SUNDAY'S PUBLIC SERVICE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 11 October 1917, Page 3

SUNDAY'S PUBLIC SERVICE

DAY OF NATIONAL PRAYER.

Last Sunday afternoon in the Lyric Theatre, Helensville, a special intercessary service was' held,, in accordance with the suggestion of the Goverment, and all creeds were invited to be attend. Owing to the rain setting in and continuing throughout the day, the attendance was not as large as it should have been. The Kaipara Defence Corps and Senior Cadets, also the Boy Scouts, paraded, and marched to the Hall. Major S. W. Turley represented the staff. The Rev. A. V. Venables (Church of England) officiated, and he was supported on the platform by Mr Pengelly (Methodist), Mr C. Thomson (Presbyterian), and Mr A. J. Skelton (Church of Christ), The lessons were read by Mr Pengelly.

The Rev. Venables based his address on the 4th chapter of James, Bth verse : " Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you," etc. The gentleman in his discourse put it very plainly to his audience that he thought the people of New Zealand did not put enough faith in prayer, and during this war they were putting too much trust in their own personal strength, and asked the question why was it that they did not pray more. The men at the front had performed noble work, and New Zealand should be proud of her soldiers. . The women also deserved praise for their untiring labours in knitting woollen garments and sacrificing time and labour in doing all possible for the comfort of the boys ; but for all that, the preacher exhorted his hearers to put more faith in prayer. The National Anthem terminated the proceedings, Mr H. White, junr., presiding at the organ. v ,