We Will Remember Them

It has been just over 90 years since the end of World War I, but
the tragic national wounds of the Great War are still felt deeply
by the British people. Today I experienced my seventh Remem-
brance Sunday, the Sunday closest to November 11, Remembrance
Day, when the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Nations re-
member the sacrifices of so many men so long ago in the trenches
of France and Belgium.

It seems that in every little village and town in England, Scotland,
and Wales there are monuments to the dead of two World Wars
and the long lists of sons killed in combat. The lists of names of the
war dead from the First World War are always much longer than
those of the Second World War. Hundreds of thousands of men
who served in the First War were slaughtered in the tenches and
in No Man's Land during the War to End All Wars. The British peo-
ple have vowed to never forget the sacrifices of men and women in
that Great War and in the other wars the United Kingdom has en-
gaged in. Even now they remember every time a fallen British sol-
dier is repatriated to Britain.

And so this morning the people of Cupar joined with large and small
communities throughout Britain and its former colonies to remem-
ber the fallen of World War I and all the wars Britain has fought. Here
in the small town of Cupar, a large crowd gathered at 10:40 at the
Memorial Monument in the center of town for a Service of Remem-
brance. I joined with them for the second year in a row. I attended
five similar remembrance services during my time in St. Andrews.

Three bagpipers in kilts led units of military cadets, active military
personnel, and veterans of other conflicts to the Monument. The
different military units all marched in with the uniquely smart British
fast march step. Four ministers from town churches read Scripture
passages and led in prayer. A large number of memorial wreathes
were laid at the base of the monument by family, friends, and civic
organizations to remember the fallen. Then we all sang God Save
the Queen. I always find it touching and I get tears in my eyes.

Many in the crowd then went to Remembrance Sunday services in
town churches. Since my time at Cupar Old Parish Church had ended
I went to the other Church of Scotland church in town. The guest min-
ister shared his concerns about the Remembrance Day services in a
very polite and respectable way. In line with the policy of the Church
of Scotland he rejects all war and nuclear arms and seeks every oppor-
tunity to promote peace and conflict resolution. He expressed his con-
cern about the Church sanctifying military action in foreign conflicts.
He reflected the dominant positions on antiwar protest and peace-
making positions held by by the Church of Scotland.

I, too, seek an end to war and the outbreak of peace. Although I con-
sider those who hold such views to be fine and good people, I also reck-
on them to be tragically naive and wrong. I expect that next year at
this time I will have to participate in such a service in a town or village
someplace in Scotland. I will do so as an American Christian minister.
But that is a topic for another posting.

I was very touched by the earlier service this morning. With sadness
I do remember the fallen.

Blessings to you and yours,