THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 143, 19 June 1899, Page 2

THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

At St. Luke's, Mount Albert, the i vicar, the Rev. F. Larkins, made the ' services of yesterday into general ' thanksgivings for the coming sixty- ; second anniversary (to-morrow) of the Queen's accession. He said that he ; did not intend merely to glorify the name of Queen Victoria, but to glorify God, for blessings conferred on Britain during her long, brilliant and beneficent reign. Good titles, such as Empress of India, or Queen of Great Britain, Ireland and the colonies, the preacher declared, were as nothing compared to her moral and social influence on her country. Iler tone was always good and always for the general good, being also free from favouritism or the pride of rank, aa he had said on the birthday time of the Queen this year, and then described her as Victoria the Good. The' work she had done for us during 62 years who could tell? And clearly she had not opposed social, moral and political pi-ogress; she had not raised flatterers to high places, nor made friends of the enemies of the people, but had encouraged and helped whatsoever was useful, holy and of good report. The reign of Victoria, the preacher said, was one long social and political track of light. As he had said before he now repeated, -viz., that the Queen's tone was a Christian tone always. What a contrast between her and some of our mediaeval queens! Compare her even with the great and noble Queen Elizabeth, that true lover of her country. We could not ascribe to her the qualities of our own Victoria. We ought not to wait till she dies before we gratefully acknowledge her womanly moderation and firmness. Unlike Queen Elizabeth, she never dishonoured herself by haughty rudeness, nor her throne by the patronage of worthless iavourites. Whereverour Queen's influence extends her sceptre shields the weak. National blessings which we have enjoyed, increasing ever during sixty-two years, many nations of Europe are struggling for in vain even now. Our British and colonial peoples have felt and shared in Victoria's high moral tone, which, like ceaseless music, has' ecnoed down the corridors of time, and in the future shall be treasured as a gift of God, a precious legacy bequeathed to her loved country by Victoria the Good. God save the Queen. Longlive the queen. Th.c vicar of St. Luke's reminded hie congregation^ of God's good mercy, not only in giving Britain such a gentle ruler, but in extending her family relationships so that her own family or scions of it ruled and graced many of the courts of Europe, and had done much to prevent war. The vicar gave as reasons for gratitude to God the levelling up, the progress of art, science, peace, freedom, education and general prosperity in the British dominions. He pointed out such measures of justice as the Reform Bills, the Penny Post, the abolition of the Corn Laws, the Education Acts, the gradual improvements in workhouses, prisons and asylums, the amelioration in the lot of a working man now as compared with labourers and others in the reigns of the Georges, as proofs of God's love and care for Britain; and he said both morning and evening that lack of gratitude for such blessings as Great Britain and the colonies enjoy was unworthy of Christian men and women. The preacher devoted his address to political progress in the morning, and social progress in the eveningl, and said that during Victoria's reign there had been no retrogression in legislation or in manners. The opening sentence reminded his hearers that the anniversary of the 'world's great earthquake, Waterloo,' was now passing before their eyes, and was one great reason for giving glory to God for that victory in 1815, which has promoted peace in Europe ever since*