WONDERFUL FRANCE. '

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2558, 4 September 1915, Page 11

WONDERFUL FRANCE. '

"AT THE DOORS OF LIFE AND DEATH." In describing a great united servico of iriteroessiohj held in Edinburgh recently, the special correspondent of tho "British - Weekly" . states:—Even those who arrived three-quarters of an hour before the began, had to accept ; back seats \vithairs 'of thankfulness. . ''Sit moro closely" came the repeated .order from tho .platform—an ■ 6rder the most, obliging found hard to oboy—and • when lights* ■ went up at .eight tho United Freo Assembly Hall was packed, upstairs and down. Sir Alexander Simpson and Colonel Gardiner'both had places on the.very rcpre- ' seiitativo' .'platform,- ~and among ; .those who took part iiftiho service were Dr. 11. J. Drummond and the Rev. 11. Moffat 1 Scott (Mornmgsido Congregational Church). Dr. Whyto was absent owing to.the prercommmiion ser- : ; vice : ; 'at. St.* .George's,' but. "We shall all ;nieet,",'said his .letter, "at tlie'same throno of grace." Tho Right Rev. Dr. . Modoratclr flf.'-tOie. Ohuroh;-. of Scotland; presided, and the Rov. Dr. G. 'I'. Janneson, of Portobello,. gavo an opening prayer—a prayer fresh, vigorousjiand wonderfully tender,' that seemed n itself to fulfil tho purpose of. the meeting—"to strengthen.. and comfort our . people at h'onie, and to. encourage our bravo men at tvie front .and on the 'sea.". : > • : The Rev. J.- Harry Miller, who recently accompanied Dr. Wallaco Williamson' to-thej front, was the speaker, of,the evening—a- speaker very gallant and ; soldierly in . chaplain's' .- uniform. :,The - peiw's ...rustled.'.oncei - and again .asl ■lie rose,;'and then sank into perfect silence.r.'f. Sometimes.,the .crowd, ried: ; ofj itself,'broke, into a. sort of approving- rumble, and always the sea of upturned faces reflected every changing? expression lon tho speaker's owii, "By the sbeddiiig of ■ blood"— that was tho keystone of the address.' "The long tale of, heroism and suffering tliat 'is .to..us. day by day has given to us a new valuation of human lifo.; 'One would -'have thought that tho very wast ago of human blood would have made us -prodigal of' it,- but: the reverse is true. The more we realise the bloodshed;-'the. more we realise the : value of, every single lite. At long 'last, the nation-'is standing: solemnised. Blessed be God for .that I For. the nation that- has iound - its. way. sincerely . : tb.oitsvinees ; is, 'surely'seeing..' they first streak of dawn breaking in the east-. ,em sky.".. : -In vivid words Mr. Millercontrasted; the summer gay France -he had seen last year with, the steady, sober, wonderful France of to-day. His voice broke as he spoke of a visit to the ,-clearing hospital, "A vision I shaU'never.; forget....; . rough men, '.brave men;.".'who: hadshed- their.'bloody One bowed tho head to say surely by tho shedding of _ that Mood 'a deeper Juillowing of life in.the dear Homeland would.; be accomplished." Passionately hepleaded. that ''by -the lifo laid down and. bytlie scourge and the. won--der. of .these men's sacrifices the Homeland; should not again sink .to. tlje'.sor-; did .level of . selfishness and pleasure--'love, that stained her lifo so deeply/ in. the years gone by." Ono passage: provoked ; a cheer that rang out again and again.,' "France 1 is not. l as;,we are. - She is at the doors of ,-tho .battle,-;the. doors of life- and death.; / Upon her own fields and her own homesteads the horrors of war have fallen. . . - France is one nation in her determination, ono. nation in her sorrow, and her strong, powerful,, passionato hope of victory . . '. never again will she let: her. experience : of: the ,'seventies pass upon her' life with its desolation." ; ' v