PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 72, 22 February 1940, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

LOYALTY APPRECIATED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Feb. 21. Assurances of loyalty to the King and allegiance to the Throne were conveyed by the Presbyterian General Assembly to the Governor-General (Viscount Galway) to-day, when he visited the Assembly at St. Andrew’s Church and received at the hands of the Moderator tho address embracing these sentiments. The Moderator reminded His Excellency that he was following great traditions observed in Scotland, where it was the custom of the King to appoint a Lord High Commissioner to attend church at Edinburgh each year. Lord Galway’s reply to the address stated: “It is most pleasing to me, as the representative of the King in this Dominion, to accept for His Majesty the loyal address from the Presbyterian people of New Zealand. It will be my pleasure to arrange for its transmission to the King at an early date. As His Majesty’s representative, I greatly appreciate tlie sentiments expressed in the address, and the attachment to His Majesty and allegiance to the 'Throne. That loyalty is typical of this groat Dominion and its people, and in its maintenance lies the iinest safeguard of that great Empire to which we are proud to belong. “It will be most gratifying to the King, I am sure, to have this assurance of allegiance a.n<l also the promises of prayers for an honourable and lasting peace.” His Excellency added a word of congratulation to the Assembly upon the achievements of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, and expressed the hope that it would pass from strength to strength, adding to _ the admirable work of the past. There was a wish among some people to harp upon the differences which separated the beliefs of the various religious denominations, but 1m thought they should look with gratitude upon the ties which bound the people together, and look with pride upon the spread of religious faith in the Dominion. This work had been done so well in the past, and-it was pleasing to see that, even in these days of war, it was possible to move forward, fortified by faith that right and justice would prevail. “We pray that peace may come,” said Viscount Galway. “Whether it comes early or be delayed, we feel sure this peace should be just and lasting, and founded upon principles which all civilised people will respect. These are dark days, but our faith will bo made strong by the trials to which we have to submit. We pray for the blessings of Heaven on the work we are doing and the struggles wc arc making to ensure peace and freedom.”