Retrospective #44 Overheard Recently!
Randy C. Hicks

I was standing near one of our boxes of old corps flags the other morning where I imagined listening to a rather animated conversation going on among three of them. It went something like this:

Flag 1: I served for twenty-five years before they retired me to 
the far corner at the back of the Y.P. Hall. Then someone 
sent me to this place.

Flag 2: Wow! Twenty-five years. That’s a great record to have.

Flag 3: Yeah, I only got to serve twenty but I think I would have 
gone longer had I not fallen into the mud at that windy 
open air meeting!

Flag 1: Couldn’t they get you washed or dry-cleaned?

Flag 3: They did but my dyes faded and they thought I was too 
dull to keep going.

Flag 2: Well I can remember a few of them that got pretty dull, 
but they let them stay around. LOL!

Flag 3: At least they’ll be the first ones up! LOL.

Flag 1: What do you mean by that?

Flag 3: Well, doesn’t the Bible say that “the dead in Christ will 
rise first?” LOL

Flag 1: Good one! LOL

Flag 2: Hey you guys, let’s get back on track! Did you know that 
a few of my cousins served outside? They waved from 
either the top of the barracks or from a pole near the 
entrance. They were retired rather early on, as the 
elements gave them quite a beating - especially during 
the winters.

Flag 3: So they didn’t get to preside at any of the enrollments?

Flag 2: No.

Flag 1: That’s a little sad wouldn’t you say?

Flag 2: I suppose, but they did get to wave to everyone passing 
by and caught the eye of many a curious soul.

Flag 3: That’s pretty cool!

Flag 1: I’d say in December it was pretty cold! LOL!

Flag 2: Ba-dum-ching! Not funny old guy. LOL!

Flag 3: He’s not the old guy you know.

Flag 1: No I’m not.

Flag: 2: Well then who is?

Flag 3: That would be old Uncle Gerry.

Flag 2: Old Uncle Gerry?

Flag 1: Yes. He hails from the earliest days of our coming to 
Canada and Bermuda.

Flag 3: Did you know that during his years of service he was 
witness to the enrollment of nearly one thousand Senior 
Soldiers and almost the same number of Junior Soldiers.

Flag 2: Really?

Flag 1: Then there were all those commissionings…

Flag 3: And all of those baby dedications…

Flag 1: And don’t forget the open-airs he attended. There was a 
minimum of at least two per week back then!

Flag 3: Right! Let’s see, two per week times fifty two weeks in a 
year (mumbling unintelligibly) Hallelujah! That’s over five 
thousand open-airs!

Flag 2: Wow! I mean Wow, Wow!

Flag 1: Wow, wow what?

Flag 2: I just never thought of that before?

Flag 3: What are you talking about?

Flag 2: Well, does anybody know exactly how many enrollments, 
dedications, commissionings and open-airs that all of us 
retirees have witnessed in total?

Flag 1: Only one that I can think of!

Flag 2: Uncle Gerry?

Flag 1: No, not even Uncle Gerry knows the answer to that 
question.

Flag 3: I think I know.

Flag 2: You know the answer?

Flag 3: No, but I know who does know!

Flag 1: Are you thinking who I’m thinking?

Flag 3: Yes, I’m pretty sure.

Flag 2: Come on you guys - the answer?

Flag 1: We can’t tell right now.

Flag 2: You’re kidding, right?

Flag 3: No can do.

Flag 2: But why not?

Flag 1: We’ll have to wait.

Flag 3: Yeah, wait until he goes.

Flag 2: Wait until who goes?

Flag 1: I wonder how long he’s been standing there.

Flag 2: Oh, him, you mean he’s not a mannequin?

Flag 3: Nope, and I’d say he’s been listening the whole time!

Flag 1: There’s someone else coming.

Flag 3: You know what to do.

Flag 1: Yup! The silent treatment it is.

Flag 3: On three, One, Two, And Three!

It’s more than we can imagine, but just think for a moment of the many souls exposed to the Gospel over the years through all forms and types of Salvation Army ministries; all of those who, metaphorically speaking, have in any way been in proximity to or in view or hearing of the message of the “Yellow, Red and Blue!” Now, pray for them – the thousands still with us. The many, who still don’t, in their experience, know God’s love for them. Maybe it will happen for them today! The Harvest is not yet complete. There is far more to be gathered in.

Wow!

Wow! Wow!