The "Calgaric" Flying the Scout Flag and the World Flag of the Guides

The Chief Scout’s Address at the Scouts’ Own, Sunday, August 27th, 1933

BROTHER SCOUTS and Sister Guides, this is for us all a moment of deep feeling, because we are about to part, and this is the last occasion on earth when we shall all meet together in prayer and thanksgiving: I think thanksgiving must be a dominant feeling in our hearts to-day, when we are coming to the conclusion of this very happy and successful voyage.

When I was in Oslo the other day the English chaplain there spoke to me, and he said that he had watched our Movement as an outsider for many years and he could not help feeling that its success was a manifestation of the Hand of God backing up our effort; and when we come to look back on the history of our Movement, to see how it has grown up spontaneously without much help, without much propaganda, to spread itself so widely and to be felt so deeply, not only in our own country but in other countries as well, we cannot but feel that some Power greater than ourselves has been helping it forward to such a standing as it has reached to-day.

On this tour we have seen for ourselves a small part of what it has done among other people. This has been a very happy cruise, where we have seen strange lands, we have come face to face with Nature at her best in the sunshine, in the calm seas, in the beauties of the countries, of the forests and the mountains, of the waters and the sunsets that we have seen. We cannot help feeling that the God of Nature has been with us. And then we have met our foreign brothers and sisters-unlike ourselves in many ways, unlike each other even in these neighbouring countries, speaking different languages, having different customs and different traditions, different histories, and unable even to talk to each other, yet all united under the one ideal of love and goodwill. We have seen that for ourselves, we have felt it, and we must realise that there is something behind us that is helping us forward-the spirit of Love. Therefore, I think we ought to pause for a moment in silent thanksgiving to God for having given us this happy outing, whence we come back refreshed and strengthened, I hope, both in mind and body; in thanksgiving for having found new friendships, new helpfulness, new experiences which we have exchanged with one another; in thanksgiving for fresh inspiration and new hope and faith in what we are doing; in thankfulness for having made friends of other nations, who have welcomed us as we welcomed them, new friends to whom we hope we can be helpful, by spreading the right ideas and the right ideals of Scouting; in thankfulness for the privilege we have of helping, even in our small way, to develop that love which, if it only spreads, will mean the coming of the reign of God upon earth. Let us be thankful that we have seen all these things, especially that spirit of love in our neighbouring nations. May the inspiration of it dwell in our hearts, and enable us to go forward in our work with confidence, with hope, with courage, with patience and with faith, to press on with what we are doing towards, and helping in, that great work of bringing about goodwill among men and peace upon earth.

So, my dear brothers, having given thanks to God, pray that you may go forward with renewed strength for the work that you are at, and let us all determine to do our best to carry it out.

Rose Kerr, The Cruise of the "Calgaric" August 12th-29th, 1933, London: The Girl Guides Association.

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Last Modified: 8:17 AM on March 8, 1998