OPENED BY PRAYER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 219, 14 August 1940, Page 9

OPENED BY PRAYER.

BOROUGH COUNCIL’ MEETING. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 13. Members of the liiccarton Borough Council began their meeting last evening by standing and repeating the Lord’s Prayer. This observance, unusual at a local body meeting, was adopted as a precedent for future meetings of the council, at the suggestion of the Mayor (Mr H. S. S. Kvlo, M.P .), who explained that the idea had occurred to him alter hearing a sermon by Archdeacon Russell, of Oamaru, in St. James’s Church, Lower liiccarton. “Perhaps you may think me unorthodox, when one considers the ordinary' duties of Mayors,” said Mr Kyle, as the meeting was about to begin. “But the Deputy-Mayor (Cr George) and myself had the privilege recently of attending a service in St. James’s Church at the invitation of the vicar. The serniqn was preached by Archdeacon Russell, who took the text. ‘Be not afraid.’ I think the whole sermon was prepared for the local body members who were present, and he was asking them to give a lead in Christian principles. “Cr George and I have conferred about it since.” Mr Kyle went oil. “At the opening of Parliament each clay a prayer is said, and I thought we con Id not give a better lead to public opinion, as local body lenders, than by invoking tlie blessing of the Almighty on our proceedings, and reciting the Lord’s Prayer. As Mayor. I am prepared to ask you to stand and sav the Lord’s Prayer.” Led bv Mr Kyle, the council repeated the prayer, and then proceeded to the evening’s business.