jobs in de Public Service foh de Priesthood, abandoned de love foh silver and gold to go toil untiringly in de Lord’s Vine-yard. Thanks fellars.

HAND TO MOUTH De Bible speaks ah lot about two sets ah bright people, one believed in de Resurrection and dey had 20-20 vision, so dey called dey-selves de “Far-ah-see.”

De other set was de “Sad-yusee” who believed dat when yuh dead yuh done. But was like every way Jesus went de Far-ah-see was stalking him.

One time de Disciples had to be very hungry, didn’t bother to wash de hands before dey ate. Well de Far-ah-see mek big thing bout dat. And dat was when Jesus told dem dat “ Is not de things dat go in ah man Mouth dat matters but what comes out ah de Mouth cometh from de Heart!”

So ah had to poze de quest-shun to Lie-Za: “if all dem things, de Good, Bad and Bitter dat de Pry-minister does spit out ah his Mouth really come from his Heart?”

She gave me ah jig-saw answer saying dat ole people uses to say, and does still say “Mouth open and ‘tory jump out!” Wid Elect-shun just round de corner, de PM talking bout “hand to Mouth! But den folks in Canada challenging him say: “ Let him Run his Mouth and Pass Bad Mouth pon dem, is hand to Mouth put him dey, but like he begging foh Foot in Mouth to Kick Himmouth!

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

● Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.