GREAT WAR RECALLED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 125, 26 April 1940, Page 5

GREAT WAR RECALLED

TRIBUTES TO ANZACS. ’ CELEBRATIONS AT FEILDING. 1 A lar ge gathering representative of the returned soldiers, the Territorials, 1 Red Cross, V.A.D., Boy Scouts, Cubs, ! Girls Guides, Agricultural -High ; School pupils and the citizens of ; Eedding assembled in Manchester ; Square yesterday morning at 10 o’clock [ for the Anzac- Day citizens’ service, conducted in the Soldiers’ Memorial [ Square. The Mayor (Mr T. L. Seddon) r presided and associated with him were ! Messrs It. M. Watson, S.M., C. H. l Tate, B. McLeod, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, . M.P., Ven. Archdeacon F. H. Petite i and Revs. W. T. Blight, A. L. Dixon, . B. S. Carlisle, and Major H. M. i Brown of the Salvation Army. The s singing was led by the,Salvation Army .• Band, while the marching parade was 5 headed by the Municipal Band, under Conductor J. L. Fleetwood, and the ' Caledonian Pipe Band, i The service opened with the wcll- ; known hymn “0 God Our Help in 1 Ages Past,” followed by a prayer dc- ‘ livered by Mr Blight. The hymn “God ' of our Fathers” followed and Mr Car- ! lisle read a passage of Scripture. The | address was delivered by Mr Dixon ; and the ceremony concluded with the ' National Anthem, the Last Post sound- [ ed by Bugler Symon, and the Bcne- ’ diction pronounced by Archdeacon Petrie. ij Numerous beautiful wreaths were placed at the foot of the memorial, including an official one from the town. The ceremony was brief but impressive, and immediately afterwards the returned soldiers marched to the Angli- | can Church for their usual Anzac Day | service. On this occasion the sermon was given by Rev. C. H. Isaacson, of St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Wellington. Later the members of the R.S.A. adjourned to the Parish -Hall, where they were the guests ol the ladies’ luncheon committee, which organisation every year provides a luncheon for several hundred men. The celebrations concluded last evening with a concert. THE CITIZENS’ SERVICE. “To-day we meet with the old dreary war clouds thick about us,” said Mr Dixon in the course of his address. “We had hoped that those who we honour to-day would have paid the final price for a new world order. But. it was not to be. The world is not ready to replace war by brotherhood, justice, love and sacrifice. “This day has been spoken of as a sacrament of pride and sorrow, when we commemorate the self-giving ol those thousands of men who left these shores to return no more to the humdrum round that we common mortals tread. They, by general consent, were cast in the grandest mould in which men are made, and they gave to the uttermost. They have been called indeed to some high service, beside which anything we can do here seems trivial. They have become part of tho splendour of the race that will thrill other generations until the end of time. Our.Anzacs live as an inspiration to the soldiers of to-day, who will follow tho spirit of Anzac to the letter. Those who gave their lives did so for the freedom of the world from tyranny and even now arc trusting us to build the walls of a new and lovelier world. They died to make us a free people, who need not fear to-morrow, nor the flaming of the great day when you and I shall gather with them again before the Judge of tho quick and the dead,” concluded Mr Dixon. VIRTUES OF ANZAC, “AA’c meet to-day. the 25th anniversary of the landing at Anzac in circumstances very different from previous Anzac Days,” said Mr Isaacson. “AA 7 e meet in the gloom and stress of war. So far it has not come very near to us. AVe none of us know what lies ahead. Twenty years ago we thought that we had done with war for many years to come. AVe thought tho memories of it would leave such a vivid impression on men’s minds that they would have settled all disputes bv other means. But people have found that there are some things less endurable than war —it lias become impossible for the world to settle down under a reign of terror and threats. Yet iv© know that we are very vnl-J 1 nerabJe to attack, by any great maritime power. AVe may need the virtues shown at Anzac. The courage, determination, doggedness and t initiative may all be needed to save these is- , lands. Anzac is the beginning of our , history to the outside world. It show- ; ed the result of the great experiment of transplanting British stock to an- ! other country. It showed those ' qualities which had made a small island in the North Sea a power in the world, iand we trust, on the whole, a : power for good.” Those qualities had ] stood the shock of transplanting, had taken root and were showing a vigour and strength fully equal to the par- : ent stock. ” '

Referring to the new generation now leaving these shores for service, the preacher said that for those left behind there was ia very important part to play. “AVar is a moral as well as material strife and it is in the domain of moral force that we most take our place in the ranks. Dark days may come. No one but a fool would undere.stimatg the force against us. The issue may- sometimes 6eem to hang in the balance as it did in the Great War. Whispers of even worse tilings may be beard. It is then that we are called to the spirit of Anzac. Be the outlook ever 60 dark, we will hang on and carry on. “During the past few weeks we have, seen two weak nations suddenly overrun. No living man can point to an act- of provocation. As long as we can remember they have lived at peace with everyone. It has availed them nothing.” The preacher likened Nazi Germany to the most cruel and ruthless nation known to history. Treaties, alliances, pacts of non-aggression had proved as useless a the weak armies of the small States and countries in Europe. These countries were calling out in their terror.

“AA 7 e are reaping the harvest of war and its horrors. AVhat have we liecn sowing tlie last 20 years to produce such a harvest? There has been little evidence of domestic goodwill in the Inst 20 years. Life has been accelerated beyond all measure, we have lived hectically, rushing from one thing to another, we have lived selfishly, almost without exception we have thought only of ourselves. We have fought often ruthlessly, unscrupulously, to further our own ends. It has been an age in which civilisation, as measured by indoor sanitation and mechanical marvels, has advanced mightily; as measured bv honesty, humility, kindness, generosity, chivalry,, it has slipped back many centuries. AA 7 e live in

:>n atmosphere of distrust and distrust dues not breed friendship. It is easy to say that the ills of thp world would be cured if we practised goodwill, but it is true. It is also true that the goodwill would have to lie shown to everyone, not only friends and that would not be easy because so many regal'd kindness as weakness and a disinclination to fight as cowardice. “All tlie while in the high heavens there shines the Star of Bethlehem. Has the world even given Christ and the Church a chance? Has any honest attempt ever been made to carry out Hs teachings ? There and there alone lies hope for nations large and small Lay aside all self-seeking _ and begin really and earnestly to practise that great Commandment, “Thou shalt- love thy God . . and thy neighbour.”