Evening Prayers

Evening prayers was a six days a week ritual. This took place straight after prep in the evening before bed time. At this juncture there were solemn words pouted for the survival of our souls, followed by a short passage read by the monitor or prefect of the day. Next we mouthed the "Our Father" which was followed by some edict from the housemaster. This then concluded the performance.

One particular evening the monitor of the day made his readings memorable to say the least. This young man was well liked and quite a character to boot. His forte was acting and he would usually take the leading role in any J. Arthur Rank type school production with Canon Fred J. Shirley as producer/director. He had an extremely clear voice and could speak with a genuine Anglo-Indian chi-chi accent which he had acquired whilst living in Calcutta, India.

Prayers commenced and housemaster Pryor (Prog) exhorted God to spare us miserable sinners, show us the light and march us into paradise. We all gave the necessary Amen's at the correct intervals with genuine fervour.

There was a short pause and then this particular monitor opened his bible at his chosen text. With a quiet chuckle he commenced in very strong chi-chi - This evening's lesson is taken from Isaiah 36, verses 10 to 15.

All went well till the reader reached verse 12. Then things became pear shaped as he read -

"But Rabshakeh said, 'Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? Hath he not sent me to the men who sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?".

These biblical words were just too much for the bewildered closely packed throng in the senior common room cum prayer hall.

The floor boards literally shook and at any moment I expected God to strike down this modern enclave of Sodom and Gomorrah. Stifled croaks, groans and other quasi mirthful quiet noises drowned out the last two verses and brought a very angry reaction from housemaster Pryor. A glare that would have melted both polar ice caps at a single glance emanated from the purple faced lord and master as the rest of the 'divine writings' spilled into ever eager ears.

At the recital's conclusion there wasn't a dry eye - except for one- and there's no prize for knowing who owned that! Housemaster Pryor glared at the front row students who appeared to be studying the cracks in the floorboards, maybe for a quick escape route, or then again as if they might open up and swallow them into some fiery furnace.

Prog made a short, very short comment about something or other, but wisely omitted any reference to what he'd just heard and witnessed.

From that day on there was a slight change in prayer procedures. Prog selected the text to be read. A-men! Apparently there are no other interesting bible passages to be found in the Holy Book... or so it seemed!