SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 72, 11 May 1945, Page 5

SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING

IMPRESSIVE SCENE AT ROCK TOWN AND COUNTRY COMBINI FIRST TOKEN OF VICTORY "The news for which we have "waited so long has and "the Prime Minister of England, ■Mr has announced '■oved the the en,d of the war with Germany. We have therefore gathered here to thank Almlig]h)ty Gad for the end of hostilities in andi it is only 'fitting that we should express our gratitude for all that He Was done for us." In thisl manner His Worship the Mayor Mr >B. S. Barry ? opened the Service of Thanksgiving, held d!t Pohaturoa Rock last Wednesday morning to mark the official news of the armistice with Germany. The gathering was a large and representative one but not as great as many had expected it. to be. There was no parade apart from the service although uniforms of vari--9 ous types were well represented in the crowd. The service which was conducted from a platform on the j*reen in front of the was somewhat reminiscent of the Anzac Memorial Service, though there was a totally - different atmosphere. The service in Whakatane must Jiave captured the sober aspect of most of the other ceremonials held throughout the Dominion. It was -dignified, solemn and humble and from the time the crowd first surged .forward to the stonework the whole J

tone was one of quiet reverence, and reserve. On the platform and associated with His Worship were the Revs. J. Laughton, H. Hogg } PI. M- Bell (Presbyterian) } Rev. J. C. J. WiH son Rev. A. F. At.twood (Methodist) and Mr T. C. Brash .Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Messrs S. S. Shapley, L. R. Springy H. G. R. C. w! Good and A. j! Canning represented the Borough and Mr J. L. Burnett the County Council. The Whakatane Boys' Band provided music for the occasion and the order of service, took the following form: National Anthem; Hymn ) 'Hoty Holy, Lord God Almighty'; Scripture Rev. A. F. Attj wood; Hymn ) 'Rock of Ages'; Hymn 'Through the Night of Douljfc and SorroAv'; Litany of Thanksgiving, leader Rev. J. C .J. Wilson; Hymn 'All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name'; Benediction. In an impressive Thanksgiving adMr T. C. Brash said that having once overcome the wonder of the announcement of returning peace an irresistable wave of thankfulness had surged through the. peoples of the Empire for Avhich words were not. adequate. In the midst of the joy which was born at the. new.s of the armistice we were forced to mingle the sadness of memories which came back »to us when looking over the terrible .years of war. We believed lirmty that the war had been due to the actions of certain individuals and certain peoples. If we thought that and were content to leave the mattei* there } then we had learnt nothing from the great catastrophe from which we were not emerging. We as a people of God must be forced to admit our implication. We lived in an age of progress and skill; when material things had risen to such a height that the standard of living for everyone should have been better than had

ever been known before. Yet with all these advantages we were unable to keep the peace. Selfishness j personal greed and race hatreds were with us, and we had to admit with regret that the divided church was aiot strong enough to prevent the greatest tragedy the world had ever known. Now we had a second chance and we are 'this time we will not • err.* We in New Zealand could be ithankfui that when only a strip of water separated England from the invader; when even in this favoured land we were digging trenches in •our own backyards ) we were yet spared the horrors of modern war, and our fair country was - not made a battlefield as were so many others. We should be thankful for those who had never lost faith in the possibility of*sa Christian world when, all nations, and races were gathered round banner of the •Prince; of Peace. Our thanks were mingled with grief in the thought of the millions who would with the coming • of the brothers hussweethearts who would not -come back. Our thoughts too went

raids on England, and also the suffering people in Germany hcrscll'. There coulcl never be a complete record of the sum total of the suffering which had been inflicted upon man-* kind in this most disastrous of wars. The new world was ours- to build. The indications of the general will to buiid it were good. The San Francisco conference was the latest instance. It was possible that there was yet a great reservoir of goodwill making for a just and abiding peace. It behoves us to give our utmost to that end ; by standing behind it with everj" ounce of our strength and thought in order to bring about Peace on Earth and Goodwill unto all men. To win the peace it was necessary [ to be armed with the same courage j sacriiice and endurance with which to win the war. It needed a spiritual dynamic in the hearts of the people to insist upon peace and to outlaw Avar for all time. We could make our thanksgiving but.it was Christ alone who could solve the problems which now faced the. world. On the celebration of Y.E. Day it was therefore lor us to pledge ourselves towards the new regime of peace and justice, for all men..