THANKSGIVING

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 111, 13 May 1935, Page 14

THANKSGIVING

THE ROYAL JUBILEE

SERVICES AT LOWER HUTT

Special thanksgiving services were held yesterday in Lower Hutt churches? At St. James's. (Anglican), the morning service, conducted by the Rev. H. E. K. Fry, was attended by the Mayor, Mr. J. W. Andrews and Mrs. AndreWs Mr. W. Nash, M.P., and Mrs. Nash, and councillors and their wives. In his address Mr. Fry said that the people were called to unite in thankfulness and prayer—thankfulness for all the wonderful discoveries of science; for their place in the commonwealth of nations known as the British Commonwealth; thankfulness for the loyalty, devotion, and personality of the King and for his Christianity, and thankfulness for their freedom. We were called to prayer for the Empire that she should fulfil the purpose for which she was called— that of service. In this the King had given his people a great example. As the King was a man of prayer, so should be his people, who should pray that they should be worthy of their King and Empire. A. COMBINED SERVICE. In the afternoon a combined church service, arranged" by the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews: was held in the grandstanc" at the Recreation Ground. Prior to the service there was a parade led by the Lower Hutt, Municipal Band and comprising returned soldiers, 17th Battery, C Company Wellington Regiment, Legion of Frontiersmen, High School Cadets, Boys1 Brigade, Girl Guides, and Boy Scouts. At the close of the service there was a march past the salute being taken by Colonel* Saunders, who was accompanied at the saluting base by Colonel Butcher and the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews) The service-1 which followed, in part that arranged for the Silver Jubilee service in St. Paul's Cathedral' was conducted by the Revs. H. E. K. Fry J. Thomson Macky, Hayes Lloyd, h' A. Sharp, and the officer in charge of the' Salvation Army, the address being given by the Rev. J. E. Lopdell His Majesty had nobly followed the constitutional lines of Empire, and because he lived apart from party strife he had a wider and higher vision of the needs of his people than had Ministers of the Crown, said Mr. Lopdell During the first years of his reign he had come with honour through the difficult times of the fight for" Home Rule for Ireland, the curtailment of the powers of the House of Lords, and the movement for social reforms Dus. in S war, by his constancy! faith, and example, his life had been a tremendous influence. Since the war he had more than maintained his high influence over his people and this was, brought about by his humble reliance on God. Because the v King placed his trust in moral and religious values rather than in guns, he gave a great example to his people. A collection in aid of the Cancer Fund was taken at the close of the service and realised £13 17s 4d I SERVICE AT ST. STEPHEN'S. I In the evening the Mayor (Mr J W. Andrews) and Mrs. Andrews, Mr I W Nash, M.P., and Mrs. Nash, coun-1 cillors and their wives, members of the Hutt liver Board, and returned I soldiers attended service at St ' Stephen's Presbyterian Church The 1 service was taken by the Rev. J. E Lopdell, the lessons being read by the Mayor and Mr. Nash. Tracing the history of kingship from I early Hebrew days, Mr. Lopdell said it was evident that the British idea of monarchy was based on the Hebrew" idea. The early Christian Church had enforced loyalty to earthly\ authority,' stating that that authority' was given I ?«, ü ßecause the King's personality was based on faith in God, it had been of untold value to the Empire The Queen, as wife, mother, and Queen, had given to her family the valued asset of character. If the British nation forgot God all her greatness would crumble in a night: a revival of religion was of more value than economic prosperity. During the service the choir sang the anthem, "Hark, Hark, My Soul Angelic Songs are Swelling," and the Te Deum, and Mr. O. Dyer sang the solo, "How Lovely Are Thy Dwelling Places.