MELROSE Old Melrose Walk
Tuesday, April 2.
Starting from the Old Melrose Tearoom, off the A68, at 1.30pm.
A guided walk through 2000 years of history, including the site of the monastery where St.Cuthbert began his religious life.
Adults £4, children free. Dogs must be kept on leads at all times.
For Special Group Bookings on other dates contact omwalks@gmail.com
Parish Church
It was the fourth Sunday in Lent and the theme was friendship, in keeping with the readings recommended for the previous week. which focussed on Jesus’ activities with friends, from the death of Lazarus, to Jesus meeting with Mary and Martha, his going to the tomb and the raising of Lazarus and the famous commands to love one another. Today reached the story of the four friends who carried their friend on a kind of stretcher to meet Jesus to be healed and went so far as to break through the roof of the house in which he was staying to bring about the meeting. This in a culture where illness was regarded as a manifestation of some sin which the sick person had committed. It had not stopped the power of friendship and the path to healing.
There was also the power of befriending . When Jesus called Zaccheus the taxgatherer down from the tree he awoke the spirit of generosity which lay hidden beneath that commnercial exterior and changed one life and more connected lives.The last example was to be bold and not to be put off by false modesty. If it was for a good end in an awkward situation, pursue it -. and friendshio should respond.
News: Messy Church took place in the afternoon;Open Door every Thursday morning; Bowden cafe, March 20; St John’s Visit, March 12, 2pm; Kirk Session, March 14, 7pm; Wednesday, March 20, St Cuthbert’s Day, Old Melrose Walk, 2pm; Old Melrose Monthly Guided Walks, starting April 2, 1.30pm, Adults £4, children free, dogs on lead;Gala Foodbank usual pickup points and www.justgiving. com/galashielsfoodbank; Sunday, April 28, 3pm, Melrose Church organist John Kitchen celebrates completion work on the church organ.
Trimontium
James Curle occasionally found himself involved in the purchase of antiquities for the National Museum of Scotland. In May 1897, when he was Librarian of the Council of the Society of Antiquaries, he was writing to the newly appointed Head of the British Museum:
“My dear Read, There are one or two things to be sold at Christies on Friday 21st which we are rather anxious to get for the Scottish National Museum. The Council has deputised Mr Robert Carfrae (one of our Honorary Trustees) to attend the sale.
“The lots are the Glenlyon Brooch and the Glenlyon Charmstone, lots 455 and 456, and two Highland Brooches, lots 457 and 458 [The Glenlyon Brooch is a 16th century annular (ring -type) silver gilt brooch, set with crystals, amethysts and pearls, inscribed on the rear with the names of the three Magi (the Wise Men). The Glenlyon Charmstone was a rock crystal ball (used for dipping into a drink for medical purposes)].
“If you can do anything to help us we shall feel grateful. Mr Carfrae will call for you at the Museum on Thursday [Carfrae’s image, with those of many other officials was included in the stained glass window unveiled at the National Museum’s opening in 1892].
“I shall be passing through town [London] next week but I am afraid I won’t be able to see you as we shall only stay the night. Ever since my father died in January [Curle was writing on black bordered mourning notepaper] I have had a great deal to do and want a change badly, so I am going with my mother to Royat in Auvergne. I believe it is an interesting country and if you can tell me anything about what there is to see, or give me a line to anyone in these parts, I should be grateful.
“I haven’t got very much since I saw you last. I got one or two good brooches in Stockholm last summer, one especially good – silver of the ‘Teutonic type’.
“Yours very sincerely. James Curle.”
It was later reported that ‘a painful argument on the morning of the sale, referred to above, between Carfrae and Read, led to the two Museums bidding against one another, and the British Museum acquiring the brooch’.