Page 6 - royal-times-11-12

A Note from our School Chaplain

2012 marks the centenary of Scott’s
expedition to the South Pole. Although they
were unsuccessful in attempt to be the first to
get there- they was pipped at the post by the
Norwegian, Amundson- and they perished
on their return journey, Scott and his team
will always be remembered. Two of them
stand out in my mind. First Captain Oates,
who was badly frostbitten, realised that he
was a burden on the rest and walked out of
the tent to certain death. It was an act of great
courage, captured in a well-known painting entitled ‘A very gallant gentleman’.
Secondly, Henry ‘Birdy’ Bowers was in charge of stores and earned the respect
and affection of all the expedition because of his reliability and good humour,
but above all because of his kindness. Nothing was too much trouble to him; he
always put the interests of others before his own.
Courage and kindness, two characteristics that recall the life of Jesus and which
are so badly needed in a world that is often selfish and lacking integrity. As a little
poem puts it,

‘Life if mostly froth an bubbles,
but two things stand like stone;
kindness in another’s troubles,
courage in our own,’
May God grant us courage and kindness for the journey ahead.

By Canon Mark Lidwell.

6 The Royal Times 2011-2012