THE KING'S DEATH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10039, 9 May 1910, Page 4

THE KING'S DEATH.

REFERENCES IN THE CHURCHES. . PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

In the Knox Church, yesterday, 'special references were made to the death of King Edward. The Church was draped in black and purple, and • the organist at esch service played the funeral March while the congregation stood in silence. The Rev. |Bain McDonald preached from the Itext "We spend our years as a tale gtbat is told." He said that without iwarning and without complaining, land without being a laggard on the istage of life King Edward has | passed swiftly and peacefully away. 1 The world was garbed round about I with the black garb of mourning, and I the hearts of British men and women 1 were sore as with a personal grief. , 1 They had lost a friend—almost a I father. The best beloved of earthly | Kings aud the v greate:!t wisest, kind- | est, was dead. He had laid down the I Crown h 9 wore so graciously, and the I sceptre lie carried so well. He has CHst aside the lioval robe and the glory and splendor of the world were changed to dust in his dead hand, and She had gone "weary and old with iservica" into the kingdom of his lOod. King Edwara was probably the imost popular, tactful and courteous iof living raonarchs, a maker of ■friendship and peace. He had ofteii •Mbeen called a perfect nobleman, and 'flit was his delight to trußt for his '1 best protection to the loyalty and M affection of his people. The Presby--1 terians honoured ' him as the head of ■their country.,He was worthy of that ihonpur, for he defended the faith and H maintained national righteousness.

, ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH., At St, Matthew's Church the Rev. H. Watson, during the morning service. referred to the death of King Edward, and said the story of the. Ascension spoke of the hope and comfort of the Christian mourner. The fact that the King died when the Church was celebratingithe festival of the Ascension was not withoutisigriificance. We must thank God for the life and just rule of our late Sovereign, and it is our duty to pray for the widowed Queen and Royal Family in their sorrow. Also fur our; new Sovereign that God would give him th* 1 strength and wisdom to rule oar Igreat Empire. ' A In.the evening the Rev W. Raine also spoke, and said King Edward had been a wise and a loving King* By' his great tactfulness, kindness, and sympathy he had earned for him—self the title of peacemaker of the world. From no matter|what stand--point they looked at the King's life they said that he bad a great interest in the welfare of the iuopire —that it might develop on tbe lines of peace and progression. He had also a great interest in 1 the world's welfare. He realised that peace, brotherly love, and co-operation of national* interests were the best means of promoting such welfare, and to that good he worked. |Then he had a great interest in the welfare of the individual. Every social improvement, and every discovery for the alleviation of suffering, received his constant support. Such a calamity as his death, for it was a calamity, woald be mourned throughout the whole Empire.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. . At the Congregational Church yesterday, there were special hymns, lessons and prayers suitable to the occasion of the death of His Majesty the King. METHODIST CHURCH. At the conclusion of the usual morning' service in the Methodist Church, yesterday, tfie "Dead < March" was played by the organist out of respect for the late King Edward. 1

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH.

At St. Patrick's Church the "Funeral March" was played before the service, and the "Dead March in Saul" after. At the two morning services and the evening service feeling reference was made touching the King's death by the Rev. Father Saunderson.