ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20601, 27 June 1930, Page 13

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.

SERVICE ON REOPENING. NATIONAL THANKSGIVING. LOKDOST, June 25. A service of* 40 minutes, rich in religious pageantry, marked the culmination of years of toil in preserving St. Paul's Cathedral for all timß as the Empire's parish church. The national thanksgiving was attended by King George and Queen Mary, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, Cabinet Ministers, bishops from all over the world, including the Archbishops of Australia and New Zealand. The Dominion representatives included the New Zealand High Commissioner, Sir Thomas Wilford. The hymn " 0 God, Our Help in Ages Past " was sung, which enabled the whole congregation to take part in the thanksgiving. Their Majesties drove through the crowded streets in an open four-horse carriage with outriders. At Temple Bar, on the boundary of the City of London, the drive was checked for the ancient ceremony of the presentation of the City sword to the King. On the arrival of the King the sword and macs were reversed, and the Lord Mayor, Sir William Waterlow, receiving the pearl-handled sword from a swordbearer, surrendered it, with the point lowered, to the King. The Lord Mayor, the aldermen, sheriffs and commanders then led the procession to the cathedral, where th® service was conducted by the Bishop of London, Dr. A. F. Wilmington Ingram. The exceptionally large number of bishops and clergy from all. parts of the Empire who were present :at the service was due to the fact that they are visiting London for the Lambeth Conference.