MEMORIAL TABLET UNVEILED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 300, 13 September 1920, Page 4

MEMORIAL TABLET UNVEILED

CEREMONY AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. The unveiling ot the second memorial tablet to be placed in St. John's Presbyterian Church, in commemoration of al'l members of the church who performed overseas service during the war, took place last evening. Tht congregation present was very large, practically every available seat in the church being occupied. The tablet unveiled is of brass, simple in design, and is similar to Alio one unveiled shortly before the departure of Dr. G'bb. On it are inscribed 210 names, including those of five women. On the first tablet, to the memory of the fallen, are inscribed 34 names. The sprvice was conducted by the Rev. H W. Burridge, M.A., 8.D., who served iDiroiigliout the war as a chaplaito and possesses the 1915 Slur. Special hymns and prayers were included in the service. ■ ~ , In the course of a stirring address, the text being, "What Mean These Stones, from the book of Joshua, the minister referred to iihe twelve tribes of Israel before Jericho, and told how each tribe sent a representative to gather a stone after the crossing of the Diver Jordan, the stones being made i'nto a memorial cairn. In ithis present war, New Zealand had received the chance to prove her worth, and this she had done. Ik was the duly of the nation, in view of the ■ tragedies of Hie last s'x years, to keep the memory of iHioso who fell sacred. At the present time, too many, prople whom the war had not personally affected were apt to forget the deeds of the dead. Memorials such as the inblet to be unveiled meant the remembrance of those who had died that other wen mi"ht live. The object of sucli memorihU was not to glorify war. Such an action was wrong. To those who had fold the stress of war. who hod seen the miseries, experienced the hardships, hnnwn the bitter hatreds, the memorials erected d>l not moan slorifieation. There were four points that had to be considered. First, the n.rcfl'i should' never for-r-et its dead; secondly, the spirit of self-sacrifice shown throughout the war should he "initiated; thirdly, it should be remembered that all clashes participated in the conflict; and lastly, that the omnipotence of God was real mid everlasting. , ~ „ At the eoi'clusYin of the sermon the unnms iiKcr'ted on 'She tablet were read bv the Minister, who then nnvrciled it, the covering being the fled Ensign.