ANZAC DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1921, Page 5

ANZAC DAY.

HISTORIC DAY RECALLED. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. SPECIAL CHURCH SERVICES. A Press Association message says the Governor-General has issued the following Anzac Day message: “Hie Majesty the King commands me to tell the people of New Zealand that hie thoughts are with them in the hours consecrated to the immortal memory of those who fell on the first Anzac Day. (Signed) Jellicoe, Gover-nor-General.” To-day, April 25, is the sixth anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on Gallipoli peninsula, which marked the first chapter of a long struggle on those inhospitable shores. The naming of the Landing site later by the word “Anzac”, which was made up of the initial letters of the words “Australian and New Zealand Army Corps”, provides a piece of history which is quite familiar, and the name has been honored since, particularly by the peoples of Australasia. This day has been further strengthened in New Zealand by the gazetting of April 25 as a national holiday, and throughout the Dominion to-day every town will hold its commemoration service in memory of the fallen. Appropriate references were made to Anzac Day in the New Plymouth churches yesterday. To-day the arrangements in New Plymouth are for a service at Pukekura Park and a procession of military organisations and representatives of local bodies will move off from the Post Office at 10.30, en route to the park. Should the weather be wet, the service will be held at the People’s Theatre at 11 a.m. ENGLAND REMEMBERS. PILGRIMAGE TO ANZACS’ GRAVES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 23, 5.5 p.m. London, April 22. The King, in a letter to the organiser of the Anzac Day pilgrimage, rejoices to learn that this tribute will be paid once more at the graves of the brave men of Anzac who are buried in the United Kingdom. He feels sure it will be a source of comfort to families in Australia and New Zealand.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.

SERVICE IN SYDNEY. Received April 25, 12.5 a.m. Sydney, April 24. Special' Anzac memorial services were held in all churches to-day and were largely attended.!—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

IN THE CHURCHES.

AT ST. MARY’S. The services yesterday at St. Mary’s Church were of a memorial character, in honor of the many young lives that were laid down in the war. There was a large number of communicants at 8 a.m., and. at the 11 a.m. service special hymns were sung, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. G. A. Young, who has recently taken up the position of assistant curate at St. Mary’s, and is a returned soldier. In the evening the service throughout was of a memorial character, and a special feature, apart from the prayers and lessons, was the music, rendered with great tact and feeling by a large choir of well-trained voices. Archdeacon Evans preached an eloquent and stirring sermon, and the service closed with the favorite hymn, “Ten thousand Times Ten Thousand”, and the National Anthem. The church roll of honor includes over 70 names, and will shortly be placed in the church on a large brass wall tablet. ST. ANDREW’S.

At St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Oscar Blundell, speaking of Anzac Day, took for his text: “Now I desire to put you in remembrance”—Jude 5. In the course of his remarks the preacher said: “We all feel that it is a day to be much remembered amongst us, not merely for the dramatic and thrilling , event which signalised the spirit, courage and ability of our young men, but because Anzac Day affords an opportunity to suitably commemorate those who, during the whole war period, in the midst of all their young strength and beauty, with all the best of life before them, willingly laid down their lives that we might retain our freedom and all privileges, and that war, with all its - misery and horrors, might cease to be. But two and a half years have gone since the war ended, and as we look out upon the world of men to-day we cannot avoid feeling that unless there arrives a new spirit among the nations, unless we and all others earnestly seek to discover a way out, there is a very real and terrible danger that the ideals for which our noble sons and brothers died will fail of their attainment. Horrible, almost unthinkable, as it may seem, we are told by those best able to judge that the nations are inevitably drifting towards another war. When, in 1914, the forces of arrogance, covetousness and pride, li,ke some horrible cauldron, boiled over upon the world, we sent out our best and bravest to assist in a determined and desperate endeavor to crush what was rightly regarded as a terrible and deadly menace to all true liberty and progress. After four y?ars of agony and indescribable bloodshed that end was attained; but the overthrow of arrogant despotism was o'Py the beginning of odr task. Our sons died for far more than that. They, by their sacrifice, have laid upon us a most important duty. They carried out the task as far as they could, and, when they fell, they handed it on to us to complete. We are to assist in raising such a standard of national righteousness, to so labor to bring in love and unity among the nations, that no such menace as our boys helped to destroy can ever rise again. Anzac Day is for remembrance, not only of the men who died, but of our own duty in regard to their devoted sacrifice for us. And what a sacrifice that was! At what heavy cost was our deliverance bought? Let us endeavor to picture what was involved. We will in imagination take our stand upon the side-walk of our main street here, and watch as down the roadway there comes an army Maxohiat four deep, and clad the lei*

vice uniform of the King. We note that they are young men; New Zealanders; the flower of our land. They awing along rapidly, and pass us as we watch, rank after rank, with steady pace. It is eleven o’clock as the head of the column goes by, but when noon arrives the khaki-clad forms are still swinging past. It is a quarter past twelve ere the rear ranks come in sight, for there are nearly seventeen thousand of these young soldiers, and their ranks extend for over four and a half miles. I ask your solemn contemplation of them. e shall not applaud nor attempt to applaud them; they need no praise such as we can give, for these are the men of New Zealand who, in the dark years of the great war, laid down their lives in the Allies' cause, and for cur sakes. By picturing in this way the vast number of our unforgotten brave, we can better realise how great is the claim made upon us, both in regard to our remembrance and to our duty as members of a community which has been preserved from tyranny and destruction at so great a cost. We do well to set apart as a day of commemoration the anniversary of that landing upon Gallipoli which placed the men of Anzac on a level with the heroes of renown in all ages. Whatever this land meant to us before thp war, it must mean far more for us now, for we hold it at the price of blood, the blood of heroes whose sacrifice helped to keep it inviolate for us. We must run no risks with, nor even seem to regard lightly, the sacred trust which is reposed in us. Remember that we shall continue to live and prosper in this dear land, not because we possess great military strength and prowess, but only if we honor God and maintain and promote His cause of righteousness. Only so can we look with assurance for continued peace and blessing. How great is the need, then, for a mighty spiritual revival in our land; a passion for the right and truth; an end ing of selfish endeavor and death to that coveting spirit which seeks its own rather than the good of others and the glory of Jesus Christ. We require more of that true patriotism which ever seeks the benefit and uplift of the people, and aims to make our land, riot in name only, but in reality, “God’s Own Country”. If our commemoration results in a stirring up of our hearts to accomplish this, and so to advance the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth, we shall not remember in vain, and God will bless us as a people, ever, as He has promised, honoring those who honor Him. *

WHITELEY CHURCH. At the Whiteley Memorial Church the Rev. W. J. Elliott said: Time brings near to us once again the immortal Anzac Day. In some of the historic schools of learning there is a fine and fruitful custom by which pupils pick out anything brave or worthy from papers, and fdr a certain number of such clippings a prize is given. It is a highly commendable thing to do. It is surely a far nobler thing for old and young to observe deeds that are brave and generous, unselfish and kind, than to give so much time and thought, a<s is often done, to scandal and to sordid things. The Anzac call or challenge is to the contemplation and emulation ’ of. the finest heroism of all—the heroism of endurance. It has made a deep mark upon our national and social life and it is with reverence and gratitude we think of the courageous exploits of our New Zealand and Australian boys to-day. We look with growing admiration and wonder upon what they did for us, and are proud to feel that unconquered British valor did not fail us in tihe hour of sorest need. Though they were united to us by every tie that can sanctify humanity, they went forth in a voluntary manner from their country, home, kindred, fondest recollections, and every earthly tie that bound their hearts, at the call of God and duty. Life would surely be depleted of half its glory if it were not for such signal triumphs of love and sacrifice. Whether alive or dead, our soldiers offered the great sacrifice, and will surely have their part with One who broke for them the bonds of death. They are more than conquerors through Him, for they also bore the cross of self-sacrifice. We render devout thanks for the men of Anzac and their comrades who so fearlessly followed them in the way of duty. The vacant chairs in homes are many, and in many hearts still there is the cold of a great emptiness. To all those whose lives were blackened by severo b’ereavement' we would give of our sympathy and honor. To-day the graves of the Anzacs who fell seven years ago are green and beautiful in all great hearts. Let this be a comfort to the wounded and sorrow-stricken. It was a ’fine spiritual victory they achieved, and time is proving as we see it in ita ampler perspective, that it was a military victory also. And from the profound silence of buried love manifold voices are calling to us, and saying: “Be loyal; be brave; be unselfish; hold your citadel against all odds; hold out to the very end, and let the highest within you rule. For a true, brave soul there is no such thing as failure.” “He is not dead whose glorious life lifts thine on high; To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” | STRATFORD CELEBRATION. Anzac Day will be celebrated in Stratford by a united commemorative service in the Town Hall at 3 p.m., at which addresses will be delivered by the ministers of the town.