It's something of a classic, written in 1908, and constantly referred to by historians who are wanting to chart the life and witness of the evangelical wing of the Church of England.
A peek inside to the title page (below) reveals the Bermondsey connection.
The author, G.R. Balleine, was vicar of St James, Bermondsey from 1908 until his retirement in 1938. Prior to that he worked for the Church Pastoral Aid Society, a home mission agency that I myself have been involved with for many years.
Church life flourished under Balleine's ministry. There were no less than ten Sunday schools, a large team of curates and Lay Readers, three mission halls, and a Wednesday evening service for children illustrated by the latest piece of technology, the Magic Lantern.
On the first page of a new style parish magazine, Cheerio, the Vicar laid out the four aims of the church, as he saw it: (1) to bind us together in brotherhood; (2) to proclaim Christ's message; (3) to provide opportunities for united worship; (4) to do God's will.
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