An inspirational note found hidden on the roof of a church has been revealed to be from 1941.
Discovered in James’s Church in Antwerp, Belgium, the note offered a new perspective to the people who found it.
A church worker discovered a small sheet of paper wrapped in a box of matches and placed inside a keystone that connects the vaults of the ceiling.
The letter was dated 21 July, 1941, and signed by four men: John Janssen, Jul Gyselinck, Louis Chantraine, and Jul Van Hemeldonck.
It revealed the harsh conditions in the church they worked in and provided some words of advice for the future.
The note, written originally in Dutch said: ‘We have experienced two wars, one in 1914 and one in 1940, that [we] can count.
‘We stand here to work hungry, they squeeze us down to the last cent for a little food.’
The note continued: ‘I advise our descendants when it comes to war again, in the course of life, make sure to keep a stock in the house, such as rice, coffee, flour, tobacco, wheat, grain for you to keep!
‘Enjoy life to the fullest, take another wife in time, for those who are married. Just get home! Salut men!’
An Instagram account sharing the city’s hotspots posted a picture of the church, showing where the note was found.
Followers said the note gave them some perspective on life. Others made comparisons to the current pandemic.
One person wrote: ‘What a find! Life was very hard then. Corona is also heavy but you can still live with it. We have a lot of support from the government and are not starving!’
Another said: ‘So hoard food, find a mate. Different circumstances, same advice’.
One person wrote: ‘Damn, that hit me some kinda way’.
One follower joked: ‘I’m still looking for my first wife. Ladies, I have plenty of rice!’.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/28/note-from-1941-hidden-on-the-roof-of-a-church-tells-people-to-enjoy-life-to-the-fullest-13493587/
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