DIVINE SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13901, 28 November 1910, Page 7

DIVINE SERVICE.

AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE

Shortly after eight bells wcro struck, the members of the Expedition and the crew of the Terra Nova, together with the visitors from shore, -assembled on the poop for Divin© service, which was conducted by the Rev. E. Eliot Chambers, his Lordship Bishop Julius preaching a short sermon. Tho scene and the proceedings were very impressive. All stood uncovered, Captain Scott, tho officers and the scientific members of the Expedition standing almost in front of the priest, and the crew standing alongside the bulwarks.

The service opened with the singing of the first two verses and the last verso of hymn 370 —the sailors' hymn— "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." The hymn was sung with much fervour by thoso who so soon were to "see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep." The general confession was said, after which Bishop Julius read the 121 st Psalm as the lesson—"l will lift up mine eyes unto tho hills, from whence eometh my help." Then tho Creed was said, and following; it there were sung the first three verses and the last verse of hymn 165 —"O, God, Our Help in Ages Pa-st. , ' BISHOP JULIUS'S ADDRESS. "I hope I know my duty too well," Bishop Julius said, in opening his sermon, •' to keep you here more than a few moments; but I am very thankful to havo the opportunity of joining •with you jn prayer and worship before you start on your long and great venture." Taking as his theme the words in St. Matthew, chapter IX, verse 30, "But tho very hairs of your head arc all numbered," his Lordship said that all tb.G influences of tho present day went against such a i thought: all scientific discovery had always tended to make men recognise their own insignificance. The other day ho was on tho glaciers. Mount Cook, and saw about four miles away somo little specs that were kicking up the enow, yet these specs were members of the Expedition, and uncommonly small they looked. "You, who are going to a land where yon will seem even smaller," the preacher proceeded, "to a land where nature is great and v-ast, and where her operations are so magnificent that man is reduced to a very atom—you will feel as you cannot help feeling, that in the presence of nature, in her grandest, man is very small! In a few hours your ship will be on the waters and you will recognise what a very small thing it is, and you may he tempted to ask: 'What concern am I to anyone who rules the universe?' There is a temntation -to look upon ourselves as insignificant, and upon man as a mere spec, "but that, T think is mere sham humility, and there is nothing good about it. Our b-lewed Master's words come to set us right, and they are wordsT want you to toko in your hearts. You are going to stand amidst the great snows of the Antarctic, and tho work! you will look upon is .is nothing in its importance and magnificence, in its worth and value, as compared with any one of you. Our Lord says that a mere- sparrow shall not fall" to the ground but the PatheT knows it, and how much moro Hβ will think for one of His children vhom He has redeemed, and blessed, and made in His image, and over whom Re will watch with a care that slia.ll never fail? There are sonu* things I ■want to impress on you: Don't be daunted oy the greatness of nature. Get hold of the fact that you arc bigger than nature, and tliat you are akin to Him who made nature, and that your life is very precious in HisJ sight.* You arc not the more sport of chance, but in tho hands of a Father who will guide you and do His will concerning you. The next thing is: There are times in this noisy, talking age when it is good for people to ent away and be quiet: sometimes parsons who* do so much talking do so. God is taking you into a quiot place, into those great silences of the Antarctic, silences that are apt to beget -i seriousness in man iliat is very impressive. God grant that your hearts may hear his voic<> speaking to you, and that you will fer-l tho greatness of LLis presence ! .My brothers, you are going out of the reach of us, whore the telephone and the telegraph cannot touch; and for a long while you will be hidden out of sight. Thereis one. communication'that never fails. Tho God that dwells there is the God that dwells here, and tho voice of

nraver, even tho humblest and the plainest, ia tho great link that binds us together. Brothers, whether you feel it or not, pray with all your mighb to God. It is prayer that will keep you in close touch with thoso you lovo. If ono thinks of your hardships and difficulties far away, ono thinks more of the anxieties and cares and longings o<; -.hose you are leaving behind. Whatever wtmfort there, is, God will give itto them and to you more by the way or prayer than by any other way whatever. So, God be with you, by brothers : God keep you; God give you what success is good for you and make you to dwell as brothers in that far land, and bring you back again to us in peace and safety." Bishop .Julius then offered up the following prayer :—"We hand to Thy loving oare all those our brothers sailing to the Antarctic. Keep them. Lord, safely under Thy protection; hold them in body, hold them in th*ir souls. Grant then! to dwell very near to Thee : keep them pure in their hearts and their life. O God, give- them such success as may ho good for them, and bring them back in safety. Specially we commend to Thy loving care and protection all that arc dear to them; that Thou wilt watch over them and hlcss them, and though groat miles separate them, yet, in Thy loving care, may they bo drawn closo together until Thy mercy bring them to ono another again."

The Benediction having been pronounced by the Bishop, tho serviceclosed. His Lordship then wml "Goodbye ,, to Captain Scott, the officers, and the. members of tho expedition.