OXFORD TERRACE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15776, 18 December 1916, Page 2

OXFORD TERRACE BAPTIST CHURCH.

4 ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED. At the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church last night a large oi&en Roll of Honour was unveiled. It was presented to the church by the young men of the church medically unfit or under service age. It is inscribed with the names of 81 members of the church or school or from the families of the church. Seven additional names of men in camp axe to be added as soon as they sail for the front. The Board was very appropriately unveiled by the mother of the first of the church boys to fall in action —Bernard Lyons. The Rev. J. J. North toot for his text Hebrews xi:7 which is the New Testament Roll of Honour, and which in addition tp great Hebrew names, contains suggestions of tributes to the multitudes of brave men who "put to flight armies of aliens" in the Maccabean wars. Mr North declared that gratitude imposed the duty of fitting memorials of brave men and women in all generations. One of the comforting facts in life was that in 6pite of the greed and selfishness of common life, so much pure heroism was discovered. Of the group of keen lads associated with this church who almost to a man were gone, it wks not possible to speak too highly. "I can," the preacher said, "truly say that they heard no piffle about the Empire talked here. The mere size of the British dominions leaves me singularly cold. The only thing I glory in is the liberty to be found under the flag, a liberty which is not yet perfect, and which in Ireland, at any rate, still calls loudly for settlement. I can truly say also that they learned to hate war here. All churches hate war. It is a last terrible resort as operations are in surgery. I j can also 6ay that they learned here to be anxious about social reconstruction, to be suspicious of _ unearned wealth, and to be very desirous of a practicable and equitable and honourable Socialism. They learned constantly that a man ought to be read} 1 to lay down his life, not at any political cat-c&ll, but for great and pure causes, and in defence of the weak. I believe that no sterner or graver group joined the Colours. I did not bid them go. I spoke slowly, as a minister of Christ ought. The ■ facts spoke, those tragic facts which I did not hesitate to outline —the broken faith, the pitiless invasion, the measureless ambition; these spoke. Thev' saw a threat levelled at liberty and truth. They sprang to the Colours in much the same temper that Cromwell's Ironsides eprang to horse. We pray for them and remember them in God's house bccausc they went oti"

to do their duty. We must remember that calls of duty will not cease with the -war. .We must each, one be ready to make an adequate response."