Hannnah Moorcroft: Promoted To Glory!
Activists turned up, along with other friends, to pay their ‘last
respects’ to a most gracious, sensitive - and yet, paradoxically! – a
most forceful, blunt and outspoken campaigner for our animal cause!
Yes, complementary qualities in a person which, so often fail to go
together amongst members of the same movement! Yet, were they not
manifest in Jesus Christ who’s biblically portrayed as ‘Lion of the
tribe of Judah’ as well as ‘Lamb of God’? Consider His
contrasting words and response towards religious leaders with those
towards their ‘kept down’ subjects!
The venue for precious
Hannah Moorcroft’s cremation was the austere, if not gruesome,
Landekin Crematorium on the Wirral. A place which I regret to say was,
-due to its somewhat ‘run down’ neglected condition and its macabre
furnishings - quite unworthy of such a wonderful lady’s final earthly
resting place.
Nevertheless – as if to compensate! - a most
moving eulogy was given by her sister in law;
and I was more than
honoured to be the officiant. Yes, even though the ‘recorded’ hymn
chosen from the crematorium’s own list for congregational
participation was so variable - both in volume as well as ‘dragged
out’ - as to be a hindrance rather than a help. We had to, rather
humorously, ‘drown it out!’ But then, as if this had not been enough,
the button for closing the curtains at the time of Committal had to be
pressed by myself - no less than three times! - before they began to
function with a jolt.
Fortunately, a sense of mild and
partially veiled humour can lift such an occasion; and more important
still, I sensed that Hannah would have been chuckling along with us!
Yes, but equally saying to me at the rostrum: “James, you’re not going
to sit back and say nothing about this, are you? Go ahead and put in a
complaint; and ask them what they’re going to do about it.”
Well, actually I did!
Yes, later in the week I wrote out a
most courteous letter and personally handed it in; and it was in a
more gentle way than our ‘beloved deceased’ would have chosen to do!
However, no reply or acknowledgement has been forthcoming: and it
would still seem as if Hannah – four months on - is inwardly prodding
me and saying: “I hope you’re not going to let them get away with this
James! Get on to them now!” Ah yes, ‘She being dead, yet speaketh!’
What a faithful and formidable champion for our most noble cause! I
sense that after God had created lovely Hannah Moorcroft that He broke
the mould!
Go on to
The Flock that Christendom
Forgot: An Animal Padre's Uphill Pilgrimage
Return to Spring 2013 Issue
Return to
Newsletters