The Sadness of Long Ago
With all the reports of War and what is happening in the middle east – our imagination and political fervor has been lit again and again. Even in quiet Peterborough there is rumbling about the young men and women that have been injured in the battles of this present decade… since 9-11.
I don’t think a lot about war… but I think about the families that have been deeply hurt when their son or daughter return to our country injured or even dead. The pain that they feel is greater than any of us have ever imagined.
But our small community has had this happen many times before. And I have discovered that this was closer to me than I could imagine. I would like to take you on a short tour of emotions.
In the Center of our City…
As I walked through the small park across from the City Hall there is a memorial. In the park is a large War Memorial which is situated on a former ancient grave yard. In our community we have had some considerable debate about further construction of another memorial to fallen vets over the years.
To the far north end of the park stands a monument in memory of a fallen soldier from 1885. Most of our residents have never stopped to read what is on the plaque mounted on this piece of old memory.
The words on the bronze plaque read, “A tribute to the Canadian volunteers and to the memory of Capt. Edward T. Brown, of Boulton’s Scouts, a native of this county who fell at Batoche on May 12th, 1885”.
Noting the wording that the men were “Canadian volunteers” was special. They fought in ‘Canada’ against others that were born here… but had declared themselves to be in rebellion to Canada’s way of oppressing the Metis People. The main figure was Louis Riel who was a popular politician of his day.
My roots were in Saskatchewan and my upbringing was prairie all the way. But in the upbringing I also studied our prairie history. At one point I was taken to the site of the Duck Lake Massacre and I had the opportunity to stand where the Battle of Batoche took place. I knew the conflict of the past and what had happened in my home province. It was part of who I am.
I just didn’t know the other part of the story. Here is this non-descript way was an answer to some of the horror of 1885 for one family. Their son had fought in a war that they knew nothing about.
Capt Edward Brown had joined a group of men that were then sent as soldiers to quell an uprising in a very foreign place that would eventually be called Saskatchewan. The people that they were to fight were well experienced in fighting in their own land. They knew their country well. The Boulton Scouts were not prepared at all and it would soon be seen. In the total battle, 1600+ miles from their home in lush Ontario, over 100 men died in a horrible fight.
As I reviewed their names on a web page I realized that I know many of their families that live in our community now. Some of the names were actually part of our church over these past few years.
These young men had fought people from my home province and many had died far, far from home.
I became a resident of Peterborough in the summer of 1998.
In 2001 the Bell of Batoche was stolen from the Canadian Legion in Millbrook, Ontario – a small village a few miles from Peterborough. This Bell of Batoche was stolen from the small church in the Metis community of Batoche, in to be Saskatchewan, in 1885, and had remained as a trophy of that battle where so many of the local families had lost loved ones. It had served to tell the world of the innocent young men from Ontario that had fallen in this battle. But it also remained as a trophy (stolen trophy) of all the warriors of the Metis that had fallen as well from the gun shots of the Canadian soldiers while defending their land.
The Metis leaders admitted to having stolen the Bell from the Legion and had promised to show it at a Metis celebration in the past few years. To my knowledge that has yet to happen.
One hundred and twenty three years later the war is still being remembered.
As I stood in front of the large memorial and read of Capt. Edward Brown my emotions were stirred deeply. People still remember and still hate each other. How sad that is.
When the recent events of Canadian Aboriginal People carried out their day to make Canada aware of their plight… then things got out of hand… it was another sad day for all of us. People still hate each other…deeply and it shows so easily.
Today can be different…
In speaking with two individuals this past week in our community on two different occasions I heard of the same kind of anger. These two people are supposed to be “Christian”. They described how someone had said or done something to them and how they had reacted to what had happened. Both of these “Christians” had stated flatly that they had stood up for what they should stand up for. They hated the other person that “..had wronged them…” and had then pledged to never talk to the “offender” again. They had been busy meting out their form of judgment.
I mean – if the USA can do this kind of thing with their ability and strength – having good reason to do so… then why shouldn’t I be able to inflict damage on someone that harms my person or character?
I have to stand up and say that “Today can be different…” if we make some different choices.
However as I listen and read… I see that not much is changed and the sadness of long ago is ripped wide open again… and we feel it is okay to hate.
Did you know that is not God’s way? He has a different way that is rooted in a love that is very hard to describe… but must be felt. Even the worst kind can be forgiven… even the very worst kind…!
How do you feel about this? Are you ready to let the hatred go and let God into the situation? I am… I really am….
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
I don’t think a lot about war… but I think about the families that have been deeply hurt when their son or daughter return to our country injured or even dead. The pain that they feel is greater than any of us have ever imagined.
But our small community has had this happen many times before. And I have discovered that this was closer to me than I could imagine. I would like to take you on a short tour of emotions.
In the Center of our City…
As I walked through the small park across from the City Hall there is a memorial. In the park is a large War Memorial which is situated on a former ancient grave yard. In our community we have had some considerable debate about further construction of another memorial to fallen vets over the years.To the far north end of the park stands a monument in memory of a fallen soldier from 1885. Most of our residents have never stopped to read what is on the plaque mounted on this piece of old memory.
The words on the bronze plaque read, “A tribute to the Canadian volunteers and to the memory of Capt. Edward T. Brown, of Boulton’s Scouts, a native of this county who fell at Batoche on May 12th, 1885”.Noting the wording that the men were “Canadian volunteers” was special. They fought in ‘Canada’ against others that were born here… but had declared themselves to be in rebellion to Canada’s way of oppressing the Metis People. The main figure was Louis Riel who was a popular politician of his day.
My roots were in Saskatchewan and my upbringing was prairie all the way. But in the upbringing I also studied our prairie history. At one point I was taken to the site of the Duck Lake Massacre and I had the opportunity to stand where the Battle of Batoche took place. I knew the conflict of the past and what had happened in my home province. It was part of who I am.
I just didn’t know the other part of the story. Here is this non-descript way was an answer to some of the horror of 1885 for one family. Their son had fought in a war that they knew nothing about.
Capt Edward Brown had joined a group of men that were then sent as soldiers to quell an uprising in a very foreign place that would eventually be called Saskatchewan. The people that they were to fight were well experienced in fighting in their own land. They knew their country well. The Boulton Scouts were not prepared at all and it would soon be seen. In the total battle, 1600+ miles from their home in lush Ontario, over 100 men died in a horrible fight.
As I reviewed their names on a web page I realized that I know many of their families that live in our community now. Some of the names were actually part of our church over these past few years.
These young men had fought people from my home province and many had died far, far from home.
I became a resident of Peterborough in the summer of 1998.
In 2001 the Bell of Batoche was stolen from the Canadian Legion in Millbrook, Ontario – a small village a few miles from Peterborough. This Bell of Batoche was stolen from the small church in the Metis community of Batoche, in to be Saskatchewan, in 1885, and had remained as a trophy of that battle where so many of the local families had lost loved ones. It had served to tell the world of the innocent young men from Ontario that had fallen in this battle. But it also remained as a trophy (stolen trophy) of all the warriors of the Metis that had fallen as well from the gun shots of the Canadian soldiers while defending their land.
The Metis leaders admitted to having stolen the Bell from the Legion and had promised to show it at a Metis celebration in the past few years. To my knowledge that has yet to happen.
One hundred and twenty three years later the war is still being remembered.
As I stood in front of the large memorial and read of Capt. Edward Brown my emotions were stirred deeply. People still remember and still hate each other. How sad that is.
When the recent events of Canadian Aboriginal People carried out their day to make Canada aware of their plight… then things got out of hand… it was another sad day for all of us. People still hate each other…deeply and it shows so easily.
Today can be different…
In speaking with two individuals this past week in our community on two different occasions I heard of the same kind of anger. These two people are supposed to be “Christian”. They described how someone had said or done something to them and how they had reacted to what had happened. Both of these “Christians” had stated flatly that they had stood up for what they should stand up for. They hated the other person that “..had wronged them…” and had then pledged to never talk to the “offender” again. They had been busy meting out their form of judgment.
I mean – if the USA can do this kind of thing with their ability and strength – having good reason to do so… then why shouldn’t I be able to inflict damage on someone that harms my person or character?
I have to stand up and say that “Today can be different…” if we make some different choices.
However as I listen and read… I see that not much is changed and the sadness of long ago is ripped wide open again… and we feel it is okay to hate.
Did you know that is not God’s way? He has a different way that is rooted in a love that is very hard to describe… but must be felt. Even the worst kind can be forgiven… even the very worst kind…!
How do you feel about this? Are you ready to let the hatred go and let God into the situation? I am… I really am….
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Resources
Louis Riel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel
List of the names that died with Capt. Edward Brown http://www.collectionscanada.ca/022/022-909.005.03-e.html
Batoche Bell controversy - http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012214
Battle of Fish Creek http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/~batoche/docs/proof_en_battle_of_fish_creek.pdf
A Google search of Battle of Batoche – produces 18,500 responses…
List of the names that died with Capt. Edward Brown http://www.collectionscanada.ca/022/022-909.005.03-e.html
Batoche Bell controversy - http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012214
Battle of Fish Creek http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/~batoche/docs/proof_en_battle_of_fish_creek.pdf
A Google search of Battle of Batoche – produces 18,500 responses…
1885 Photos of Batoche - perhaps the first time Photos were taken of any battle field...
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home