CEREMONIAL SPLENDOUR

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 432, 13 May 1937, Page 5

CEREMONIAL SPLENDOUR

GREAT DESTINY PLEDGED Protection Of Church Press Association —Copyright. Received 10.5 a.m. London, May 12. The peers handed the Royal insignia to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who presented them to the Dean of Westminster to place on the altar. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the only moving figure amid the motionless throng, advanced to the King. “Sir,” he said, “is your .Majesty willing to take the oath.” The King, pledging himself to his great destiny, answered: “I am willing.” The ceremony, gathering dignity and splendour, moved to its appointed climax as King George, the book containing the order of service in his hands, steadily and steadfastly replied to the questions requisite to the confirmation of his kingship, the order of which was as follows: King’s Solemn Pledge. The Archbishop: “Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa of your possessions and the other territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, and of your Empire of India, according to their respective laws and customs?” Th© King: “I solemnly promise so to do.” e Th© Archbishop: “Will you to your power cause law and justice, in mercy, to b© executed in all your judgments?” The King: “I will.” The Archbishop: “Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? And will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the churches there committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them, or any of them.” The King: “All this I promise to do.” His Majesty then went to the altar, where he made his solemn oath to observe the promises. He returned to his chair, where the Archbishop ministered the declaration prescribed by Act of Parliament. The communion service followed and the King moved to King Edward’s Chair to be anointed. Four Knights of the Garter, in resplendent robes, held over King George a rich pall of cloth of gold. These were the Marquess of Londonderry, the Earls of Lytton and and Stanhope and the Duke of Abercorn. Destiny seemed to place a finger on her lip and th© whole congregation

froze into stillness as, taking the spoon containing holy oil which the Dean of Westminster had filled from the Ampulla, the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed the King in the form of a cross on palms, breast and the crown of his head. Spurs And Sword Of State. The King was next presented with his spurs and Sword of State with the appropriate ceremony. His Majesty was invested with the Armill and Royal Robe and presented with the Orb and the King’s Ring was placed on the fourth finger of His Majesty’s right hand. The ceremony proceeded without a hitch and at length the Archbishop, taking the Crown from the altar and assisted by other bishops, placed it upon the King’s head. The glow of exultation in every breast translated itself into repeated joyous shouts of “God Save the King.” The human grove burst, as it. were, into branches and blossomed as the peers and Kings of Arms raised their hands and donned their coronets, while trumpets pealed and great, guns thundered from the Tower of London in sign that George VI was sealed and crowned King of England.