UNITED MEMORIAL SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13739, 21 May 1910, Page 10

UNITED MEMORIAL SERVICE.

GREAT GATHERING IN CRANMER SQUARE. IMPRESSIVE PROCEEDINGS. The united memorial service for the late King, held iv Cranmer square yesteiday afternoon, was in many respects similar to tho ceremony held at the" same spot on S'undav, hi v.hicli tho general public joined .iv such largo -numbers. At yesterday's service, howover, the main features of the previous occasion wore intensified. Tbe near approach of tho last sad rite brought homo to all more vividly the ecnso of national loss ensuing upon the fasting of one who so nobly fulfilled he duties of his high station. It seemed, too,' that the atmospheric conditions were symbolical of the nation's mourning. A dull, grey sky prevailed during tho nftcrncon; only nt infrequent intervals was there a slight sunburst. Tho leafles.- trees, .standing gaunt and grim, and tho apparently almost motionless air, adder) to tbo sumbrencss. 'But for the explosions of the saluting gnus in the Park, all was in harmony with the nature of tbe gathering. For some considerable period liofore thc service was fixed to begin, the people came streaming in by all the ttroots leading to the square. From the windows and verandahs of the houses surrounding the open space many watched; whilst youth, ever eager, sou;*ht coigns of vantage . in tho trees. As. three o'clock approached, the crowd, in the square appeared to occupy cyery part of it that- was not taken up by the platform and the , portion rop-sd-. ff for the troops. It was a gathering of "all sorts and conditions of men."' _51owlv played, a Funeral March heralded the approach of tho' troops, but* ere they- took up their Position on the parade ground ,ho Boy "Scouts were stationed. The troops took up their allotted places on each side of tho platfdrm. ( Lieut.-Colonel Hawkins {Officer Commanding the District) and The District Staff took up their station in front of the .platform, but a considerable distance from it. Immediately facing the platform was the Salvation Army Band and behind it was the Garrison Band. His Lordship Bishop Julius presided.over tbe gather- . inj_r, aiid amongst those with him on the platform were:—Archdeacon Gcv.sett, Rev. Dr. Erw in, Itev. '1. Tait, Rev. W. J. L Closs. Re.-. F Ball, Rev. _N\ Turner. Rev. D MeNicnll, Rer. ■.**. Hendorsou, Rev. 11. Gehbi;.-, Rev. N. MoCallum, Rev. I. A. Bernstein. Rev. G D. Cox. Rev. G. Clement, Rev. J. H. Lang. Roy. C. E. Ward, Rev. R. S. Gray, Rev A Mcßtun, Rev. C. Abernethy, and Brigadier A 1 bus ton (Salvation Army), *-Mr C Allison •■- Ofayor "of CTiristelinreh), Councillors - Pni-uns, Hurt-Icy.

Sorenson, Williams, Otley, Morris, Taylor, and Forrester, Mr H I!. Smith 'Town Clerk), Mr A. D. Dobson (City Surveyor). Mr. G.W. Russell, M.P., .Mr 1(. G. Ell. M.P.. Mr H. J. Marriner. and Mr A. Kayo. The following veterans were .-.lso on ibo piatl.-rr-i:— S-.-rgt S. Bar,veil, Messrs 11. Thorn. '*. Turner, if. Round. J Loose, and J. Wilson. Tho service opened with the funeral mareli ".Jerusalem."' played by tbe Salvation Army Band, which also played tho musk- for the hymns sung during the proceeding*.. ''Our God. our Help,"' was then sung, tbe public in the vicinity of the sAatiorm joining. Brigadier Albiston then' offered up prayer, after which tho Rev. R. S. Gray re-ad from Revelation, chapter seven, commencing at the ninth ver.se:—"After this I beheld, and 10. a great multitude which no man coukl number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, ar.d ton_tt.es. stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes. ,md palms in their hands." The singing of the hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee," follow eel, after which the Rev. T. Tait off-red up .-,-ayer. His Lordship Bishop Julius briefly and impressively addressed thy gathering. The effect of a national d-.y of mourning in knitting together tbo British people was a note early struck by the speaker, which vakeiH'd a responsive one in his. hearers.

"There is no loss in the world we dare o-:l! irreparable—God can mend all things—yet tho thought' of our dead King fills our hearts wjth :p-icf," the .T-'.-oacher went on, and finally came the fM.estion. '"What shall come of our <hv of mourning? There is nothintt so idle in this world as a day of idle sentiment." and his exhortation that tlio day should be made one of prayer closed nn ini'prp'.-sivo nnd appropriate address. "Lead. Kindly Light" wr.r, -.ben suns. An address by the Roy. \Y. J. L. Clo.-s of the Chr'stehurch Ministers' Association) followed. In the course of his remarks tbo speaker roitipared tho extent of the Empire ovpr which the Lite King ml..d with the extent of the empires of by crone days, its r-o--u.lf.tion ns compared with theirs, and showed by these stem-arch- the late Iviiiet was a greater ifioiiarch than those of olden times—one who was great with the greatness of a great man. of n great character, of the tru". the good.-and the noble, nnd of -th*. fearless life ho lived amongst, mon. This was the dominant note of tin*, speaker's remarks.' nnd-he closed with an appreciate'rxhortnt'on to bis hearers-to fix their thought*, nDon 'ho great eternal. factor* in life. Th.. clo.inu' prayer and B->ne-diotion wero «.-nid by tho. Rev. D. M"v Nicoll. and the* ociro'iiony ended with th<» nlnriiiK of the "Dead March" iv "Saul by the G.-ir;-i..on Baud- nnd of the National Anthem by ihe Solvation Arniy Band. The troops, headed by the G-.rri.on Bond, re-formed and mar-died off. Tbo gathering -slowly '.'disner.-ed, _.nd ns the moon, just visible throii-b the* mist, CjVpoarod, quietness oanle npon 'the''scene and enveloped it like a pall. - ■*■