WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 50, 28 February 1921, Page 8

WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED.

BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL. AT ST.' MATTHEW'S CHURCH. CONSECRATION* BY BISHOP. An impressive ceremony took place in ft Matthew's Church yesterday afternoon, -when a memorial erected in honour of fallen soldiers was unveiled by his Excellency the Governor-General and consecrated by the Anp-lican Bishop of Auckland, Dr. A. \V. Averill. There was a larp-e attendance, all the seating of the church being occupied, while a number stood at, the back and in the gallery. of boy scouts lined the nave and the approach to the memorial. His Excellency came up the nave to the memorial, the congregation turning round as he reached it. Lord Jellicoe said that the call of arms -was obeyed by the glorious dead whose memory was perpetuated by the memorial. They had answered the call of duty to Cod, to the Iving, to the Empire, and themselves. It was to be hoped that in the future years they would always conduct their thoughts in such a manner as to be "worthy of those in whose memory they were there that dp.y. X/ord Jellicoe then pulled the cord ■which unveiled the monument .md disclosed on the tablet the names of the men of the -parish who had given* their all in the great cause. Beneath the names were tne words: '"An unknown warrior." His Excellency saluted the memorial, and then placed a laurel tribute among , the wreaths previously deposited there by friends and relatives of the men. The Bishop consecrated the memorial, and the congregation joined in w4fch sing-ing "The Saints of God their Conflict Past." In hie address the Bishop took as his text the passage from the Corinthians, "As unknown and yet well-known; as dying and behold they live. - ' This text, he said, was taken by tie Kmg to he attached to the wreath he placed on the coffin of the Unknown "Warrior. It was desired that the memorial which 'had been consecrated that day should represent gratitude to all arms of the service who were ready to die that England might live and Xew Zealand retain her freedom and remain a part of the Empire. It was also desired to stand as a symbol of gratitude to the splendid Trork in the "support trenches" carried on by -women and children. The words, "An unknown warrior" on the tablet, said Dr. Averill, were a recognition ol indebtedness to the men of every part of the Empire and of our brave and devoted Allie3. It was particularly desirous that we should recognise our indebtedness to the latter. God forbid that the memorials be decorations in ohxtrches or additional works of art in ] towns. God grant that they should never cease to speak of the price paid for freedom. The war had taken out the sting of death with the assurance of the continuity of life, as shown by the tragedy of the Cross and Christ's empty grave. We know that those fora-ve h«roe3 axe not lying in scattered, graves, but tjiat they form a part of that encompassing crowd of -witnesses who 'had passed*irom death to life, and.-under the leadership of the Great Captain, were leading a fuller and higher existence.

The Bishop then asked the congregation to stand and think for a minute in eilence in memory of those who had fallen.

A •finieMng touch to the deep solemnity of the proceedings was the playing of the "Dead March" in "Saul" and the sounding of the "Last Post." The singing of the National Anthem concluded the ceremony.