ASHBURTON'S COMMEMORATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8209, 5 August 1915, Page 3

ASHBURTON'S COMMEMORATION.

Ashburton's commemoration of the first anniversary of the declaration of war between Great Britain and Germany vvaß brought to a conchision last

evening, when further intercession services" were held at St. Stephen's Anglican Church and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The service at Si. Andrew's was a united one, in which the ministers and congregations of all the Dissenting: or Nonconformist churches in Ashburton participated. There was a large congregation, and, as had', been anticipated, the usual seating accommodation of the edifice was found to be inadequate. At the invitation of the Ash^ burton County Ministers' Associatipn, under whose auspices the united service was held, the Mayor (Mr Robert Galbraith) nnd the Borough Council attended. The following members supported his Worship:—Councillors F. Z ' D. Ferriman, G- W. Andrews, G. D. H. Hefford, J. B. Christian. H. A. Lloyd, R, Kerr, JI: R. C. McElrea, and P. L. Orr, and. the Town Clerk (Mr A. McClure). The Rev. W. J, Elliott (Methodist) officiated.

" Prior to the commencement of the service, Miss L. Watt, who presided at the organ throughout, played a short voluntary. After the hymn " Give Peace in Our. Time, O Lord," had been sung, Mr Elliott offered tip prayer, beseeching victory for the arms of the Allies. The hymn " For Those at the Front," ■ cdntposed. by the Rev. G. Miller, was sung immediately before the reading of the first lesson (Psalm xiv.) by Adjutant A. J. Marshall'(Salvation Army). Members of the congregation then offered up prayer, and the hymn "Fight, the Good. Fight" followed. The-second lesson was-read by the Rev.r Frank".Oldrieve (Baptist) from Romans, viii., 31, beginning with the words: "If God is for us who can be against- us ?". ( .,. A. passage from Revelations was also read- •

The Rev. G. Miller delivered the address, basing his .remarks on the words: '' And they were helped against them., and the ' Hagarites were delivered into their, hand, and all that were with them : .for they cried to God in the battle, and-He was intreated of them; because they put their trust in Him " (I. Chronicles v., 20). After another hymn, further prayer was offered up by members, of the congregation, and the' service was concluded by the pronouncing of the Benediction. The choir sang an anthem., during which a collection, amounting; to £11 13s/ in aid of the lted Cross Fund, was taken up. •

The service at St. Stephen's Church took the form of shortened evensong, with special and appropriate prayers of intercession. The church was fairly well filled, and the vicar (the Rev. J. It. Burgin) was in charge, assisted by the curate (the Rev. C. L. Sparrow). The opening hymn was " Praise, my Soul, the King of Heaven.^ The only lesson read was from the 37th -chapter of Isaiah. . ;

The address delivered by the vicar was based on the following words: "And" Hezekiah received the letter from the hands of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord" (Isaiah xxxvii., 14).

In the prayers special reference was made to tho soldiers at the■• front' belonging to tho parish of St. Stephen's, and to the whole of the New Zealand forces at the Dardanelles. The other hymns sung during the service were "Rock of Ages," "Through the Night of. Doubt and Sorrow," ".To Thee our God we Fly," 'and "Let God Arise" (the concluding hymn). At each of .the three . intercession services at St. Stephen's yesterday collections were taken up on behalf of the Red Cros.s,.F«nd, and a sum of £13 odd was received;' •■ ' """

The Rev. J. I). Me Arthur conducted a special service in the Winchmore Church, and tho Rev. W. C. Blair conducted -a-service at Wakamii, while services were also held i\t Willowby and other centres in the Ashburton district.