DAY OF NATIONAL PRAYER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1917, Page 6

DAY OF NATIONAL PRAYER.

UNITED INTERCESSORY SERVICE,

At the request of the National Government yCßterdayAvas observed as a day of national prayer, and special intercessory services were held in practically every part of the Dominion. The local united service was held at Everybody's Theatre, and long before three o'clock the building was filled to its utmost capacity. Many had to remain standing throughout t!ie service, and others were unable to obtain admission.

The Ven. Archdeacon Evans presided at the ceremony, and on the platform were the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess), and the Revs. W. A. Sinclair, F. G. Harvie, 0. Blundell, A. C. Sievwright, and Adjutant Hutquist. The Male Choir and the Citizens' Band assisted in, the hymns and the National Anthem. ORDER OF SERVICE.

As a voluntary the Citizens' .Band played "Land of Hope and Glory," which was followed by a collect and the hymn, "0, God, Our Help in Ages Past." The Rev. Harvie and the congregatijn then read the general confession and a special intercessory prayer, followed by the Lord's Prayer. The hymn, "Rock of Ages" was nest sung. The Rev. Blundell then lead in Psalms 40 and 140, after which the lesson, taken from the Bth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, verses 31 to 39, was read by the Rev. Sievwright. After the hymn, "Holy Father, hear our prayer," Archdeacon Evans offered special prayers for the King and Empire, for soldiers and sailors, f oejthe wounded and dying, for the sorrowful and bereaved, and for victory and peace. The hymn, "O God of Love," was followed by a short address. ADDRESS. la addressing the gathering, the Rev. W. A. Sinclair said more than three years had passed since the black and pitiless tempeat of war broke upon tie earth. The nation was now speeding on through the fourth, but the tide had now definitely turned in our favor. The Allies were now demonstrating their military supremacy, the United States had entered the conflict to uphold the sacred cause of democracy, Britain was still supreme at sea, but the end was not yet. The war raged with an unprecedented ferocity. The nation was entering upon the most critical stages of the titanic struggle. In this Dominion was approaching the time when married men would be called upon to' serve, homes would be disrupted, and the grim reality of war forced upon us as never before.

The question on every lip is, "How long will it last?'.' The lessons of history were writ large before our eyes. A nation must deserve victory before it j can be claimed. Righteousness not only exalted a nation, but it gave strength in the hour of severest trial. The Old : Testament prophets were, not merely foretellers of the future, tliiy were primarily preachers of righteousness. When their people turned from ways that were not good they became nationally strong and drove the enemy from their midst. Modern prophets of righteousness were needed. No distinction should be made between sacred ani secular history. Did the nation deserve to be victorious? Had the lesson been learned? An easy victory would have been a disastrous thing for the nation. The end would be near when the nation, in a true spirit of repentance, turned to God. Admiral Beatty said: "Britain must come out of her stupor of self-satisfaction and complacency. Until/she. is stirred out of this condition and a religious revival occurs, just so long will the war continue." Ours was a righteous cause, but the history of .he nation did not begin with this generation. \ There 'had been ugly things in our national history, and there were ugly things at the present time. The end would be hastened by a nation that turned to God in prayer. It wag a day of national prayer ■because it was a day of dire need. There were, no limits to the possibilities of prayer. There were those who saw two opposed nations each praying for victory, but in that there was no difficulty, for it was God's will that the right should triumph. Prayer could not change God's intention, but it did change his action, for he acted through men and women obedient to him. The nation should pray for victory, because its cause was just. The nation should deal resolutely with its enemies within the gates, and of these liquor was the greatest. Vice was the real destroyer of nations. Decay began from within. If Britain gained the victory without putting down the drink traffic, one did not need to be a prophet to foretell the future. National crises, according to Jesus, were divine calls to repentance. God was not neutral today. 'Victory must crown the cause of righteousness. The nation must set its teeth and see the war through. There j must be no peace but one that would make another such war impossible—a peace that would mean the complete overthrow of Prussian militarism. The nation's men were fighting to; free, the world from war. A new age was .being ushered in, and happier days were coming.

The present duty was to work for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. Life should be serious. Everyone should be prepared to do his bit without complaint. The people should first give themselves to God, and then in the fullest sense to all the duties of the day. If it was resolved to do that, the daf of national .prayer would not have been in vain, and the day would mark the beginning of a better time.. GENERAL' THANKSGIVING. After the hymn "Abide With Me," and before the general thanksgiving was offered, Archdeacon Evans pointed out in a very few words that the people of New Zealand had indeed much to be grateful for. their homes had not been despoiled, and their country had not been overrun and deSolated as were Belgium, Roumania, Serbia, and the other smaller countries of Europe. He asked the congregation to offer their thanksgiving, in heartfelt sincerity. The Benediction was pronounced, and the ceremony was concluded by the ginning of the National Anthem.

OTHER SERVICES. Special services of intercession w«# also held in many of the churches Is the Xew Plymouth district. At Hawera yesterday a united intercessory service was held at the Opera House, there being a large attendance In all the churches in the district special Intercessory prayers were offered, the «ervices being appropriate to the occasion.