LIFEBOY PARADE

Southland Times, Issue 24239, 24 September 1940, Page 7

LIFEBOY PARADE

NORTH INVERCARGILL SERVICE

A record congregation filled the North Invercargill Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning, when an interesting dedication and enrolment service of lifeboy leaders and boys was conducted by the Rev H. Graham and Chaplain N. F. Sansom. The 7th Invercargill Lifeboy Team, visiting members from other teams and the Boys’ Band of the Southland Battalion, assembled at the North school, where several photographs were taken of the parade. Headed by the band, the parade marched to the church. The band occupied the choir chancel. The parade remained standing while the Lifeboy Emblem, a white lifebouy, was placed in position against the Union Jack.

The service opened with the singing of the National Anthem, led by the band. The first Scripture lesson, “Samuel’s Call,” was read by a Lifeboy, Graham Haase. The New Testament lesson, “The Boyhood of Jesus,” was later read by another member of the Lifeboy team, Jack Aitken. During the service, the three leaders of the 7th Invercargill Lifeboy team, Leader-in-charge Miss N. Laytham and Leaders Miss J. Findly and Mr D. McEwan stepped forward for dedication and enrolment. After this ceremony the enrolment of the boys took place. This was followed by the Lord’s Prayer, and the Dedication Hymn, “O Jesus I Have Promised.” During the offertory the ban', under the baton of Lieutenant A. McMaster,' played the hymn “Peace. Perfect Peace.”

The address given to the boys by Chaplain Sansom was both interesting and instructive. He took as his text “Thou shalt have Life” and likened the boy:.’ lives to a pin. He said that a pin must be "harp; it was straight; it always looked up, and it was always useful, and when a boy decided to be all that a pin was he could be a true Lifeboy.

At the close of the service the congregation remained seated while the parade left the church. The unitsi fell in outside the church, where they were inspected by Chaplain Sansom before marching back to the North school, where the parade was dismissed. There were on parade between 30 and 100 boys, leaders and officers, and the steady marching of all units reflected credit on the instructors.