The Random Thoughts of Henry Holloway
In a day or two we shall have left 1955 behind us. There are some things I hope we shall try to forget.
Lloyd George and a friend were walking one day in a field, when they came to a tiny gate. The friend, who told the story said, 'I was so eager to catch every word that fell from Mr Lloyd George's lips, that I failed to close one of the gates through which we were passing.' Lloyd George, noticing the lapse, went back, carefully shutting the gate and latching it. 'Do you remember old Dr so-and-so?' Mr Lloyd George asked, mentioning a local man who was known to both of them, and not long dead. 'When he was on his death-bed a clergyman went to him and asked if there was anything he would like to say, or any message he would like to give. The old doctor made an effort to raise himself and made his answer, 'No, except that through life I have always closed gates behind me.'
Once popular songs have a way of dying out through over use but many of their titles remain in our minds. One of them, the words of which I have long since forgotten was, 'Thanks for the Memory'. Yes, of course, there are many things we shall want to remember. You can have your song title , if you want it. For me, well I'd rather have the way the Old Book puts it. 'Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.' I don't know what mood you may be in at the moment. Maybe the year has not been a good one. The thing you want to forget far outweigh the things you would like to remember. These lines perhaps express what you feel:
"I wish there were some wonderful place, called the land of beginning again; where all our mistakes and all our heartaches could be dropped, like a shabby old coat, at the door; and never be put on again."
Jig-saw puzzles have been on the go at Christmas, as usual. They were invented by a convict during his imprisonment. He began idly tearing up pictures, and then tried to put them together again, to pass the time. When he got back to freedom he put jig-saw puzzles on the market and had no inclination to be anything other than an honest man. He found it possible to make a new start, but it was the old life that had taught him the lesson.
There was a play broadcast in which an old drunk, Michael Malone, came to see the Canon. He came up the stairs singing drunkenly a hymn he had heard the Protestants singing in a little Mission Hall, 'There is a happy land, far , far away.' He asked the Canon to join in, and he did. Very much out of harmony, they sang the verse through. Then Michael said, 'When I was a little chisler I promised myself I would find the place mentioned in the song.' Very quietly the Canon said, 'An' did ye find it, Michael?' Michael said brokenly that he thought he had once, but now …' The Canon quoted the words, 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.' 'Aye!' said Michael, 'I'm heavy laden and there's no place I can hide from myself. What good does talking do to a man who can't help himself?'
There is an old saying that, 'God helps those who help themselves.' I can give you a better one than that. God helps those who can't help themselves. A happy new year to you all.