"LEST WE FORGET."

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 24 August 1925, Page 9

"LEST WE FORGET."

SOLDIERS' WAR MEMORIAL.

CONSECRATION AT ST. MATTHEW'S

Most impressive was the consecration service at St. Matthew's Anglican Church yesterday morning of the memorial to the men of the parish who fell in the war, 1914 to 1918. Every seat in the church was occupied, a number having been reserved for ;the next-of-kin of the men who died for their country. Near the beautiful marble memorial on the wall which was previously unveiled by his Excellency the Governor-General, Viscount Lord Jellicoe, were several beautiful wreathe. A guard of honour was formed of St. Matthew's boy scouts and girl guides, and between the ranks was carried the colours of the California, also the 'State flag, by a party of U.S. inen-o'-warsmen. These were laid at the foot of the chancel. Behind the flags walked Admiral Robison, Rear-Admirals Bostwiek and McD'ougall, and a large party of other officers from the Fleet. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr. J. A. Warnock, was present, with meinlbers of the City Council, also Consuls of allied nations, and representatives of the naval and military services, the Returned Soldiers' Association, St. John Ambulance, and the Nurses' Association.

The memorial was erected by a fund subscribed by the parishioners. It consists of two bishops' seats, choir stalls, reading desks, and clergy seats, carved in oak by Mr. Wm. Andrews. Around the screen are carved the words, "In memory of those who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918."

The opening hymn was, "Lest We Forget," and before the consecration the anthem, "Death and Life," was eung. Archbishop Averill was assisted by Archdeacon Mac Murray, Archdeacon Hawkins, Rev. W. E. Gillani (former vicar of St. Matthew's), Rev. Jasper Calder (former curate), the vicar, Rev. Canon Grant Cowen, and the curate, Rev. Thomas Southworth.

Archbishop Averill, in his eermo», referred to the great sacrifice of young and promising lives, which was the price of victory. Even though it seemed sometimes that the ideals for which those noble men and women had laid down their lives had proved somewhat illusory, still that tremendous sacrifice was necessary to re-establish the great ideals the world was in danger of forgetting. He contended that world chaos was not to be a permanent element of society. It would yet give place to order and happiness, as the meaning and purpose and will of God were worked out in the world by those who sought to re-establish His Kingdom on earth. Dr. Averill said: "But for this hope humanity must stand speechless, appalled thy the slaughter of life that took place in the Great War, in which the very existence of civilisation was at stake."

The Archbishop said the sufferings of the Allied nations in the tmited cause

had drawn them together in the bonds of sacrifice; had forged a link that he hoped no future misunderstanding might have power to weaken or break. "Together," said Dr. Averill, "our men have fought and suffered with men of the great nations represented here to-day; together they strove to uphold the cause of humanity, and together we have faced the still harder duty of living and fighting for the permanence of the ideals af peace and. justice in the world." Welcome to Naval Officers. Dr. Averill then said: "It is my particular pleasure to welcome to this service the .ollicers and men of the Anxerican Fleet, as the representatives of one of our great allies in the war, to whom we are now linked closely by mutual participation in a fellowship of suffering. I welcome, also, all those other representatives of the Allied nations who were our comrades from that great day in August, 1014, when Great Britain decided to stand by Belgium and France and chose honour before dishonour. May this alliance be a symbol not only of what has been, and is, but of what will be in the future." In conclusion, the Archbishop said: "It is in the hands of the Allied nations to carry to a- logical conclusion the ideals of peace for which their sons and daughters died."

Admiral S. 8. Robison, Commander-in-f'hief of the American Battle Fleet, said: "We consider it a great privilege to join with you to-day in this service in honour of your noble dead, and all our hearts are with yon in this dedication

of a memorial to their devotion and selfsacrifice. There is hardly a home in this land that has not been touched by Avar, and the loss you have suffered is shared by the whole nation. It is particularly appropriate that this memorial should 'be placed in the place where these men gathered in worship and prayer to God. Our admiration for the soldiers of New Zealand is unbounded: They won the

highest respect, and admiration in every theatre of war; their names stand out gloriously for thoir service on Gallipoli, in the fields of France, in Mesopotamia, and in every other place whore they fought and died. The spirit of faith and loyalty and freedom is strong in New Zealand, and the memory of those whose passing we commemorate to-day will serve to keep awake for all time those fires of patriotism and devotion to the cause of righteousness and justice that are the foundation of commonwealth and nation."

At the close of the service Chopin's "Funeral March" was played by Mr. J. H. Philpott. and the '"Last Post" was sounded by Buglers Charles Harold and Paul Alexander Haves.