ANZAC DAY IN TAIHAPE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 98, 26 April 1916, Page 4

ANZAC DAY IN TAIHAPE.

THE COMMEMORATION SERVICE

The commemoration of Anzac Dayi so far as Taihape was concerned, consisted of a serivce in the Town Halil last evening. In the afternoon the shops and offices closed down and the -hotels were also closed for two hours.

The service in the evening was conducted by the Eevs. W. F. Stent and L. Minilie, and was very poorly attended. Hymns suitable for the occasion were sung and prayers were read.

At the commencement of his address, the Eev. Stent stated that he had first of all to explain the of the service. It was not merely to honour the dead who had fallen at Gallipoli, but also those who, having fought, had returned sick, as well as those who, by God's mercy, were still at the front doing their duty. “We are not only here,” he said, “to do that—to honour them with our lips—but to try and interpret to ourselves how, in our own lives, we can honour this day. ’ ’ It should be an inspiration ;to us to carry on our lives day by day> All were really there to be inspired by the inspiration of that glorious achievement. Continuing, th e speaker stated that on e of the reasons why it was being found so\hard to fill the gaps of the army was' l not because' the men who were left were not courageous and had no keen sense of duty, but because they saw people, fathers and mothers, women and girls, old men and young, having a good time. They saw jmople with more money having aJI the old pleasures. They saw a little money given here and there, but on the whole they saw the people living more luxuriously, having more pleasures, enjoying themselves ds much as usual. These things seemed to the men unfair. They did not see why people should still enjoy themselves while they made all the sacrifice.

‘'l’m glad we are able to have the service early enough,” said Mr. ►Stent, ‘‘so that you can go to the pictures afterwards, so that you will not have to deny yourselves. I’m very sad, that there are not as many people here to commemorate this day as there were people who went away to spend the day. It’s the usual thing in religions, but not at the races. ’ ’ One could go to Auckland and see thousands commemorating a horse winning a race; at Feilding thousands could b e seen at the racecourse, people, who found it hard to exist in these days of increased cost of Hiving. The general thought had nothing for Anzac Day. The thought of duty and reverencing valour as a priceless inheritance of our race, the commemorating of the greatest landmark Hew Zealand had been able to make in history, faded into insignificance alongside a dog fight. Few as there were present, there were enough to leaven the lump if they had not lost all spiritual vitality. All ought to be filled with a steVn sense of duty as to what they ought to do, and they should do all things with all their power to make up the deficiency. Where were the leading citizens? Where the prosperous and wealthy farmers? It was either too late or too early to hole! a service. They hadn’t' got back from golf. Much as they admired what had been done, men must have their tea and rest. The men at Anzac had had no time to rest. They had had to stand in mud and water -with ghastly sights in front of them. It’s a pity the general public could ’nt see it. The lesson for each one was: “What about me? Have 1 I really done all I can? Am I doing all I can always, at all times, or am I only just seeking to pass muster as a decent respectable patriot, and that’s all We are commemorating Anzac Day. This hall should have been filled with the loyal citizens of Taihape and the surrounding districts. Is it too much to ask? The only day we have got in all history. We need not wonder that the men who could go, don't; it’s not to be wondered at; it’s surprising that so many are willing to go for us who are not worthy. It ought to stir us up and lead us to take up the burden of Empire and citizenship as much —not as l little- —as can bear.”

Concluding, the reverend gentleman stated that people had got to reconstruct their ideas, they had got to face the reason why God should give us

peace rather than to anyone else. All 1 made a big noise of the £II,OOO raised here, but it must be remembered that almost six times as much as that went, through tho totalisatcr ah Feilding. We hadn’t paid the price yet, and we had to work for it. People had got-to-

do always all they could for all needs. They had got to get-nut of the threepenny-bit habit, and to the five pounds habit. They had got toget down to it not only in money but also in work. The Rev. I.estor Minifie said that before commencing his address he would like to publicly state his position. At the outbreak of the war he offered his services as a chaplain. He was examined by two medical men, who rejected him as unfit, and the Conference decided to send an older and stronger man, whose place the speaker could take and so still be doing his duty. That was why lie was still in New Zealand.

The one- man in history who stood out as a leader of men was Jesus Christ. His command was always to follow, never to precede. He never demanded of his followers a greater sacrifice than ho was prepared to make Himself. If he (th e speaker) were asked what was the message from Anzac he could give it in the words of t|o greatest of leaders: “Follow Me,” fr, in the words of the dead: “Follow us.” That far foreign land would -hold for us a new sacredness. The roar and tumult of war was over so far as Anzac was concerned. The grass had commenced to grow and the flowers to bloom over the grave of many a man who had died for us, but if we could

stand there what would the message from the silent lips be, if those lips could be reanimated. “Wo have made the supreme sacrifice for you; we were willing to make that sacrifice, and rvewant you to show that you are worthy of us. W want you to follow us by sacrifice.” Wer e we worthy of these men? Were we responding to their call?

Mr. Minifie then related the story of how Lieutenant Davidson won Ids Y.C. The British Army was entrenched on a at country and the only point of observation of the enemy’s batteries was in a church steeple. The Germans knew this and kept firing at the steeple. Lieutenant Davidson took up his position in the tower for over an hour sent word to the British artillery until the German batteries were silenced one by one. He then returned and was struck in th e neck by a bullet, which passed through his mouth. He gave final instructions to the men and then said the Germans had got him and he had better go to th e lance. Were we worthy of such kdr? If not, we would never awaken until the Germane-guns thundered on our own shores. We boasted so proudly that we were a righteous nation—that this was no capitally controlled war but that we were out to arm forrighteousness. We almost at times b&lieved that God had selected us to go out and punish the Germans. It sounded so well in a patriotic speech and looked so well in the Press. But lift the veil and one could see the action of the nation. The nation which was righteous would come to the forefront nad would always win. Such a nation would always be locking for the danger signals of God and so would avoid dangers. By sustained arm of righteousness a nation would win victory and in order to sustain that arm we must pay the price of sacrifice. Thus came the cry from Anzac: “Follow us in sacrifice,” but we were not prepared and w r e did not so respond. We had entered upon the w r ar to crush waste but we had not given real sacrifice. Those were the outstanding evils that were dragging down the arm of righteousness Take gambling. What V about Christchurch? The sports c£j| Christchurch were going to entertain* their sporting friends on the anniversary of the day on which so many of our men had fallen. The}' did not yield until requested. Any man who opposed the postponement was unworthy of the sacrifice of the men at Anzac. Iz almost seemed that the spirit of these men was thus Damn the men of Anzac. We want money and these men ar e dead.’ As in the sport, so in the nation we were unworthy of the men who had made the sacrifice. Strong drink in the United Kingdom killed more men in a year than had been killed in the British armies in the first year of the war. If the men at the front must not indulge in liquor, then any man who entered an hotel daring-war-time was unworthy of the sacrifice of our men, because he was keeping the arm of righteousness down. We had enterer upon the war to crush militarism, but unless we became permeated with righteousness we would become a militarv nation.

‘ ‘ Why 'did these men go out to Gallipoli?” asked teh speaker in conclusion. "Are we going to prove ourselves worthy by keeping down righteousness? ’ ’ At the conclusion of the address the three verses of the National Anthem were sung and then the blessing was pronounced by the Eev. Stent. The playing of the "Last Post,” on tiro bugle, eoueludedlthe service.