RAIDERS' VICTIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 4, 6 January 1941, Page 9

RAIDERS' VICTIMS

MEMORY HONOURED

IMPRESSIVE SERVICE AT

ST. PAUL'S

GOD'S PURPOSE

An impressive service, held at the request of the Merchant Service Guild, took place in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul last evening as a memorial to those men and women who lost their lives by the recent sinking of merchant ships through enemy action in the seas near this country, the ships being the Rangitane, Turakina, and Komata.

Two Union Jacks draped the altar, and special prayers were offered by the Missioner to Seamen, the Rev. B. J. Williams, who also pronounced the Benediction. The lessons were read by the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom (Sir Harry Batterbee), and the general secretary of the Merchant Service Guild (Captain P. A. Macindoe). The hymns were "For All The Saints," "O Valiant Hearts," and "Eternal Father, Strong to Save."

Among those present were Commodore W. E. Parry. Captain Morris, Captains Peterson and Macleod (Wellington Harbour Board), representatives of the Marine Engineers' Society, British Seamen, and a squad of bluejackets from Naval Headquarters.

The preacher, the Rev. C. H. Isaacson, said that all in New Zealand were filled with sorrow at the thought that so many from these shores were called on to lay down their lives for their country. To all relatives and friends they would extend heartfelt sympathy. At times like these words seemed futile, but sympathy was real and true, and he would say that "never morning wore to evening but some heart did break." It was some slight compensation that they lost their lives in the service of their country, doing their duty nobly and well. The men of the Merchant Marine were serving just as much as those in a warship or in the Army. The events of the last weeks gave all a vivid picture of what had been happening during the war, but the shelling of the Rangitane without those aboard being given a chance to abandon ship was one of the most ghastly incidents of all sea warfare.

GOD'S ETERNAL PLAN.

The preacher stressed the fact that sea warfare, such as occurred in the Atlantic, was thought not likely to happen here but the blow had come and gallant men and fine ships had gone to their1 last rest. The tragedy had brought to light deeds of heroism and self-denial and the world was the poorer for the loss of the splendid men and women who died in the performance of their duty. In years to come their doings would be recalled with pride and their names would go down in history to encourage the people of the future. Referring to the Festival of Epiphany, now being celebrated, the preacher said that God's eternal purpose was over all and, though one could not always understand its working, it was certainly there. In times like these one was tempted to say there was no plan. That was a counsel of despair and made all the. difference to man's outlook on life. Actually it was this plan that was the great safeguard in times of stress and trouble.

Many people had seen two great wars and read of the insensate destruction of life but this must not be taken as part of God's plan. It was rather man's desperate and malicious attempt to thwart that plan, the attempt of evil to put off the fulfilment of the eternal purpose. God's will held its sway through all times of disaster in the history of man on earth. God saw the end. Man did not.

NEED FOR PATIENCE,

Through all the horrors of Assyria, Babylon, Antiochus, and the iron rulers of Rome, God remained unshaken. For the realisation of the purposes of God, the Jews waited patiently through the ages, though they sometimes despaired of the God of Israel. Yet in the fullness of time the first part of the eternal purpose was fulfilled.

"So today, amid all the confusion and destruction taking place of much that is noblest and best, we must cling to the belief that there is an eternal purpose, delayed only by man's folly," he said. "In the belief that those things for which we are fighting—justice, freedom, truth, honour—are essential parts of the eternal purpose, we commemorate and honour those gallant men and women who fell in fulfilling that purpose."