DAY OF PRAYER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 56, 3 September 1943, Page 3

DAY OF PRAYER

WIDE OBSERVANCE

SERVICES WELL ATTENDED

A large proportion of Wellington's citizens observed the King's enjoinder to regard today, the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of the present war, as a general day of prayer.

The many intercessory services which the various denominations, individually and conjointly, had arranged were all attended by large congregations. Most of these took place during the lunch-hour, at varying times''between noon and 2 p.m., thus enabling city workers to attend, even if only for a brief period. Coupled with the intercessory note, there was one of thanksgiving for victories achieved. Other services are being held this evening, and in some cases where it was not possible to arrange services today observance of the day of prayer will take plate on Sunday next. The Majestic Theatre, in which the main citizens' intercessory service was held, was well filled by a congregation representative of all classes of the community, a number of those present being members of the various Armed Forces. The Mayor presided and briefly thanked the Inter-Church Council for making such a gathering possible. With him on the platform were representatives of the various denominations, including two chaplains from the United States forces, all taking part in leading the prayers. The Minister of Broadcasting (Mr. Wilson) represented the Government, and the music for the hymns was played by the N.B.S. string orchestra. After the benediction, the "Star Spangled Banner" and the National Anthem were sung. \ War, said the Rev. Cammell Hoskin during a brief address, was launched on a wave of excitement that sometimes bordered on hysteria. The younger generation, ignorant of all that it implied, saw only the trappings of glamorous romance and went forth as young crusaders to fight for the right. | War ended on a note of excitement, ; the return of peace being welcomed with a wild abandonment of all restraint. But when peace came a broken world would call to eager youth to engage in the great task of building on the ruins. There would be the challenge of beginning all over again, of making a new world. Arts and science would bloom again, philosophy lift up her head, and religion charm the world anew. THE DAYS BETWEEN. But in the days between the declaration of war and' the signing of peace terms there was anxiety, with mounting casualty lists, gloomy news, toil, sacrifice, and restrictions. War was stripped of its glamorous garment of romance and, although we believed that victory was coming, there was a long and dreary march ahead. But the message for a war-weary people was [the one Isaiah gave to his own people when he reminded them that between hated Babylon and the Jerusalem they loved was a long and dreary march across the desert. That road had to be faced. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength," said Isaiah. That, too, was the message for warweary people today. It meant that we had a well of living water upon which we could draw as each weary day- came to an end, and the beginning of each day gave us the opportunity of seeking strength adequate for the road ahead.

"We are in the middle of the greatest war the world has ever known," concluded the speaker. "We do hot begrudge our part in it, but wise souls cannot do other than feel somewhat despondent at "times when victory and peace still seem so far off. It is easy for effort to flag and interest to wane. Nothing can revive our drooping spirits but a return to God. 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.'"