MEMORIAL SERVICE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3569, 2 October 1916, Page 2

MEMORIAL SERVICE.

IN MEMORY OF MAJOR A. J. CHILDS.

The memorial service- held •at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, yesterday morning, in memory "of the late Major A. J. (Jhiids, who was killed in action in France, was largely attended. Prior to the service a church parade, .under the command of Colonel McKenzie, was held, in which the following units took part: —Returned soldiers; Eighth (South Canterbury) Mounted

i Rifles, "B" squadron; Second (South Canterbury) Regiment, "C" Company; ex-rnembor.s of voluuteer corps; High School and • Senior Cadets; Firo Brigade ; officers of the Reserve list; and Boy Scouts. The parade assembled at the Drill Tlall, and, headed by the Eighth (South Canterbury) Regimontal Band, marched via Burnett and East streets fco the church. ' The service was also attended by members of the Masonic and Oddfellows' lodges, of which tho deceased soldier had been a member.. The Bey. H. N. Wright conducted the service,- and took for his text tho words: "He asked life of Theo and Thou gave'st him a long life, oven for and eve.r." Mr Wright made feeling reference to t^e loss the church and the town had sustained through tho death of Major Childs. The deceased soldier, he said, had been an earnest church worker, an enthusiastic volunteer, and. in every way a good [ citizen —the type, of man who would be greatly missed in the community. Tho preacher said ho hoped when tho war was over thai a monument would be erected in the town to the memory of soldiers who had fallen in battle. Their memory would also be preserved [in the church, where a""tablet..•would be erected. The service was a most impressive one. The first lesson, from Ecclesiastes

xii., was read by Captain P. L. Orr, and the second lesson, from Revelations xxi.. by Lieutenant J. B. Christian. The following hymns were suug 'to the accompaniment of the organ and band: —"O/God. Our Help," " Jesu, Lover of My Soul." "Nearer, My God, to Thee," "Abide with Me." 'The National Anthem was also sung. ' The Dead March was. played by the band. At tho ronclu-.' sion of the Service four buglers from the Senior Cadets* stood in front of the altar and sounded tho "Last Post."