AN INSPIRING SCENE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 83, 2 January 1919, Page 4

AN INSPIRING SCENE

CZECHOSLOVAK* TROOPS IN . , ENGLISH CATHEDRAL. "The historic old city of Winchester, now swarming with our Allies, lately hud enacted within its borders one- of the. most intensely.; astounding historic incidents .that even Winchester, witli its' thousand years of. life, 'has been able to imagine," writes Mr. James Baker in the '*'Speotator." . ' . , "Some said the Serbian troops had' passed through their midst; others said they were Croatian. troops; but few, even until to-day, kne\y that the thousands of men in strange uniform, with war-worn banners, who passed in slow stej), singing l in wondrous harmony, down . into tho great Cathedral, were Bohemians, Czechs. "Keen men,- with sad, earnest faces, they filled the nave of the Cathedral. They had asked permission to attend the service and aho to sill". When ' tho anthem was ended the Cathedral clergy paused' in the service, and then in splendid accord, with strange delicacy of light and shade, the Czechs sang; in their own tongue, a rendering of our National Anthem; and then their own National' Hymn,' Where Is My Home?' "They bore their banners T with thera, and they ■ were strange, a black banner with a red Chalice upon it. -Even they, as the people; of Winchester, knew not W;hat a strange historical incident they were enacting. Tho chants they sang with their fierce , expressive '"rendering wore thewar songs of. the Hussites (Wiclifites as tlipy called themselves). They bore the Chalice oh their banners, and each man bore that samo Chalice on his shoulder-straps; tho Chalice,.'the'right .their ancestors 'fought for to take the' Cup tin tho Holy Communion, as well as the Bread. , ' . ' "In this glorious old Cathedral lying in state is Cardinal Henry Beaufort of. Winchester, in his'.Cardinal's robes, and red broad hat, in his Chantry, over ■ the' 1 tomb where his body is buried—that fighting Cardinal,.-the. son.of-.John of Gaunt, who was made Papal Legate to organise a Crusade with Germany against these very-Czechs, .these Hussites, whose mighty warriors in their chained wagons were defeating the Germans up to the door of Berlin, nnd up to the Baltic. Five hundred years ago, in the year 1427, they had so paralysed the Germans by their fierce fighting,, and tho clinking, of their cliaius, and their war songs of triumph, that Cardinal Henry, in the. midst of his Crusaders, had to rush out of his tent, raise the. Papal baniier,. ni'd urce the flying Germans to be men. He did rally them, but in vain; he, too, had to' fly, and barely, escaped with his life. And 1 now. 500 years these Bohemians fill the nave •of his Cathedral, .bearing the old emblem of the Chalice with them, and they sing the old chant of— ' 1 ' "Ye who are_ God's warriors, Fighting at' His .bidding." ,' ! ' . -i THE MAKURA HOLD-UP NO SIGN OF A SETTLEMENT; By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrißht Sydney, January 1. The MakiiraV .departure is postponed till' Friday. If the troubles-are not settled passengers intend arranging with the owner of an intercolonial steamer for transport. So far there is no sign of a settlement, tho company refusing to grant the men's insurance demand.—Press Assn. THE INFLUENZA WAR . ENEMY DEFEATED iN SYDNEY. . (Hoc. January 2, 6.15 am.) ■' i ' Sydney, January 1.. The influenza position continues to improve. The cases. are gradually disappearing. Only five ■ remain in quarantine.—Press Assn. INTER-STATE CRICKET . VICTORIA V. SOUTH AUSTRALIA.; (Rec. January 2, 0.15 a.m.) Melbourne, January 1 For the inter-State cricket match, Victoria v. South Australia, the weather was fine and the wicket good. Victoria in j the first innings made 37i—Ryder 78, Armstrong (riot out), 162 , South Australia has two wickets down for 19.—Press Assn. ' NEW SOUTH WALES STATE REVENUE (Rec'. January 1, 10.35 p.m.) Sydney, January 1. The New South Wales revenue for'the half-year totalled .£10,504,796, an increase pf <C 1,091,921 over tho previous corresponding half-year.—Press Assn. ECHO OP A FAMOUS PAST ' DEATH OF DR. TANNER. (Rcc. January 1, 5.5 p.m.) San Diogo (California), December 3. Obituary.—Dr. Henry Tanner, famous for his fast of forty-two days in 1900.. [During this fast Dr. Tanner drank ft little water occasionally. Ho lost 861b. in ■ weight.] j