AT THE CATHEDRAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18410, 17 May 1920, Page 7

AT THE CATHEDRAL.

SIMPLE ANGLICAN SERVICE,

A HUGE CONGREGATION,

By th© request of th© Prince, all formalities wer© dispensed with on the occasion of his attendance at yesterday moruing’s service in the Anglican Cathedral. Consequently there was no procession. The Prince was received at the west door by the Dean and his assistant (the Rev. H. A. Shore) and, preceded by the verger, was conducted to his seat just in front of the lectern. The service was a simple congregational service in which no Imperialistic note was struck, except briefly by the preacher, but the circumstances were such as to raise to a high pitch one’s prida in British citizenship. Hanging over the chancel was the New Zealand ensign, which flew from H.NI.S. New Zealand throughout every engagement in tho North Sea, and it seemod appropriate that tho Prince, in naval uniform, should bo seated by the side of a chief-of-staff who had had the honour of showing the Hag in the seven-seas voyage of the Dominion’s battleship. The Cathedral had none of the age-old associations of English cathqdrals, but standing proudly in the farthest-flung outpost of Empire it must have inspired in the Prince and his party a feeling of pride and veneration that could hardly be shared by those born and bred under the Southern. Cross. One’s mind went back to many a solemn servico in the Cathedral—to Scott and his naval companions, attending servico before their last expedition, and to the impressive memorial service for tho lost explorer and his party, attended by tho remnant of the expedition. British flags of varying significance and historical value draped the walls of the Cathedral, and these and the reproduction of a simple Anglican servico so many miles from the Motherland might well have induced th© reflection among the visitors, They little know of England, \ Who only England; know.

There was an enormous congregation, which was even permitted to stand in tho side aisles and overflow into the vacant places near the sides of tho chancel. Tho Mayor and Mayoress and City Councillors occupied reserved seats, and the military authorities were also strongly represented. The Prince was seated at the inner end of the front row on the right hand side of the central aisle, and Admiral Halsey sat next to him. A heavy rug was laid for the Royal party, and little desks were placed in front of the chairs. Tho Prince arrived to the minute. In th© interval before his arrival the organist (Dr Bradshaw) played as a voluntary an improvisation of “God Bless the Brinco of Wales,” but as soon as the Prince was seated — tlie whole congregation standing moanwhile—the service was commenced with tfye old hymn “ O God Our Help in Ages Past.” Following it came the Lord’s Prayer and versioles, and the Venite. The choir then sang Psalms 121 and 122, psalms which seemed to have a special message for the young Prince.

The first lesson (Lent. 30, 11 to tho end) was read by the Rev J. de B. Galwey, and the second lesson (1 Peter, 2. 11 to the end) was read by tho Rev Canon Mutter. Stanford’s To Deurn was sung by the choir and afterwards came the Bencdiotua and the Apostles Creed, with versicles and collects. During the anthem, Purcell’s '“Rejoice in the Lord,” the Prince and his suite remained seated. Prayers and Grace were followed hv tho sermon, and the concluding hymn was “All People that on Earth do Dwell.” After the 1 -tiediction the congregation sang “'God Save the King.” The last voluntary was Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance.” The offertories were in aid of St Saviour’s orphanage. The. Prince left the Cathedral by the west door, where an enormous crowd of people had gathered.

THE DEAN’S SERMON. Dean Carrington preached from the text, St Luke, 1, 74 and 75:

“That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him -without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”

There were two collects in the prayer book, both intended to be used in the morning, tho Dean said. One called upon God as “ the author of peace and lover of concord, in .the knowledge of whom standeth eternal life and in whose service is perfect freedom.” The other began, “0, Lord, our heavenly Father, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day.” It prayed from deliverance from errors and recklessness, and asked for God’s guidance through the opening day. Tho acknowledgment of G-od’s past care was striking in its simplicity and pregnant in its meaning. Remembering the precariousness of life, the innumerable risks and escapes of infancy and childhood and young manhood, it became a wonder how one’s lifo successfully unfolded itself in all its sensitive and intricate working through tho myriad changes and chances of illness and accident, and still more how one’s career somehow was shaped through so many adventures and misadventures, and that one could stand in God’s presence, full of heart and hope, sound in wind and limb, with high courage to take up the new adventure of another day. The collect was a good prayer with, which to begin the day, and if it was q, good prayer for an individual it was a good prayer for a nation. The story of the prayer book, the Dean continued, was almost an epitome of English history, for how often had the collect gone up from the hearts of the people after some great deliverance ? From the very first there had been in tho hearts of the race a very great trust in God, and a deep sense, of Divine purpose and care. The great adventures in the nation’s history had rarely fallen out according to the desi*® of ouataiag stateamsa or tha fore-

thought of the wise. England had been carried through her greatest dangers rather in spite of political craft than because of it. Even in looking at tho wonderful Empire to-day, it could not be said that the race had ever consciously designed it. It seemed to have grown, as the Englishman grew, unconsciously, while lie was thinking of something else. In looking round on tho mighty heritage which had become so strangely their own, one realised what great responsibility had been thrust upon the nation, and it was a responsibility greater to-day than ever before. Tho Empire had just passed through the greatest crisis of its history, and stood safely at the beginning of a new day, bub it was a new day that would tax all the faith, courage, loyalty and independence of spirit that they possessed. There was still in tho hearts of the people, however, That strange blend that could ho traced right back into the past—a singular blond of the spirit of independence, freedom and iniativo, which made every man do his best, combined with a strong feeling of loyalty one to another which made thorn work together in a common cause. It was the blend of servico and freedom, and behind it was a deep consciousness of a iv oil-tried trust in God. Nowhere in history was .that blend so strikingly illustrated as in tho relations between tho people and the Monarchy. From tho very first, with just a lew exceptions, thoro had never boon in England that disastrous cleavage between Sovereign and people that there used to ho between the noblesse and common people ot the Continent. Between the monarchy and (the subject in England there had ever boon a comradeship, and it was never shown more brilliantly than in these last days. When most of the European sovereigns had fared so ill, the King and Queen of Britain •were driving through tumultuous crowds in London without a guard, and nobody thought it strange. They saw in it the evidence of a bond which no statesman or politician could create. It grew out ol the hearts of the people, from a long history of comradeship, and it was strengthened by the knowledge (that in the Royal household the family had upheld tho highest typo of manly and womanly service, home purity, and simplicity of life in which all good men and women of the race found their highest ideals. For that also they thanked God. It wag, an augury full of happy promise for days to come. As they stood on tho threshold of a new age, lot them thank God who had safely brought them so far and entrusted them with ,so great a task, and pray in confidence that His guidance might hear them on, both Prince and people, to tho full achievement of His purpose in tho great days that Ih.v ahead. “ May God bless you,” was the Dean’B final word-