ANZAC DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1542, 25 April 1916, Page 2

ANZAC DAY.

To day is the first anniversary of the now historic landing of the New Zealand and Australian Army Corps on Gallipoli Peninsula, and the Government’s invitation to suitably observe the day has found favour throughout the land- All pleasure seeking has been abandoned, and hearts and minds are turned, for a time at least, on meditation and prayer. Owing to the unavoidable absence of two ministers, the combined religious service to have been held locally has been abandoned, but a service was held in All Saints’ Church by the vicar, Rev W, Raine. This evening a social gathering will be held in the Masonic Hall, when speeches will be delivered by Dr Newman, M.P., and Mr Hadfield. A programme of vocal items will be interspersed. It is hoped there will be a large attendance of the public. In the Methodist Church on Sunday, the Rev Mr Rowe made special reference to the celebration, and delivered an eloquent sermon bearing on the event, and special and appropriate hymns were sung.

At the Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening, the Rev J. H. Bredin regretted his absence from Foxton to day, and delivered an eloquent sermon bearing on the subject. Speaking on the Resurrection, he said: — “The Lord Jesus died, and was buried, but he conquered deatn, banished the horrors of the grave, and rose again, the token and pledge of the resurrection of all His followers. This is the message that comes to ns this Easter Day, and very helpful and hopeful it is We think to day ot those who went out from this .laud prepared to die (or a great cause. We think of the supreme effort they made to land on a foreign soil, of the indomitable pluck and bravery they exhibited, ot the success which they achieved, a success which, alas, entailed a tremendous loss of life. Were these men afraid of death ? Did they not rather act on the words of the Apostle: “I count not my life dear unto myself.” Is it too much to assert that every soldier among them took very much the same view of life —of his life as Paul did of his. Think you that these fine young fellows in all the freshness and fulness of their manhood were weary of life ? Nay. They loved life and knew the joy and glory of living. But to them the course of liberty, of civilisation, of humanity, was something greater by far than their own lives and on the altar of that sacred cause they were ready to offer them up in sacrifice. That the British Empire may live and remain strong and great and free, and continue to be a potent lorce and factor in the highest progress of the world, millions ot the Empire's finest manhood count not their lives dear unto them and are at grips of steel, with the mightiest and most murderous foe humanity has ever met in the shock ot conflict. Many of those who went out from amongst us have fallen; we think of them with honour and reverence. We think of them on this Easter Day hopelully. Is it too much to speak ot these heroes as in some measure soldiers of Christ ? Did they not fight the powers of darkness incarnate ? There is surely a bit of the cross in it all, and to those who have eyes to see, everyone of them has in some degree been lifted up and transfigured by the sacred fire of the spirit of sacrifice. ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.’ These heroes have died for us. They are the noble band of martyrs, the saviours of the world, and to-night their names shine like a river of stars athwart the heavens of history as a glory and a light for evermore. We pay homage tonight to those who so valiantly and heroically gave up their lives for King and country, and for us. We remember them with pride, we keep their memory green; ‘Anzac’ is a word we can never forget. We also sympathise with, and pray for, those whose hearts are sad because their loved ones are not. Surely this Easter Day kindles a spark of hope in their breasts. The risen Lord speaks to them. And our fervent prayer for those who are still in the thick of the tray is that the power of Almighty God may shield them in the hour ot peril, and that, inspired by the consciousness of the Divine presence with them, they might fight as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. T count not my life dear unto myself,’ said the veteran warrior of Christ; our brave soldier says the same. “Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide. In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side ; Then it is the brave , man chooses, while the coward’stands aside. Doubting in his abject spirit till his Lord ts crucified,”

SERVICE IN THE ABBEY. TRIBUTE TO COLONIAL SOLDIERS. London, April 23. A most impressive form of service has been arranged for the Westminister Abbey memorial on Anzac Day. The service begins with the hymn, “All Saints Who From Their Labour Rest, Alleluia !’’ ' the King’s favourite hymn, accompanied by the organ and the Australian and New Zealand bands. The Easter collects will be followed by Wesley’s anthem, “Ascribe Unto the Lord.’' The Dean (Right Rev, H E Ryle) will pronounce a special tribute to the Anzacs, in which he

will say : “Let us unite in praise and thanksgiving for those of our brothers who died on Gallipoli for King and Empire in the high cause of freedom and honour. More especially so we commemorate t"he names of the following troops who partook in the landing : The Australians’ ist to Bth Infantry Brigades, ist to 16th Light Horse Regiments, ist to 3rd Artillery Brigades, with the Engineers, Army Service, Veterinary, Ordnance, Naval, Bridging and Medical Corps; the New Zealanders’ Divisional and Infantry Brigade, Headquarters, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Battalions, with the Field Artillery Engineers, Army Service and Medical Corps. All these fought most valiantly. Their deeds will be remembered for ever more. Their memorial is already Inscribed on men’s hearts. In future ages the sons of Empire will seek to emulate the .imperishable renown of their daring bravery. We resolve by God’s gracious favour that our brothers shall not have laid down their lives in vain.’’ After the singing of the Doxology, the following three special prayers will be said

Eternal Father, we humbly draw nigh to Thee amid the memorials of Great Britain s most'illustrious dead, and in the church where Kings and Queens are crowned we dedicate this great glory to the memory of our dear brothers departed. We praise Thy holy name for the gift of their matchless courage. Crown, we beseech Thee, wi(.h Thy loving mercy the offering of their brave lives. Grant unto them eternal peace, and unto to all mourners the blessing of Thy perfect comfort. Grant, 0 Lord, that we be strengthened by Thy grace for the work of completing what remains over of our dear brothers’ task. May we ever serve Thee truly in the faith of Him who is the resurrection and the life, and fight manfully unto our lives’ end and in the defence of our heritage, our liberty, and the triumph of the righteous cause. Almighty God, 'Heavenly Father, as we pray for future mercies so we now render thanksgivings for those already received, namely—the unity of the Empire, the freewill offering of her sons and daughters, the courage and loyalty of our soldiers and sailors, the affection and devotion between the Dominions overseas and the Mother Country, and the patient, selfdenying earnestness of our people. The congregation will then sing Kipling’s Recessional Hymn, which has been chosen by the Australian soldiers, the Benediction will be pronounced, the National Anthem sung, and sixteen Anzac buglers will sound the Last Post from the triforium.

KING’S MESSAGE TO AUSTRALASIANS.

His Excellency the Governor has been commanded to publish the following message addressed by His Majesty the King to the people of New Zealand : Tell my people of New

Zealand that to-day I am , joining with them in their solemn tribute to the memory of their heroes who died on Gallipoli. They gave their lives for a supreme cause, in gallant comradeship with therest of my sailors and soldiers, who fought and died with them. Their valour and fortitude have shed fresh lustre on the British arms. May those who mourn their loss find comfort in the conviction that they did not die in vain, but that* their sacrifice has drawn our peoples more closely together, and added strength and glory to the Empire. The following reply has been sent to His Majesty the King by His Excellency the Governor : New Zealand, through me, thanks your Majesty for your most gracious message. The sacrifice has indeed been great, but the people of this Dominion hold to their inflexible determination that, come good or ill, they in common with all your Majesty’s subjects and gallant allies, will never falter or slacken in their efforts until an honourable and lasting peace has been achieved. At the request of the Daily Mail, London, the Prime Minister sent the following message : Strengthened by the heroism displayed by her noble sons and fortified by the righteousness of the cause for

which so many of her soldiers surrendered their lives at Anzac, New Zealand is more than ever determined to stand by Britain and her Allies in the sacred cause which they are championing against a cruel and mercilessly vindictive foe. While mourning the loss of our gallant dead, we find consolation in the glorious deeds by which they and their brave British, Indian and Australian comrades upheld on the Gallipoli Peninsula the finest traditions of the Imperial torces. Inspired to-day by their true patriotic spirit and their imperishable act ; ons, all that New Zealand can do at whatever sacrifice will be done cheerfully to assist the Empire towards the the victory which must come.