ST. SEPULCHRE'S

Auckland Star, Issue 23, 28 January 1901, Page 2

ST. SEPULCHRE'S

I Memorial services were held at St. Sepulchre's Church yesterday, both morning and evening. Archdeacon Dudley (the Primate's commissary) officiated in the morning, assisted by, the Bey.'Dr. Purchas, The altar and pulpit were draped in black. The hymns were "I lock of Ages," Peace, Perfect Peace," and "Let •Saints on Earth in Concert Sing." The Lrganist, Mr V. B. Rice, played the |"Dead March in Saul" impressively at leach service. Archdeacon Dudley: Ipreached a feeling sermon from Gen-, tesis xlviii., "And Israel said unto 1 Joseph, behold I die, but God shall |be with you. The rev. gentleman; ? aa id:— "It had almost seemed as if she: Ithe "■ood and beloved were to flourish; tin perennial vigour; as if her earthly; i life extended already beyond the exItreme normal span of four score years, -was to be extended yet longer, to the, •Mov and comfort of her people, her relatives and the world generally, by S whom her beneficent presence seemed

Iso needed. But it was not to be. '1 be, 'strength sustained through labour and. 'sorrow, enabling her to bear up and |meet a crisis of extraordinary g-ravityj 'with a firmness ami wisdom, v delicacy, land tact, and a sympathy beyond allwords of human praise, broke down! at last. 'Mortality must assert itself (ere it is swallowed' up of life." She must h'nst breathe her last wovils. look her Ihi si loving farewells in the faces oi those whose whole future lives will be laffected for good by her unspoken i benediction, and full asleep to wake !no more in this world, calmly resignhnif her blessed spirit to Hod, who Igave it. Happy saint! Queen and JEinpress no longer, but Victoria still; Sher name, l\er baptismal name, written indelibly, a's we feel sure, in the I Lamb's" Hook of: Life, among those I that 'iiave borne and had patience, and for His Name's sake have laboured: jand have not fainted": "her widowed hours are past"; the "burden of the, flesh" laid aside, she has left the lane!, jof the dying "in sure and certain hope"! of seeing the goodness of the Lord in the true land of the living, in the blessed company of all saints. During her earthly span, in response to her own! I fervent prayers and the continual jj prayers >of the Church, she was re-j Ipienished with the grace of Clod's Holy [Spirit, so as to always incline to God's |will, and to walk in His way. She iwas endued plenteously with heavenly |gifts; she was granted in health and wealth long to live; she was strengthened so as to vanquish and overcome] all her enemies; and if sorrows pierced, flier heart she knew the patience and; {the comfort: that God's Holy Word im■j parts. Therefore, we feel, nay, we jknow. that "finally, after this life,1' 'she has attained "everlasting joy andj \ (elicit v." The earthly crown, now to; Ibe transferred to the head of her eldest ; son, is exchanged by her for an incorruptible crown of glory. Gradually, but surely, the people of Wie I various races she has ruled over have I come to know, to trust, and to love; |her. their liege lady, their mother, ftheir friend. Uace hatreds and anijjniosities, rivalries and bitternesses, (could not live on in her presence. Let us] |not praise her, but rather thank God |for hex, and pray for her son and successor, and for all in high places of 1 responsibility, and for ourselves, Iliad; Iwe may have grace so to follow her! 'good example; that we, who most .0.1 !us have not seen her, or have scarcely jjjbeheld her face in the flesh, nm^meetj ilier and rejoice with her in the Eternalj | Kingdom! She has been taken away i from us, but we trust and believe she, i has bequeathed her spirit to her suc-j ) eessor, who watched, Elisha-like, and « was permitted to be by her side when i she was taken. Now, let us turn our \ attention to him and do him obeisance ! and strengthen his hands and be loyal; •to him in the post of tremendous re-j Isponsibility. Some time since he came |out of his reserve and speaking among isympathisers confessed that the hymn hie had found on the whole most help-j \ I'ul was "Nearer, my Ciod to Thee,; i Nearer to Thee, c'en though it be fij I cross that raiseth me." Truly, bej i must find the crown to which he hasj | succeeded and which is soon to be s placed upon his head—the crown of | the greatest Kingdom and Empire the i world has seen, dazzling though it ap- | pears—truly, he will find it is a crown of thorns to it's worthy wearer. I The attendance at each service was B very large.