CATHEDRAL SERVICES.

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

CATHEDRAL SERVICES.

The memorial, servico .held in the Cathedral last night was -marked by a dignity' and solemnity which will bo long remembered by those who were privileged. to take part. It was a .service, moreover, attended not ouiy by perhaps the largest congregation yet assembled within "tha walls of the Cathedral, but by a congregation representative -of ."all sections of the community. There, were present, in addition, to a large gathering of the clergy of tho dipf..-3'.\ prominent diocesan officers, officers of tbe headquarters staff and other Territorial officers, all in uniform, the Mayor in his robes, and members of the City Council, with the Town Clerk and City Engineer, and the chairman and members of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, members* of the professorial and teaching staff.' of the different educational institutions under ccntrol of the Board, the officers ill charge of the allied institutions controlled by the Board, local memhers of Parliament, Mr Justice Sim, the two Ghrisichurch magistrates, a strong delegation from the' Christchurch Bar, prominent officers of the different i Lodges and Friendly Societies, members of various local bodies, and an immense general congregation, making, an attendance within the Cathedral walls of over 2000. The section of the Cathedral open to the general public was crowded long before the hour when the service was to start, and many other.? waited paliently around the*" building until the unoccupied seats in the section reserved for ticket-holders were open to the first-comers. The whole of the available seating accommodation was taken up by a quarter to niii-., and so gront was .the crowd of thoso still desiring admittance that many had to be seated on the steps leading to the chancel, in the chancel itself, and gene, rallj wherever temporary seating accommodation could be- found. Even then it was found impossible to grant admission to everybody, and from each porch there extended outwards large crowds of people who followed the service as best they could from, their somewhat remote positions A fewminutes before nine o'clo-'k the wellknown air from "Elijah," "O. Rest in the Lord," was played by the Cathedral organist. Dr. Bradshaw, and the service upaned with the hymn "0 God, Our Help m Ages Past!" which was sung while the choir and clergy entered and took their places. Then followed tho first three sentences of the Burial Service, sung by the choir from a setting by Goss. Tho socc-ial Psalms v. ero the 27th, ""The I-ord'is My Light," arid the 90th, "Lord Thou hast been our Refuge," and the lesson, which was read by Bishop Julius, was the familiar passage from the Corinthians in which the theory of the Resurrection is expounded. The hymiijl'-Jcsas Lives; no Longer Now," was sung, and two special prayers were offered up by Archdeacon Ensor. Spohr's w;ell-known anthem, "Blest are flic Departed." was sung by the choir, further special prfrversTollowing. The last hymn was "Abide With Me." Tho ""Bishop pronounced the Benediction, and thon. while -every person stood subdued and silent, the "Dead March" was played. When' tbe last bars of that great march of mourning had pealed out there came a hush, and then sombrely and silently the vast assemblage moved towards the doors, and the last of a scries of notable services held in commemoration of a great king came to an end.