On this day... in 1926
I love this photo. Taken from a distance through the cane archways that used to cross the garden. The back of a woman who may be Octavia. The blurred faces. The confidence to balance one of your most precious relics next to a fire... - Museum Director Zara“Prayers written by the 33 were burnt on an Altar in the Haven garden.”
From Rachel Fox, 'How we built Jerusalem part 1', p292 - The Act of the Burning.
'Peter Rasmussen with the Petitions went out the West door of the Garden Room followed by Octavia and Emily.
With others they gathered on the lawn, under the wall of the Schoolhouse [Castleside] so as not to be overlooked by its occupants.
A brick altar had been built by Peter with four horns one at each corner and on the top in the middle he had put a stone which had gold in it which he had brought from Australia. In front of the altar was a carpet made by EFO [Ellen Oliver] and leaning against the altar was Joanna’s sampler and the little woollen lamb which has played so many parts was also there. The Petitions were then heaped upon the altar sprinkled with incense and the burning began.
The prayer for All Saints was read in memory of the Eighth Angel EFO
Then Octavia read Rev.viii [Revelation] about the opening of the Seventh Seal and the Silence in Heaven for the space of half an hour, and the Eighth Angel having a Golden Censer who came to scatter fire on the earth. Next came the prayer of St Chrysostom …
All this time the flames were burning the petitions of the thirty-three mixed with much incense and the effect of the flames rising higher and higher in the still air and amid the greenery of the garden was very wonderful."
A rug at the feet of the seated woman (Octavia?) . A large menorah and a brass chalice stand next to the needlework sampler made by Joanna Southcott
