ANZAC DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 122, 27 April 1925, Page 6

ANZAC DAY

CONG RKG AT lON AL Cl lURCH SERVICE.. Special service* were -held in Emmanuel ( Church yesterday in connection with the commencement of the third year of the present ministry. 1 his particular event, was, however, put to one side, and the service of the day was devoted to the commemoration to those who made the supreme .sacrifice in the Great War. Roth aervices were conducted by Rev. J. M. Stewart. At the morning service the preacher took for his text: Mark, 14th chapter and 7th verse. ‘ ,r l hey did what they could.” He spoke, of the deeds of those lads who went forth and sacrificed themselves on the altar of froedon; men who left the hank, the office, the shop, the factory and the field and became soldiers. What made them give up, careers and comfort and > oluntccr ! For voluntteers they were. 4 hey felt the call of duty; they felt that necessity wuS laid upon them; they went forth to light with the cry of the old Crusaders: ‘God wills it. God wills it.” And in the great hour they declared by their actions, which speak louder than words, that comfort, home, aye, even life itself, were as mere dross in the balance compared to honour, freedom and truth. Their response gave ns a new hope for the Empire, for it showed that the soul of the Empire was not dead. Those lads of ours, the living and the dead, who went forth to suffer and to dare and suffer for justice, liberty and duty, have preached to us the old lesson that the soul is of more value than the world. And the best way that we cun honour them is by helping to make our Dominion, us one portion of the Empire, worthy of those sacrifices, by helping to create a peace-loving world, it is our duty to begin where they left off to ask for their courage and skill, that we may serve the same Eord and labour for the same great and holy ends. ■ During the service a beautiful wreath was placed on the church war memorial in remembrance of tho young men of the church who gave their lives. ■ A large congregation assembled in the evening, when another appropriate address was given from tho text; 2nd Chronicles, 15th chapter, Bth verse, “They Tool? Courage.” The preacher gave the story of Anzac and drew practical lessons therefrom. At this service, Mrs J. llopkins gave a most exquisite rendering of the solo, “There is a Green Hill,” while Miss Taylor, of Wellington, rendered effectively, “Give Praise Unto. God,’.’ and Mr W. A. Leet was much appreciated in his solo, “There Are They.”' The choir gave the anthem, “What are these that are arrayed.” Mr Mewman Leet presided at the organ and played tho accompaniments with much skill and taste, his organ recital before the service being much appreciated. SALVATION ARMY. The Salvaticn Army, with other organisations, observed Arizao Day in a fitting munner. The band journeyed to Rongoteu and assisted in a service of commemoration in the local bail. At the conclusion of the service the band played “The Garland of Flowers,” and band secretary J. Clegg sounded the “Last Post.” At 7.30 in the evening the band marched to the Square arid) from Rangitikei street, by slow march, proceeded to the Citadel in Broadway, playing “The Garland of Flowers” en route. A fine service was held in the Citadel at which several returned men were present and took part. Staff-Captain Gamer, a returned Padre, gave an excellent address. The largo audience joined heartily in singing several suitable hymns, and after Scripture had been road tho service was concluded by Adjutant A. Canty, officer in, charge, pronouncing tho Benediction. SHANNON’S TRIBUTE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Anzao Day was solemnly commemorated on Friday at Shannon. A service was held at tho cenotaph in tho morning at which there was a very large gathering. The Levin Brass Band, under Bandmaster Leste’r, gavo their services for the occasion, and headed a parade from the school consisting of returned soldiers, South African and Maori War veterans and school children, who marched to the monument. A raised platform had been erected fgr tho use of tho Shannon Chorul Society (under the conductor, Air H. Andrew). Tho service opened with the singing of the hymn, “O, God, Our Help in Ages Past,” which was followed by a prayer and tho recital of the Lord’s Prayer by Rev. Stewart. The Scripture reading was given by Mr Frank Taylor. Rev. I. D. McArthur, of Levin, in his address, took for Iris text the sixth verse of the fourth chapter of Joshua: “What inee.n ye by these stones V” During his discourse he laid special emphasis on the fact that it was the duty of parents and teachers to make the true spiritual as •well as the patriotic meaning of the monument known to tho children.

The Mayor, in his address to the gathering, said that the monument was there to those who had sacrificed themselves in the great cause. It stood for even more than this. It was u beacon light to the paths of duty. Mew Zealand's sons in the Great War fulfilled their duty amidst great suffering, even unto death. There were two things which must guide them individually and collectively —duty and unity of Empire. The Mayor made feeling reference to the illness of the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey. He referred to him as the great Imperialist and said that the hearts of all persons, no matter to what party they belonged, would go out to him in his sufferings. The Shannon Choral Society sang the anthems, “What are these,” “Angelus,” and “The Radiant Morn.” During the playing of “Lead, Kindly Light,” by the band wreaths and flowers were placed on the cenotaph. The “Last Post” and “Reveille” were aounded by Bandmaster Lester. At the conclusion of the service the Mayor • thanked the band and all helpers for their assistance. IN OTHER PLACES. Anzac Day was fittingly observed in all other parts of the Dominion. At Greymouth, Hon. G. J. Anderson was among the speakers and he laid the foundation stone of the Old People s Home. At Christchurch a handsome war memorial tablet and altar, set up in the southwestern portion of the Anglican Cathedral, were dedicated, and afterwards a service was held in King Edward Barracks, Air Justice Alpers being tiie principal speaker; the Heathcote war memorial was unveiled and the foundation stone of the N T ew Brighton memorial laid. The customary services were held at Wellington, the Press Association message also stating that Poppy Day was a great success, all previous records being broken. The. Government was represented at the services. Anzac Day was celebrated throughout the Commonwealth as a day of solemn remembrance. Sports- meetings in all the Stutes were postponed. The weather in Sydney waa fine but dull, atid the city was very quiet, and the day was more like Sunday than a public holiday. All races and most sports meetings were postponed to enable the day to be observed with due solemnity. All public buddings displayed flags at half-mast, special services were held in all the suburbs and tho day was marked in tiie city by a procession of the remnants of regiments which participated in the Great War, through tiie streets to the Town Hall, where a memorial service was held. .MESSAGE FROM THE KING. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 24. '‘The Queen and I join with our people of New Zealand in celebrating the memorable deeds of ten years ago, and m commemorating the heroic dead.” This is The text of a message which was received by the Governor General (Sir Charles Fcrgusson) from the King, and winch His Majesty commanded should be communicated to the people of New Zealand on die occasion of Anzac Day. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S REPLY. AUCKLAND. April 25. The Governor-General has forwarded the •ollowing telegram to the King in reply x) His Majesty's \Anzau Day message:—

"Your Majesty's gracious message is deeply and gratefully appreciated by tho Government and people of New Zealand, who are touched by tho continued consideration evinced by Your Majesty in his sympathy ■ with their feelings on Anzac Day. They desire to take this opportunity of expressing their unswerving allegiance to Your Majesty and their earnest hope is that, the solemn rommemoration held throughout the Dominion on this day will keep alive in generations yet to pome the tradition of loyalty and devotion to tho Throne and Empire for which their fathers willingly gave heir lives.”