A STRANGE BURIAL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 272, 4 May 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

A STRANGE BURIAL

AFTER JUTLAND BANK

NORWEGIAN CLERGYMAN'S ADDRESS.

The following was translated from the Ivolnische Zeitung, and communicated to The Venturer:—

"It is repeatedly announced that bodies of seamen who lost their lives in the Skager-Rack sea fight have been washed ashore on the Danish and Norwegian coasts, and that they are reverently buried by those who find them. "This has recently happened at Arendal, in Norway and" the funeral address of the Norwegian clergyman, Gleditsch, should be mado known throughout Germany. There is no bias in the address —th"a open grave would be an ill-chosen place for political expression—the preacher spoke simply, in honourable, neutral spirit, as befitted the immense and terrible drama which is now l)eing enacted.

"All men aro of the same blood." ho said. "It would not appear so to-day. It docs not seem so when we think of the destruction of life and blood that is going on at the present moment. These live dead men, three from one sido and two from the other, little thought so as they faced each other with arms in their hands, and called each other to death. And still we lift our hearts to God and say: All men aro of the same blood. But "God has given us dwelling-places in different parts of the earth; he has divided us by frontiers and seas. And when He gave to each his country and his work it was with a definite object; that we should all seek Ilim and praise llim in a choir of many voices. That is God's aim, but the way, thereto, on which we shall all be as brothers, is steep and hard to find.

"At times even comrades forget that theV are of the same blood. That happens when we feel that our frontiers are threatened and that our homes aro in danger. Then our tongues becomo confused. Brother knows brother no longer. They stand opposed with arms in hands. So it is with these men, to whom we show the last honour to-day. They went out to defend their frontiers and their homes. They went out on tho free sea to fight for the rights of free men.

"We also have known such a journey. It is not long ago, but we should not liavo found it easy 100 years ago to call all men brothers. Wo then fought in defence of our frontiers which our army had placed round our land ; we offered our lives in defence of our homes between rocks and tho fiords. That is now long ago, and we stretch out our hands to our brothers in the South and our brothers in the East. We do not find it difficult to realise that we are of one blood with them. If one of them is struck we are also struck; if one suffers by the other we suffer with him. Each of the two peoples whose sons lie here before us, wo know to be of tho same origin, and we often speak of them ; the same blood ! One blood—but betwen us the free, vast ocean. Thereupon we would freely journey, like they, and thereon we often went in olden days, often to bloody conflict, often in friendly intercourse. "It was a dreadful kiss with which the brothers greeted, there out on tho sea. Think of all that has happened and let us pray God that we shall never again learn such news from the sea, never again receive such an embassy from the great waters. We know tho sea well, we know what she is craving for, and what hap|>ens out there is well known to us. We are of one blood with those who fearlessly brave the pea. We know the sea, which every yenr gives up some of our dead: and some it buries in its unfathomable depths. "A woman of the town gave me flowers for these poor fallen ones. Hhe knows the secrets of the sea. Last veal' the sea robbed her of her darling. And our seamen here present know what those who trust their lives to the f-er\ owe to each other. They know the toll the sea demands. And how stands it with these our fallen brothers, who found death in defending their own peoples? We will hope they have found God, to Whom they called, and of Whom it is written: "11c is not far from each of us."

''Thev did their duty. They fought their fight right to the end. They knew their brothers not on the same day they sank into the sea. Rut God, who is not far from us, can bring their lives from the dead. Ye-', lie will make the wonderful to happen, that these men who knew not each other shall meet as brothers. Who knows if the deep thunder of the cannon, and the sad song of the sea, sung to the dead ear on the strand, will not become a beautiful and strong choral-melody of praise there in God's paradise? "We Norwegians arc but small by the side of our great strong brothers in West and South. It is hard for us to look on and see the strongest branches of our family bleeding to death in conflict. We cannot do much to help, but to-day we will lay flowers on these graves and say: Of one blood! And wo will expect and hope that also this is God's will, and that it is in some way to serve the purpose lie has with us. "Wo hope also that those who are divided fliall become reconciled in peace and understanding when they find God, Who is not far from each of us. Wo are only small, but we stretch forth our hands to them both and call them

"111-others." We lift our hearts to oui Heavenly Father in hope and confidence. lVa-co to the fallen. Peace to tho:~e who are still engaged in battle."

LOVE'S LIMIT.

I'd swear for her, I'd ttvir lor her, Tho dear kiunvts what I'd hear for lior; I'd lio for her, I'd sigh for her, I'd drink tin* river dry for her; I'd "cuss" for her, do ''wuss"' for her, Ivu-k up f, thundering fuss lor her; I'd weep for her, I'd leap for her, I'd fjo without my sleep lor her; I'd light for Iwr, I'd hito for her, I'd walk the nil night for her; I'd plead lor her, I'd hlwd for her; I'd no without my feed For her, I'd whoot for h -r, I'd hoot for her A. rivni wlio made ''suit" for her; I'd kneel for her, I'd steal for her, Sueh is the love I feel tor her; I'd slide for her, I'd glide for her; I'd swim against the tide for her; I'd try for her, I'd cry for her. But hang me if I'd die for her! >*. 15. Or any other woman.