Deal Walmer and Sandwich Mercury 28th April 1917
THE LATE CANON BLISS
With much regret we recorded, as we went to Press last week, the death of the Rev. Canon John Worthington Bliss, B.A., for 51 years Rector of Betteshanger-with-Ham, and until recent years Rural Dean of Sandwich. Canon Bliss, the whole of his life was associated with the diocese of Canterbury, was ordained deacon in 1857 in the Metropolical Cathedral, becoming a priest in 1858. On Feb. 28th 1865, he became curate in charge at Betteshanger, and on Dec. 7th 1866, he was presented by the late Sir Walter James, afterwards first Baron Northbourne, to the living of Betteshanger, being inducted Rector of Ham on Dec. 26th, 1876. For more than 50 years in this quiet rural district, the Rector had been, in joy and sorrow, the friend of his parishioners, and many who have gone far from these parishes recall with loving remembrance the ministrations of the kindly Rector who prepared them for Confirmation, or some glad or sorrowful event in their lives, performed for them the sacred offices of the church he loved so well and served so earnestly. His incumbency was a happy instance of the claim of the Church of England as to the value of the presence of a cultured gentleman in every parish as an elevating, refining influence. In anything that concerned the welfare of his parishioners Canon Bliss was ever ready to take an interest, and recreations or social events which might add brightness to rural life, or such institutions as the flower show, found him a ready and liberal patron.
Canon Bliss was born [7th July 1832] in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where his father held office of Judge of the Supreme Court. He came to England in 1848, after being at Harrow for a time, went on to Trinity College, Cambridge, where, in 1855, he took his degree. After ordination he held assistant curacies at Ide Hill, Sevenoaks (1857-9) and Speldhurst (1859-65). He married, in 1858, the daughter of the Rector, the Rev. H. Lindsay. The only child of the marriage died in infancy. Canon Bliss had been some 16 years at Betteshanger when, in 1881, he was appointed Rural Dean, and in 1888 he became an honorary Canon of Canterbury.
His office as Rural Dean brought him into intimate association with a much wider area, and throughout the parishes of the Sandwich Rural Deanery Bliss was an ever-welcome visitor, and parochial efforts for the beautifying of churches, for their improvement or restoration, or for the more efficient carrying on of the work of the Church in the various parts of the ruri-decanal area, were assured of his sympathetic interest and help. In the meetings of the ruri-decanal chapter a specially intimate bond of sympathy was established between the Rural Dean and his clergy, which increased with advancing years, and the affection which his cultured, kindly, considerate personality inspired in those who were thus associated with him, was a very thing. To this was given expression in the presentation by his fellow clergy of a chalice a few years ago. In diocesan as in more local church affairs he took a keen interest, and the missionary work of the church had his active sympathy.
Latterly, with increasing weakness, Canon Bliss had been unable to take an active part in church affairs, and he resigned the office of Rural Dean in Dec. 1914, being succeeded by the Rector of Deal. For some time he had had the able help in the parish of the Rev. C. H. Hutt, in addition to that of the Rev. F. C. Villiers, who for as long as 38 years has been assistant curate to Canon Bliss. In view of the fact that Canon Bliss was within three months of the attainment of his 85th birthday, it occasioned no surprise, though the keenest regret was felt, when on Friday, 20th inst., he passed peacefully to his rest.
On Monday evening the body was conveyed from the Rectory, along the path he had so often trodden during the past half century, to the pretty little church he loved so well. There the beautiful office of Compline was said by Mr. Hutt and Mr. Villiers, and on Tuesday morning a celebration of Holy Communion attended by the members of the family took place.
The funeral on Tuesday afternoon showed how widely the late Canon was esteemed. Betteshanger and Ham seemed to be represented by the entire populations, and not only adjacent parishes of Northbourne and Eastry but more distant parts of the Rural Deanery were represented. The mourners were Miss Helen Lindsay, Miss H. Jessie Lindsay, Miss Bliss, Misses Hilda, Muriel and Winifrede Bliss, Mrs. Leonard Howes, Rev. H. Lancaster, Mrs. Lancaster, Rev. A. S. Lindsay, Miss Lindsay, Mrs. Clement Godson, Miss Creak, Mrs. Tuck, and Miss Nash.
There was a large and representative attendance of clergy, who robed in the parish room. They included the Revs. F. C. Villiers and C. H. Hutt, the Rural Dean (Rev. R. Patterson), the Rector of Eythorne (Rev. Basil Burrows), the Rector of Northbourne (Rev. C. W. Ceidrych Thomas), the Vicar of Eastry (the Rev. C. E. Meeres), the Rev. F. Savage (many years Vicar of Woodnesborough), the Vicar of Woodnesborough (Rev. H. L. Boldero), Rev C. P. Banks (Vicar of St. Saviours, Westgate, and formerly Rector of St. Andrew's Deal), the Rector of Great Mongeham (Rev. W. H. Rammell), the Rector of Little Mongeham-with-Sutton (Rev. W. M. Shepherd), the Rector of Ringwould (Rev. Gordon Cuming), the Vicar of Kingsdown (Rev. Reginald Jones), the Vicar of Walmer (Rev. Norman Radcliffe, D. D.), the Vicar of St. George's, Deal (Rev. St. Clair Tisdall, D. D.), the Vicar of St. Mary's and St. Clement's Sandwich (Rev. O. D. Bruce Payne), Rev. C. M. Tudor (of "Bradfield," Walmer), Rev. A. A. Midwinter (Assistant Curate of Walmer), and Rev. H. Hammond (Assistant Curate of St. Andrew's, Deal). the Archbishop of Canterbury telegraphed his regret that he was unable to be present, and the Right Rev. Bishop Walsh, Archdeacon of Canterbury, and many years Bishop of Dover, also expressed his regret that he was unable to attend. Among other clergy present in the congregation were the Rev. Canon Nesbit (formerly Rector of Ringwould and now Rector of Ickham), the Rev. Canon Venn (formerly Vicar of Walmer), and the Rev. C. L. Fetloe, D. D. (Rector of Ripple). Rev. H. J. Daniell (Rector of St. Andrew's Deal), was unavoidably prevented from attending.
The beautiful little church of St. Mary-the-Virgin was quite full, among many others present being Lord and Lady Northbourne, the Hon. Mrs. Wilfred James, Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, Mrs. Chivas Adam, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Kennedy, Mr. J. H. Monins, Mr. Arthur Matthews, Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. Jackson, Mr. M. Griffith, Miss Griffith, Mrs. Venn, Mrs. L. B. Watson, Mr. Powell, Mr. T. P. Scott, Mr. W. H. Clark, Capt. Dr. J. W. Harrisson, Dr. Kerswill, Mr. Willmott, Mr. F. E. Green, Mr. and Mrs. Makey (formerly for 14 years organist at Betteshanger), and very many others from the Betteshanger estate and from adjacent parishes.
Rev. G. Farrant, Mus.Bac., presided at the organ and played Mendelssohn's and Chopin's funeral marches as the congregation were assembling. The opening sentences were said by the Rev. F. C. Villiers, and the noble words of the 90th Psalm were chanted, the Lesson being impressively read by the Rev. C. H. Hutt. While there was inevitably the "sadness of farewell," yet the service had in it a note of Easter triumph, too, and it was reflected in the hymn "Alleluia! Alleluia! hearts to heav'n and voices raise," with its anticipation of the "holy harvest" which is to come
From the furrows of the grave."
The singularly appropriate words of the Nune Dimittis, sung to the venerable Tonus Peregrinus, followed, and then the procession moved out into the glorious sunlight, as the trustful notes of "O rest in the Lord" came from the organ. Then in a grave just beyond the eastern wall of the church so long the scene of the departed Rector's earnest ministrations, all that was mortal was laid to rest by the side of the loved wife who pre-deceased him by almost exactly 19 years. The hymm "The King of Love my Shepherd is" was sung at the graveside, and the pronouncing of the Benediction by the Rural Dean concluded the simple rites, made nevertheless deeply impressive by the reverent sincerity with which those present followed and joined in them. The sunshine of one of the first truly spring-like afternoons this year has seen, gave its touch of beauty to the retired rural surroundings amid which the pretty little church stands.
In accordance with the wish of the family, flowers were not sent, but on the coffin lay a cross of primroses, and the grave was lined with mos and spring flowers by Mr. Jupp, gardener at the Rectory. A touching tribute was paid by many of the parishioners, who brought bunches of spring flowers which they deposited in the grave, spontaneous tokens of esteem which could not have been more valued had the most elaborate art of the florist been enlisted.
The coffin, which was of fine English oak, was unpolished. At the foot of the oaken cross upon it was a brass plate with the engraved inscription: "John Worthington Bliss, priest. Born 7th July, 1832. At rest 20th April, 1917. R.I.P."
The funeral arrangements were admirably carried out by Messrs. Hicks & Son, of Sandwich.