ANZAC DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2120, 27 April 1920, Page 3

ANZAC DAY.

COMMEMORATION SERVICE. A combined religious service was held in the local Town Hall on Sunday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, in commemoration of Anzac Day. Prior to the service the combined Borough and Salvation .Army Bands paraded from the south end of the town to the Hall, and circled the Triangle, where the fallen soldiers' memorial is in course of erection. After the service the Bands marched hack through Alain Street.- to ilie stirring -drains of the “Wairoa March,” The Bands were marshalled by Mr Aitehoson. In response .to ’ the Mayor’s invitation, a number of beautiful wreaths and floral tributes were placed at the fool of the memorial, in remembrance of the honoured dead. There was a very large attendance of the public at the service in the Town Hall. A choir of children,-.assisted by the several church choirs, together with the accompanying bands', and officiating clergymen, occupied the stage. The hymns and Scripture lessons, and prayers, were appropriate to the occasion. The singing was conducted by Mr R. T. Betty. The ministers taking part were the Revs. W. Haine (Anglican)A. Harding (Methodist), Captain Godin (Salvation Army), and the Rev. Thos. Halliday (Presbyterian), and who delivered the following address :

‘‘Our minds go buck on this An/.ac Day, and we think of the year PUT when the world was start led at the thought of a, groat war. Great Britain for years had advocated by word ami decal ‘A League of Nations,’ so that disputes among the nations of the world might he settled without resort to war. On the other hand. Germany was husbanding her strength for years, and thinking that the psyehological moment had some, detda.red war. The very i‘ae! that in PUT we were unprepared for die lit aide struggle proves to the world tlie desire in (lie breast of di'ili.'duu's for universal peaee. Did die Kaiser anil his War Lords imagine for a moment that the British Empire would unite in the great i'oudict ? I don’t think so. Torn up by (puirrels, social and political, at home, unrest in India, ami whai Germany thought disloyalty in the Colonies, the declaration of war seemed' a disastrous day for this, mighty Empire. But wind a response in tlie hour of need from Canada, India, Africa, Australia, and Xcw Zealand. The Hebrews could never forget .Jerusalem, even though thousands of miles removed from it. It was indelibly imprinted on their soul. 80 to the astonishment of |he world, the British Empire wa.weld.ed logo! Iks- when danger was threatened from without. Even the Irish question that is giving so much trouble just now seemed to have been solved for the moment. In the imperial Parliament, John Redmond, i me,-I of j>al riots, said: *i tell the Government they may take every GriLsh soldier out of Ireland to meet the enemy id' the Empire. Ireland's sous wiil take care of Ireland. The I'allmlics of the South will stand shoulder to shoulder .with 1 heir Protestant fellow-countrymen of the North to light the common foe,' The lirs.T lesson that this war has taught us is the unity of our Empire. Every true Britisher says: Tf 1 forgot thee, t) Great'Britain, let my right hand Angel its •cunning!’ Previous to ihe war a great number of people i bought that the word ‘sacrifice’ had died a natural death. Out o! the shadow of battle two "words were resurrected: ‘Sacrilice’ and ‘Brotnarhood.’ Belgium, France, and Great Britain were willing to sacrifice everything for the cause of dust ice and Liberty. You have seen the cartoon in Punch: There is the Kaiser looking round on devastated Belgium, and saying to King Albert : ■Ami.so you have lost all?’ But King Albert proudly answers: ‘No; not my souk’ Have we not pictured on our minds France as expressing the true Epicurean spirit —pleasure as (he smunum bonum of life. A. e had a rude awakening, in the hour of seeming calamity Fpmce found her soul. Some have tried to pointout this colossal war'proved the breakdown of Christianity. I rather think that it revealed its power. Hall Caine put it well: ‘lf anybody tells us Unit by Christ’s law we are to stand aside while a strong power which is in the wrong indicts frightful cruellies upon a weak power, which is in the right, let us answer that we simply don’t believe it.’ If anybody tells us Inal by Christ's law we are to permit ourselves to be trodden upon and trampled out of being by an Empire resting on violence, let us answer that we simply don’t believe it. If anybody tells us that by Christ's law we are not to oppose the gigantic ambition of a War Lord, who claims Divine right to stalk over Europe in scenes of blood and impunity, let us answer that wo simply don’t believe it. It anybody tells us that Christ's words, “Resist not evil,” were intended to say that spiritual forces will 01 themselves overcome all forms of war (including, as they needs must, crime,-' disease and death), let ns answer we simply don’t believe it.’ Germany exalted Might «n the Throne of Love. One of her teachers showed how far they had departed from the old paths. ‘Ye have heard men say. "Blessed are the peacemakers,” but 1 say unto yon, “Blessed are tlie warmakers, for they shall be called, if not the children of Jehovah, the children of Odin, who is greater than Jehovah." We entered the war in defence of the weak, and to uphold the freedom of other nations. It was to prove the triumph of Eight over Might.

“War for the end of war, Fighting that fighting should

cense. Why do the cannons roar For a thousand years of peace"?

Gathered together cm Auzae Day, we pay our tribute of respect to our noble dead. This is a memorial service. We want the coming generation to understand the meaning of this memorial. To make them realise the tremendous struggle and the tremendous sacrifice in the cause of Liberty. We remember the first baptism of fire of our New Zealand troops.' It was at the landing on Gallipoli. We think of the charge of the Light Brigade: “There’s not to reason why; There's but to do and die. We feel proud (hat our colonial troons made as glorious a charge at Anzac. In Iho face of lire at a pointblank range, rushing it seemed to certain dealii, they never wavered, for “How can one die bolter Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers And the temple of his God. We do not believe that death ends ail. That what seems to us death, is only birth into a larger, fuller life, with nobler opportunities with more developed powers. “They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

We .-.hull remember (horn. Could we picture in our minds what would, have been our fate if the struggle had ended disastrously for ns. Our freedom would have been a tiling of the past. We would have been ruled by (lie mailed list. Therefore, this lea.ds me to say that the boys who have relumed deserve trom us the best. If the comrades who fell'on (lie baltletield could speak to-day they would say, ‘Remember tlic.se who have come out of ihe bloody smuggle maimed ami crippled, it is uo| charity that is asked, but Ihe reward of gallant ami noble service in their country's cause. At (he Throne of Grace we remember fathers, mothers, and wives who m-day sigii for Ihe touch uf ihe vanished hand, and Ihe sound of ilic voice that is stilled. Thank (toil the saciincc that tlie loved ( lies made was not in vain, fn conclusion, it the mo!i who tough; in the great war were willing to die tor the Empire, surely il is worth living for it. These are days of mighty changes — Empires rise and fall, but the God who has helped us is the Gnchanging One. Humbly, like the Jews of old, we would remember the deliverance of the past. Wc would

raise Ihe Kheuezer stone, and say, ‘Hitherto bath the Lord helped us.’ To young men and women, to returned soldiers, the future of this ’Empire, and (bis young country in particular, is in your hands. Surely the sacrifice of which wc arc reminded to-day wiil not be in vain, if. will be a great incentive to carry on. Let. us remember 'that peace hath her victories as we!! as war. Ales.

“Wc are living, wc are dwelling. In a grand and awful time. In an age on ages telling. To be living is sublime. Let ;ill the smd within you For the I ruth’s sake go abroad. Strike! Let every nerve and sinew Tell oil ages —tell fur God.” ■ Alter tin* final prayer ami Benediction, and the'singing of the National Anthem, the Baud played the funeral dirge, “Garland of Flowers." The whole service was of a very impressive elm raider.

ANZAC HAY AT THE SCHOOL,

Although Anzac i):iy (his year fell ;)ii ,Sunday, (he inoinf»i , ;ihie* occasion was littingly celebrated in the school work nt the'Shite school arranged for yesterday. A great many children had taken part in the singing ai the public service at the Town Hall on Sunday, but Monday was the children's Anzae Day. The programme for 1 he day was as follows: —!! to 0.15 a.in., roll call. Explanation by class teachers lb the children of the day’s programme and reaMin for observance. How the name “Anzae” arose. Saluting of Hag. Singing of National Anthem, and simultaneous declaration of love for God and country; respect and honour for the dag. Service to the King and country’s rulers, and obedience to parents, teachers and the laws of the land. 0.15 to 10.5, —Ordinary lessons as on time-1 able. 10.5 to 10.00. —Geography in connection with event, according to capacity of class (details set out, including routes, positions of conllieling parties, Suez and its value, Turkey and Central Powers, objects of the Allies in attacking Gallipoli, relative positions of Egypt, Syria, Valley of the Tigris and Euphrates, Bagdad railway, India, Lemnos Island, Gallipoli and Dardanelles). 10.35 to 11.15. —General assembly at main ground, Recess for 15 minutes. Formation of living letters, “A-N-Z-A-C” by glasses VI. to 11. respectively, with “DAY” formed by St. I. Recitation in unison of each letter forming the words (the loiters occupied the greater part of the boys’ playing area, each letter being 15 yards from top to bottom). Figure march out of letters to ordinary forma lion. 11.15 to 12 noon. —Return to class-rooms for history lesson. Outline of Gallipoli events. The landing, parts played, by New Zealand, Australian, English and French troops, the bravery displayed, similar stirring deeds in British history, "Wolfe and landing at and sealing of Heights of Abraham, charge of the Light Brigade in Gris

mean ,War. These events in war teach the performance of unpleasant and almost impossible tasks under a sense of duty. The application of this lesson to everyday life. 1.15 to 2.15 p.m. —Second geography lesson. Reading from school journal of lesson on “Anzac Day.” Quotations from Masefield. Stories of the events on Gallipoli, Recitations of patriotic nature. 2.15 to 3.0. —Recess. General assembly in main ground. Short address by Headmaster to assembled scholars. Deposition of wreaths and floral tribute from classes and individual pupils beneath school memorial tablet to Old Boys, and around (heir enlarged photographs. Heads bowed, all facing west in solemn thought for the lads “gone west.” National Anthem and dismissal. In connection with the latter part of the day’s proceedings, the children were grouped round the steps of the vestibule, the memorial stone uncovered for the day, and floral wreaths, each 18 inches high, representing a letter of the word “Anzac,” otic from each class, were placed on the wall below the stone. Beneath these were arranged the enlarged photographs presented to (he school by the parents and relatives, After the bowing of beads and silent reflection, tin* children were invited by the headmaster to place their tributes at the foot of the stone, and it was a touching** sight to see each child, class by (lass, from eldest to youngest, advance and reverently pay its respects to (hose boys who once played over the same ground and trod the same soil, but now, alas, buried beneath some foreign earth. The day will live in the memory of the children. ■

At the conclusion of'..the ceremony, which was of quite an impromptu and unrehearsed nature lor the children alone, the scene was photographed by Mr J. H. lleid.