SPECIAL PRAYERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1943, Page 4

SPECIAL PRAYERS

TO BE OFFERED IN BRITAIN THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY IN AFRICA. SUGGESTED BY ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, May 13. Special prayers of thanksgiving for the victory granted to the forces of the Commonwealth and Empire and our Allies in Africa will be offered in the churches at services next Sunday. Bells will be 'pealed. A national service of thanksgiving will be held at a place and time to be announced later. With the approval of the King and after consultation with leaders of the churches, the War Cabinet has asked Ministers to offer prayers next Sunday. The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a statement: “The news of the victory in Tunisia is obviously an occasion fox’ thanksgiving to Almighty God on the part of all who believe that the overthrow of Nazism and Fascism is necessary to the welfare of mankind.” His Grace suggested the following prayer among others already in use: — “Almighty God, Judge of the Nations, we come before Thee in penitence and thanksgiving, in humility and faith. We give Thee hearty thanks for Thy mercy shewn us in the success granted to our arms and those of our Allies. We thank Thee fox- the courage and endurance of oux’ sailors, soldiers and airmen, fox - the vision of statesmen and the skill of commanders. And we pray Thee to uphold the spirit of all the people of the United Nations that we may be worthy of victory and may so dedicate ourselves to Thy service that we may be able to use it to Thy honoux’ and the benefit of all mankind.”