MEMORIAL TABLET

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 12

MEMORIAL TABLET

UNVEILED AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. A large, congregation was present at St. John's Presbyterian Church last evening, when the Rev. Dr. Gibb unveiled a tablet in commemoration of 38 men belonging to the church who were killed in tho war. Tho tablet boro the following inscription :—"ln sacred memory of the men of this church who felt in tho great struggle for the freedom of nations, tho rights of man, and the Kingdom of God, 1914-1918." At the bottom of tho tablet were tho following words:—"They loved not their lives even unto death." Immediately tho tablet had been unveiled the congregation stood whilo tho "Dead March" in "Saul" was played on the organ. An impressive sermon in keeping with the solemnity of tho occasion was preached by Dr. Gibb, who pointed out that, the men had fallen in the fight to end Gorman militarism and lo help in tho struggle to end all war. They had died for the Kingdom of God. Some of tho deceased wero men of deop personal religion, who carried the spirit of Christ into the camp, and tho field, and in all of them was a strong conviction that Go<l had called them to their great but dreadful task. What was- true of tho men of the nation in general was truo of tho men who went from the churches— they were the soldiers of (Irist and tho Empire. Tho me&sage f ron> the fallen was that their spirit should be emulated. Peace had its victories no U-ss than war, and these were won, not on the red field of battle, but in I lie arena cf trade and commerce, in politics, and in Ihe polling booth. The soldiers had died for New Zen land, and tlicy bid those who were left to "play the man" and iive foi New Zealand.