KING EDWARD'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 819, 17 May 1910, Page 6

KING EDWARD'S DEATH

, ■- ♦ MH.ITARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR FRIDAY. : .. . . THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES. Colonel A. W. Robin, C.B. (Chief of tho General Staff) has issued the following General Order to- the officers commanding tho various military districts in New Zealand:— "Referring -to tho memorial services to be held throughout the Dominion on Friday next: The "military forces in your command will attend and assist at such services as may be locally arranged for throughout your district. Bands will play funeral marches only, but may assist with the musical portion of the service. "A salute of 69 inimito guns will bo fired by four-gun field batteries, the salute to commence 68 minutes before 6unset. As ■ tho last gnu is fired, tho flag is to be run to the masthead, and then hauled down: for tho night." lARCHBISHOP REDWOOD ON THE LATE KING. On Sunday night, in'the Church of the Sacred Heart, Hill Street, his Grace Archbishop Redwood spoke as follows-.— As this is the first opportunity that I have had of speaking to you of the sad event which occurred so recently—l allude, of course, to the lamented death of ■King Edward the Seventh—l wish, in my own name, and in the name- of the Catholic clergy and laity of the archdiocese, to express the deep regret we feel at losing so distinguished and so influential a Sovereign, and also the sincere sympathv by which we are swayed towards the Queen Mother, and the other members of the Royal Family. The late King was remarkable for many qualities, and in the exercise of the duties of his exalted office, -so comforted himself as to win the unstinted praise and-admira-tion of all. Ho will certainly go down to history as one of the greatest mon»rchs that have sat upon the Throne of England. During- the nine years of his Kingship he set himself the honourable task of doing everything in his power to promote the welfare of his subjects, and while visiting the different countries of Europe, and conversing with their rulers, he used, to the best advantage, his weighty personal influence and charming manners to' secure and maintain peace. His Bnccess,-.in this respect, is a matter of common knowledge, and hence it need scarcely bo doubted that posterity will acclaim him as "Edward, the Peaceinaker." And this title, .so ennobling and so glorious; ho has richly merited. ■His wide, practical wisdom, his matured experience, his benevolent disposition, his consnmmate tact, his more than courtly grace, won him golden opinions Ifrom all that came into contact with him, and these estimable qualities stood_him in good stead, especially in the difficult, and trying situations by which he was sometimes confronted. Towards his Catholic subjects, counted to the number of twelve millions, he always showed limself impartial and considerate, and on more than one occasion he gladly and Rratefully acknowledged the unswerving fidelity with which they had served him and his Royal Mother before liiui. Respect for and.obedienco to lawfully-con-stituted authority is an important part of tho moral teaching of the Catholic Church, whether that authority he civil or religious, temporal or spiritual, and ier teaching on this subject is inspired by the words once uttered by her Diyme Founder: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." While thanking Heaven for the benefits conferred upon the British' Empire during the all too short reign of King "Edward the Seventh, we look forward with eagerness and well"rounded confidence to the reign of his eon, King George the Fifth, and we trust that Divine Providence will abundantly bless tho new King, and direct him to .walk in tho footsteps of his illustrious lather." AT. THE SYNAGOGUE. Hali-an-hour before the time announced for the special memorial .service on Sunday evening in honour, of the late King,- the Wellington Synagogue was crowded to the doors. The solemn service was opened with the 90th Psalm, followed by the reading of ' the 49th Psalm. Evening prayer and the 39tli Psalm preceded the sermon, which was based on the text, "The Crown of Our Head .is Fallen." The Rev. -H. Van Staveren, in the course:of an eloquent sermon, said never had a monarch graced the throne and swayed the 6ceptre with greater- dignity than their late Sovereign. None had adorned the throno more gloriously than the Royal deceased.. .When he ascended the throno ■he set himself to. be a\ constitutional monarch, and to walk in the footsteps of his lamented mother. That he -was true to that high undertaking and successful in the endeavourj none could deny. He undertook to ameliorate the condition of his people and succeeded in a marked manner. In diplomatic tact, in promoting universal peace, ho was a ■true disciple of Aaron, the High Priest, and none was better inspired >by God to cement the link of union between peoples and nations. All must lament the demise of such a great man at a time when his counsel was so urgently needed to establish a bond of friendship between contending parties, as had been accomplished by'their late Sovereign unostentatiously but firmly, in the past. . None conld be blind to the constitutional struggle now proceeding between the two Houses of the British Legislature, and the King's death was more to be deplored for this reason. ' That day they mourned the loss of the best of men. He had stood first and foremost in tho hearts of his beloved subjects, and his kindness and goodwill would for ever be treasured in the memory of his people. In all ages would his name be remembered as Edward the Peacemaker, and would bo thus inscribed on the records of the nation. While tendering devoted loyalty to the late King's eldest son, now our most gracious Sovereign, he- could wish nothing better than that he should walk in the footsteps of his illustrious father, whose memory they revered, and whose beneficent influence would never bo effaced. They should emulate the noblo example of the life they mourned. They should earnestly follow upon tho lines so well lived by the King to promote peace, to seek peace, and to disseminate the same as the greatest blessing God had granted to man. After solemn prayer, in the course of ■which the Royal Family was reverently mentioned, the Dead March from "Saul" ,was played by Mr. P. Levi. MEMORIAL SERVICES. In connection with the; United memorial service to be held before the Parliamentary Buildings at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, Mr. R. Parker, musical conductor, asks that all choirs should attend a rehearsal to be held in the Town Hall on Thursday at 8 p.m. On the day of the funeral members of choirs will enter at the Hill Street gate, where admission .will be only by ticket. As the Rev. Dr. Gibb will not be in Wellington on Friday, the reading of the lesson—Corinthians XV, 35-58—which .was allocated to him by tho meeting'of ministers -who drew up tho programme for the united service, has been allotted instead, to tho Rev. W. .Shirer. The honr for holding the children's memorial service at the Basin Reserve on Friday has been altered to 10.30 a.m. All Sunday school children are invited to attend in time for them to bo marshalled outside the reserve at 10 a.m. Major MTDonald is' arranging for- the uadets and Boy Scouts to be present. The following will bo the programme for tho service:— Hymn. "0 God Our Help in Ages past," Mr. W. Hopkirk, vice-president of the Sunday School Union. Opening sentences of burial servico, Rev". S. J. Scrpell (Methodist). Hvmn, "When Onr Heads are Bowed iritli Woe," Rev. A. Dewdne.v (Baptist). Scripture, 1 Co. xv, 35-58, Rev. W. Shirer (Presbyterian). Address, Mr. G. Flux. Hymn, "Nearer My God to Thee," Rev. Macdonald Aspland (Congregationalist). Address, Mr. n. N. Holmes (Y.M.C.A.). Hymn, "Abide with Me." Rev. P. J. Cossiim (Primitive Methodist). Benediction, Rev. J. Gibson Smith (Presbyterian). The Central Mission Band will assist the musical service.

In connection with the King Edward Memorial Servico at tho Hut t, tho local Borough . Council last oveniug decidod, that, if tho weather should bo unpropitious for the servico to ho held at tho Recreation' Ground, the use of tho Hutt Town Hall would be granted. SERVICES AT PALMERSTON. IBj TclcEranh—Special Correspondent! Palmerston, May 16. The church parade and memorial service at All Saints' Church, Palmerston, yesterday afternoon, was very largely attended. Heavy rain, which set in just before 2 o'clock, interfered with tho procession, but, notwithstanding this, there were good musters of the various corps. Adjutant Palmer, Captain 'Jickoll, and Lieuts. Smith and Batehclor. were in charge of the Mounted Rifles; Captain Mounsey and Lieut. Louissou, of tho Palmerston Rifles; Captain M'Murray and Lieuts. Allen and WiUoughby, of the Guards; Commander Whalley and Scoutmaster Pattridgo, of the Boy Scouts; and Major Garner and Captain Preecc, of the veterans. The Fire Brigade, under Superintendent Warner, were also in attendance, . the procession being headed bv the Pahuerstbn Brass Band, under Conductor Conway. Lieut.-Coloncl Pringle, commanding the Third Regiment, was in charge of the military forces, which marched from Coleman Place to the church, where among those present were also the Mayor and borough councillors, and Mr. D. Buick, M.P. Archdeacon Harper preached an .appropriate sermon. The National Anthem was sung as a prayer, the congregation kneeling. The "Dead March in Saul," was also played, and the servico generally was a very impressive one. ; THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL. The Mayor requests citizens to close their business premises'for the whole day on Friday, May 20, the day of the funeral of tho late King Edward. A MOTION OF SYMPATHY. (By Teleeraph—Press Association.) Christchurch, May.l 6. At tho meeting of tho City Council to-night, the following motion was passed:—"That this council desire to place on record its deep sorrow a* tie death of our beloved .Sovereign King Edward VII, and its heartfelt sympathy with her Majesty Queen Alexandra and the members of tho Royal Family m theij great affliction." The council ad}onrned for a week. On the motion of the Mayor (Mr. J. G. Harkness), the following resolution was passed by .the Onslow Borough Council fast evening, members standing :—"This council desires to place on record its deepest regret at the loss which not only the British Empire but the whole of the civilised world has sustained by the death of our late Sovereign His Majesty King Edward VII, and at the same time to express its fullest sympathy and condolence with the Queen Mother in her sad bereavement." *■ A resolution expressing sympathy and condolence was also passed, by the council of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. 4 Owing to the death of his late Majesty the usual meeting of the City Council will not be held on Thursday night. No meeting will taken place for • another fortnight.