Thanksgiving Service at Woodville

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 224, 21 September 1943, Page 8

Thanksgiving Service at Woodville

Owing to inclement weather, tho service to be held in *he Square on Sunday afternoon was conducted in the W.I. Hall and was attended by a large and representative gathering. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. Ohas. Forbes) opened with an excellent address in which he said: “This service was arranged to offer our thanksgiving for the latest victory we have so far won in this war, a victory which will surely stand out as one of the most glorious epics in the annuls of the British Empire. We are here to honour the men whose deeds made this victory possible. We honour our New Zealand boys who played such a glorious part in that which led up to this victory. Some, unfortunately, will not return but their duty to their King and country has been nobly done. When we look back to the time when Italy so treacherously attacked France we feel to-day that she has only got what she deserved. I would like to refer to the people of Britain and the other nations who form the Commonwealth of Nations. One occasionally hears idle talk about the decay of our Empire, about the break-up of the great world group w r e form. That is a misreading of the real signs of the times. It is true this great commonwealth is being tested as never before in. its history. But is it not standing the test? Is not the worldwide cooperation to-day holding together more successfully than ever before under the most searching test? Too much cannot be said of the British people and of the R.A.F. who defeated the Nazis over Britain after our setback at Dunkirk, and I question if we would have been having this service to-day if it had not been for them. Our first reaction should be one of humility and of thanks to our forces and our leaders. We have yet to face up to the tasks which lie ahead, but let us go forward, confident of the victory which will be ours aud to a new and better world." The order of service started with the National Anthem, after which the Rev. Nicholas read a Psalm and the Rev. Penn offered up a prayer. Tho choir’s rendering of “The King of Kings" under the baton of Mrs. McCormick was particularly praiseworthy. A litany of thanksgiving was conducted by the Rev. W. Skey. In his address Captain Ojala declared that someone had been praying, instancing the case of Generals Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener j kneeling to pray after a victory in the last war and referring to the many I miracles of deliverance we had experienced due, he was convinced, to prayer. The miracle of Dunkirk, where waters j usually very rough were smooth and ! calm all the time the evacuation was taking place, was in answer to the day of prayer called by the King the Sunday previous. A remarkable parallel ] was taken from tho Bible, Book of | Samuel I, in which the Philistines drew nigh unto battle against Israel. Captain Ojala changed place names and it read almost identically with a report of recent events in Egypt, proving that the Bible was indeed up to date. He went on to stress the point that we were not gathered together to gloat over the downfall of Italy, but to give thanks to God for giving us vfctory. He was firmly convinced that if we did more real praying, even to laying down j our tools for a day of prater, the war 'would end much sooner than otherwise I will be the case. Captain Ojala finished his address by throwing out a personal challenge. “We know we are going to be victorious," he said. “But are we going to be worthy of victory when it cPmes?" He emphasised the importance of home influences and good citizenship and a&ked if the people's standard of purfty and honesty was 100 per cent. * 4 When final victory comes,' * he went on, “and bands are playing and parades taking place and we gather together for the big day of thanksgiving, may we be ready to accept this challenge and see to it that the post-war world will be a better I world because of the application of true Christian principles?'' After the singing of another hymn the Rev. Skey pronounced tho Benediction and the service concluded.