THANKS GIVEN TO GOD

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 298, 11 September 1943, Page 6

THANKS GIVEN TO GOD

Public Joins In Prayer At Special Service ALLIED VICTORY MARKED The magnificent success of Allied arms culminating iu Italy’s capitulation was marked by a public thanksgiving service held in Wellington at noon yesterday in the Majestic Theatre and largely attended. The United States Forces were officially represented. The mayor, Mr. Hislop, presided. Special prayers were offered, in one of which the whole assembly joined. There was also general singing of a hymn, after which tin- mayor read Psalm 116. A prayer of thanksgiving for the victory was uttered by the Rev. 11. R. Fell, who also prayed for the prison-ers-of-war and their relatives, and for lasting peace. On the platform were representatives of the various churches, the leader of the Legislative Council, Mr. Wilson, representing the Government, the Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination (Mr. Perry), the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, Sir Harry Batterbee, Mrs. Fraser, wife of the Prime Minister, and others. The United Slates Forces were represented by three chaplains. Captain 11. M. Peterson (Ch.C.), U.S. Navy, Captain W. W. Lumpkin (Ch.C.), U.S. Navy Reserve, and Lieut. G. S. Eckard (Ch.C.), U.S. Navy Reserve. In an address the Bishop ol Wellington, the Itt. Rev. 11. St. Barbe Holland, said be regarded this year of victory as an illustration taiit man’s petitions were answered only if there were co-operalitm between God and mankind. It was insufficient to ask God’s help without being prepared to do our own part. Hut the United Nations had shown by their thousands of dead, their hundreds of thousands of wounded, and by the countless hearts broken by sorrow and suffering, that they were prepared to do their part in (lie common task of driving the evils of Fascism and Nazism' from the world. He regarded these tragedies of war as one of the conditions on which God answered the petitions of mankind. But the defeat of Italy was not our final victory. Like a mountain climber who, having reached the first shoulder, secs the shining peak iu the distance, we had only reached the first stage in our climb to victory, from which we could now sec in the distance the shining peak of victory, representing a harder and stiffer climb than before. This was a day not for jubilation and excited demonstration, but one of supreme encouragement when wc should gird our loins for the fiercest and most difficult period of the war, keeping always our trust in God that He would give us His blessing' and help us to reach the final peak. In all humility, the people of the United Nations should say today: “The Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof wc. rejoice.” The service concluded with the singing of The Recessional, the pronouncement of the Benediction, and the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the National Anthem. The N.B.S. String Orchestra played under the conductorship of Mr. Harry Ellwood.

TOMORROW’S CHURCH SERVICES The Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, hopes that tomorrow all services in the churches of his diocese “will reflect the spirit of thanksgiving which the events of this week have kindled in the hearts of all.” Clergy aro. authorized to use appropriate psalms, lessons anti prayers, and the bishop suggests that the singing of the “Te Deum at the close of evensong would be a fitting conclusion to the day’s worship.