IN THE BASIN RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 8

IN THE BASIN RESERVE

AN IMPRESSIVE GATHERING THE CITIZENS' THANKSGIVING - A great. national thanksgiving service was hqjd in the Basin Reserve in the afternoon. Processions went to the reserve from several points. One of the processions was formed by tho returner} soldiers, under Colonel J. G. Hughes, D.5.0./ On a platform were tho Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.), tho Rev. Robertson Orr, the Rev. H. van Stuveren. Commissioner Rodder,, and others. There was an enormous crowd, numbering probably 10,000 or 12,000 persons, who covered the slopes and the flat area in front of the grandstand and pavilion.

The Governor-General (Lord Liverpool) was in attendance, and was accompanied bv Lady Liverpool, the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey), Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of Finance), Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence), Sir Francis Bell (Attorney-General), the Hon. T. M. Wiii'oi'd (Minister of Justice), the Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs), the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education), "and other Ministers. Many ntem-beis of both Houses of .the Legislature were present. The military -party, present included the Commandant of the Forces (MajorGeneral Sir Alfred Robin), Surgeon-Gen-eral R. S. F. Henderson (Director-Gen-eral of-Medical Services),' Colonel Gibbon (Chief of the General Staff), Captain Hall-Thompson (Naval Adviser to the New Zealand Government), and other members of the Staff.

The proceedings were openjd with the hymn "0 God, Our Help in Ages Piist." The lead was given by the massed bands, and ■ the crowd joined in heartily. The Rov. H. van Staveren read a Psalm, and prayer was offered by the R«v. Robertson Orr.

Commissioner Hodder, of the Salvation Army, then read these verses from St. Luke's Gospel

. . . His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.

He hath showed. strength -with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the' imagination of their hearts. He hath put dbwn tho mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low decree. 'He hath filled' the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty. away. He hath holpen His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spake, to our fathers,, to Abraham, and to 'his seejl forever. . Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in. the house of His servant .David; as'he spake by the mouth of His holy prophets which have been since the world began: that wo should be saved front our enemies, and from the hand of ■ all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to. our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swear to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us that we being delivered 'out of the hand of our enemies might servo Him without fear in . holiness and righteousness before Him all the days - of our life.' |

The Rev. Robertson Orr said that the day whs one of the greatest in the history of any nuin alive, perhaps in the history of tin whole world. Tho darkest cloud that had ever come upon the world had been dispersed. Tho greatest tragedy in historv had ended, and the most teri'iblo blunder that had ever been perpetrated had been revealed. The citizens wero there that afternoon to rejoice. (Cheers.) There wero many 'things that could be snid ana many lessons that could bo drawn, but there was only one mood in which to receive the great news that had come to the nation that day. It was a mood of rejoicing and thanksgiving. Tho people.of the Empire should give thanks that Gcd's goodness and justice had been vindicated. (Applause.) Many had thought in recent years that Britain's sun had set and that the Germans wero going to be victorious. There had been hours when the nation was called upon to make, many sacrifices and to endure many disappointments, and when they felt tint the goal was as far awav as ever. But there had been a great multitude who lifted their voices and hearts to Almighty God, and who had believed that He was good and just and would not suffer tho triumph of wrong. They had believed it was impossible that such an enemy as the Germans could win. They had believed that their' God.'could not look upon poor violated Belgium, suffering Prance, wasted Serbia, wronged Greece, and tortured Armenia and permit tho wrongdoer to escape punishment. Could anyone believe that it was not God v.'ho had wrought tho blessing of victorious peace? When they thdught of the vast strategical forces, tho supremacy of the enemy in armaments \ind deviltry, was there anyone who could not feel that God had. delivered them? Even hard-hearted men had said again and again that \it was only a miracle that had saved the cause of frcedo.n and democracy. That day the people of the Empire • were gathered to thanks and to express their gratitude that justice and righteousness had prevailed. These principles could not be overthrown by any army. The people should givo hearty thanks to the glorious soldiers and sailors who irti(ter God had achieved their liberation. (Cheers.) Thank God for the supremo British Navy, which had kept the seas clear for the passage of trcops; for the gallant tars who had held tho seas and made possible the splendid deeds of the Army. Thank God that tho British warships had been able to keep watch and ward on the seas until this day came. There was one prayer that was never and that was the prayer of the British Navy, "Oh, Jxird God, give the German Navy courage to come out for ten minutes."' (Laughter and cheers.) Tho _ nation had to give thanks for the glorious armies that had come from all parts, of the world to lend their aid in crushing the despotarmies from England's cities, Scotland's highlands, and Ireland's dells, from Australia from Canada, and from New Zealand. and from America—a mighty force to defend their old grey mother. A remarkable prophecy, a German nrophecv, had recently < been fulfilled. He hnfl tnken it from Proffer Max' Muller's life, published in 1884. Muller had said that England would never be defeated until the last Englishman, , tl'.e last Scotsman, the last Irishman, aye, the last Newfoundlander, the last Australian. tho last American had fallen. (Cheers.) England's colonies miirht have their jealousies, but let one of England's grey hairs be touched and those colonies would flprin<r to her assistance. That had been a German prophecy. and it had come true. Let. them thank God that dny for the orloriow achievement that by His rrrnce they hod been .-.We to accomnlteh through their arms on sea, on land, and in the air. They should <rivp thanks for the deathless dead." wWp honos were lying on th» slnnes of 0"1lipo'i, II'" red fields of F'anders. the of E-'-pt, and the plains of Mnsn. txitamia. The d"ad w»r" a ".rent cloud of v witnesses. The spirits of the d«ad saw the rejoining* of the livine that dnv. and would turn a"nin lo their rest with a sigh of thanksgiving. Their snerifice had »oI been in vain. Tn conHii. sion. Mr. Orr said that with IVe nation ho lifted his hen.rt to AliniVhtv God. Who had brouirht them through the vallev of tribulation to the heights of irejoicing. _ _ Th" Bis'ion of Wellington 'pronoivced the Benediction, nnrl ihe proceedings rloswl with the National Anthem and the Doxology. WATERSIDE WORKED TAKE TWO DAYS OFF. The Wellington waterside workers decided to take the news of the armistice' sm'iously. As soon a.s tho suns boomed out yesterday morning it was a case of scuttling for coals and hats. a"d joining in the general jubilation. They do not intend to apply for any work whatsoever until to-morrow morning.