WELCOME FROM CHURCHES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 10

WELCOME FROM CHURCHES.

ADDRESSES OF WELCOME. Subsequent to the civic address of welcome, the various religious bodies represented in New Zealand presented their respective addresses, which were as follows:— Anglican. TO THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS.- OF YORK. May it please Tour Royal Highnesses, On behalf of the Church of the Province of New Zealand.' commonly called-the Church of. England, we present our humble duty and desire to express our pleasure in welcoming Your Royal Highnesses to the most remote of His Majesty's Dominions. We had the honour of welcoming Your Royal Highnesses' "illustrious ' father and mother, Their Majesties the King and Queen, when as/ Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York they visited New Zealand. We had also the honour of welcoming His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who came as an Ambassador of the Empire, after the close of the Great World War, and who united with us in thanksgiving to God in St. Mary's Cathedral on the first Anzac Day after the Armistice. These visits have been of great value: they have made us realise that the Royal House of Windsor has a first-hand knowledge of the eondi--1 tions of life in this Dominion, and specially of the"'unswerving loyalty of our people to the Crown. - There are many ties which bind' us to the Motherland—there are the., intangible ties lof kindred, religion, laws, language, literature, mutual interests and deejpt-robted sentiment—all of which, tho.hgh light, as'air. are strong as iron bands- binding- us in mutual affection through all the vicissitudes to which Empires are exposed. In the evolution of the Empire's constitution it is becoming more clearly recognised that, the one tangible tie of Empire is the British Crown, and therefore it is that we prize the visits of members of the Royal Family, as making for the strengthening of that tie, so" necessary for the endurance of that Great League of Nations known as the British Empire, whose existence is so important for the well-being of the human race. We believe that the-Church of England has a very large contribution to make in the development of the high moral and spiritnal quality in our people which enables the Empire to be an influence for peace an<j goodwill amongst the nations of the earth, and for the advancement of tnat personal Freedom and maintenance, of Law and Order which everywhere characterise British communities. We desire Your Royal " Highnesses a pleasant and prosperous visit- to our Dominion, and a safe return to the Mother Country; and beg you to convey to His Majesty the King, with our humble dutv. an assurance ofoo r deep-seated loyalty to his illustrious House. A. W. NEW ZEALAND, • Primate and Archbishop, On behalf of the Church of the Province of New Zealand. The Presbyterians. The Rev. G. H. McXeur, Moderator of the Presbyterian General 'Assembly, presented the following address:— * DrKp ß Avr> HARNESSES THE MaTlt^, A \ D DUCHESS OF YORK. %ll r»l U . r Roval Highnesses— *„,. lhe General Assemblv of the Presl.vin" a 44 Ofi^ C , h ° f N > W Zealand, represlntk£- vS? 8 comn >unicants. desires to en - £?™i «* opportunity.of the visit of vour S2£ Highnesses to this Dominion to ex fS!* ;" ,e fidelity of tWs Church to-the Constitution of the British Empire, and its unfaltermg fealty to the House of Windsor, under the benign swav of winch we enjoy happiest security j„ our homes., and unparalleled lihertr in* Hmexercise of all. our duties, both -'civil ami religious. "W'e'ever. pray tlr.it owgracious Sov* roißti His Majesty the King, and also his Royal consort. Her Majesty the Queen, may b<; constantly sustained "by thq Divine presence in their efforts towards the elevation of all classes -in our Empire's worldwide commonwealth,. and_ the amity jimi brotherhood- of all--nations-of•4Se-eaa"th.-- ■-

'"Our Church recalls with unfeigned gratit'.ide and pleasure the previous occasions on which she has been privileged to joi:i in tin; welcome to members of the Koyal Tamiy who have visited these island outposts of the Empire. We can say with full confidence that the Church we represent will follow with devoted eagerness your journey through the Dominion, and that in every part our people will greet you with overflowing enthusiasm. "For your Koyal Highnesses we crave that your visit to this new land may prove to you an unalloyed pleasure while it lasts, and become also a happy memory, inspiring to still greater efforts for the good of the people, such as are possible only to those privileged to occupy your lofty station."' Baptist. • ' The following address .was presented for the Baptist Union of' New Zealand by the president (Rev. H. G. Hercus: — TO THEIR ROYALL HKUINESSKS THE DIKE AND DUCHKSS UK YORK, May it please Your Highnesses.The Baptis Churches of this Dominion, comprising over seven thousand members. with probably twenty thousand adherents, desire to share in the- loyal and hearty welcome which is extended to you on your visit to these lovely sea-girt islands. We have previously had the privilege of assuring your' Royal father and your brother, the Prince of Wales, of the liigh honour, in which we as u people hold the Throne around which such splendid traditions cluster. We are glad now to have the opportunity of giving your Royal Highnesses the same assurance; and pray continually that the Throne may ever be established in righteousness, and that under the blessing of the Most High the Empire may enjoy unbroken peace and prosperity. We trust that your Royal Highnesses will be kept free from all harm in your travels by sea and land, that you will tind exceeding pleasure in viewing the beauties and splendours of this lovely land, on which the favour of God so richly rests, and that you may return with many happy and grateful memories of your visit to this remote part of the vast Empire. We beg your Koyal .Highnesses" acceptance of these expressions bf our lovalty and of our sincere and heartfelt, welcome. ' Methodist. The Methodist address, as follows, was presented by the Rev. K. Drake:— TO «L?x KO J'l AL HIUHXESS THE DUKE Uv l u K Iv ;— '•May it please Your Royal Highness. On behalf of the Methodist Church of .New Zealand we desire most humbly to present to you the renewed assurance of the loyalty of the Methodist people of this Dominion to the Throne and person of your father, our most gracious King George r ♦ lm " ln r, cominol, with the ,6,, citizens of the Dominion we would extend to vou our most cordial welcome to these islands the utmost post of this Great Empire' and would assure you of our great appreC » tl^ u J of the ""now and privilege thus afforded us.' We trust that good health and a high enjoyment may mark the whole of your voyage. "Our Methodist Church has watched the growth and aided the development of these southern islands ever since our first mfsS°ilso ; R <7- Samael Leigh, landed here m 1522 to labour Sympathetically with Hip missionaries of the Church of England in me nphft and regeneration of the Maori

"We pray that your visit may still further strengthen the bonds <»f Empire and tend to Hie advancement of the sentiments of peace throughout Che nations of uur Coinuunwealth and the world." Hebrew Congregation. Mr. X. A. Nathan, president of the Auckland branch of the Hebrew Congregations of New Zealand, and the Kabbi, the Rev. S. A. Goldstein, presented the following address: — TO THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AXD DUCHESS OF YORK:— •'May it please your Royal Highnesses. On behalf of the Jewish communities of the several centres of the Dominion of New Zealand we esteem it a high privilege, with the other sections of the British people of these lands, to extend to Your Royal Highnesses a hearty and loyal welcome. We rejoice in the knowledge that lour Royal Highnesses are taking an active interest in the welfare of this distant outpost of His Majesty's great Empire, and would humbly beg that Your Royal Highnesses will convey to His Majesty the King, our beloved Sovereign, an expression of the loyalty of the Jewish residents of this Dominion. -We pray that the Almightv God will bestow upon Your Royal Highnesses and all the members of the Royal Kamilv His choicest blessings. m'u e I,ave tlle '""lour to be Your Roval His-bnesses' obedient and dutiful servants nJulu c . ornc r s «* y" e «rst page the priestly Benediction in Hebrew.)