Volunteer Church Parade.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2830, 11 March 1878, Page 2

Volunteer Church Parade.

At ten o'clock yesterday the scarlet and grey coated soldiers of the Thames District were to be seen congregating in picturesque knots about the streets of Grahamstown, in readiness for the inspection and Church parade advertised in our columns of Saturday. In giving praise to the several corps for their excellent muster, we must, however, notice that sufficient attention doei not appear to be given to accustoming the men to the sound of the bugle, for neither the dress nor assembly call could we hear from either of the buglers present yesterday. The buglers of each comprny should on such en occasion unito in sounding the general assembly in the main street of the t>wn. This little matter alone shows the necessity for a battalion organisation, instead of so many independent companies. The Thames Scottish Comoany paraded under the command of Lieu* tenant Dey to the number of sixtyei^ht of ail ranks. The No. 2 Hauraki Side Volunteers under Captain Small numbered about sixty-five, and the Thames Bifle B?igers under Lieutenant Carnie numbered sixty. After the several corps had b'en .;nspectod ?n the Grahamstown Drill Hall, the Distilct Champion Belt was presented to Sergeent Clark, No. 2 H.8.V., end the parade was marched by successive compr ?:es fom from_the front to attend diyiie service at the Siiortlattd~GGagregational Church. The Bey. B. Laishley, theTicMtly-ap^ pointed, Chaplain of the No. 2 Hauraki Volunteers, preached an excellent sermon, forcibly illustrating the Christian warfare through the idioms of the Apostle Paul, derived from h'.s intimate knowledge and experience of that ancient military nation the Bomans. The men were comfortably seated in the main news of the church, and the civilian portion of the congregation were accommodated :i the side pews.