St Cuthbert’s Church, Milburn

St Cuthbert’s Church at Milburn in Cumbria is a simple affair. Low and long, it dates back to the 1100s and is constructed in a warm, red sandstone. A couple of its features arrested my attention. The first is the painted board depicting the royal coat of arms. These we might expect in a state church, and usually date back to the time of Charles II when the monarchy was restored and the puritans ejected, or to the early Georges (1700s) when the rival, Catholic Stewarts were frequently threatening invasion and revolution. Displaying a royal coat of arms assured the government that the inhabitants of such-and-such a place were loyal and dependable. Yet behold Milburn's lion, below, the painter of which had probably never seen a real one. While still retaining a sense of ferocity, the beast appears to smile. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, whom this board does not depict, but whose gospel the church was meant to preach, makes a ferocious enemy, but always smiles upon those who come to Him repenting.

The second is a carved stone standing outside the south wall of the nave, above. The legs, head and arms are long gone, so just a torso leans against that wall. Whether it was a male or female, we cannot tell. He or she was deemed important enough to be immortalised in their day, yet now we know nothing about them. If those who come to Christ receive His affection and eternal life, those who spurn Him will still exist forever, albeit outside His Kingdom, but in a broken, forgotten and useless state. If only we cared for eternity as much as we do our flower beds!

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”

-Ecclesiastes 12:6-8, New King James Version