"TOC H" FESTIVAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20316, 26 January 1928, Page 14

"TOC H" FESTIVAL.

MOVING CEREMONY IN ALBERT HALL AUCKLAND BRANCH RECEIVES ITS LAMP. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 14. * Too H ” was started again in London in 1919-1920 by the Rev. P. T. B. Clayton and some survivors of the Ypres Salient. Its first aim was to recapture the war’s spirit of comradeship in common service, and to pass it on to the younger generation. Now it is an organisation with world-wide branches. Some indication of its extent and power was apparent at the twelfth birthday festival last week end. The Prince of Wales, who is patron of Toe H, took part in the proceedings, and outlined a scheme for a permanent organisation to carry on the work, and appealed for the funds necessary for , its endowment. It was proposed, he said, to make a “ general staff ” of 20 to take charge of the leadership of Toe H. For this purpose, and as a permanent endowment, they needed £250,000. That would secure Toe H for all time as a living memorial. Thirty-two lamps for new' branches were lighted by the Prince of Wales. Amongst these were 11 for branches in the dominions. Mr F. Thompson carried the lamp for the Auckland branch, which was formed on December 8, 1926. This was at the festival held in the Albert Hall on the Saturday night. ■ SERVICE AT THE ABBEY. The celebrations began with a service in Westminster Abbey and an overflow gathering at St. Margaret’s. During the service the Prince presented three wooden crosses from the graves of unknown soldiers in Flanders to representatives from Toe H groups at Johannesburg, Rugby, and Melton Mowbray.

Hundreds of people were unable to get in the Abbey of St. Margaret’s. The majority of the immense congregation were men in blazers and flannel trousers. There were girls present, too, for Toe H has 'a kindred organisation for women. At the beginning of the service, with the organ playing, a hundred Toe H padres marched to their places in the ohoir. Then following a prayer, while all stood singing, the Prince was conducted to the steps of the sanctuary, and presented the wooden crosses.

Then the banner bearers, headed by the choir and clergy, went in procession, two by two, to the tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Nearly 250 banners were there—from Canada, Australia, India, and Ceylon—and they stood by the tomb where the dean said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” and there came the ividewhispered response, “ Enter thout into the joy of thy Lord.” On the Saturday afternoon, too, the Duchess of York, who is patroness of the League of Women Helpers of Toe H, visited All Hallows Church, Barking-by-the Tower, and in the Chapel of the Lamp alongside the battle cross of Gilbert Talbot, she set up the banner of the Australian section of the league which was presented to her by the women’s branch of the Toe H of victoria, and brought back by her from Australia for this special purpose. Afterwards the Duchess was conducted by the vicar across Great Tower street to the Women Helpers’ Hostel, “New June,” where she met women representatives of the movement from every part of the country, and also trom overseas, and helped to stir the hostel’s Christmas pudding. AT THE ALBERT HALL. The first part of the festival gathering was a merry affair. All floor space and galleries fn the great Albert Hall were crowded with members of Toe H and their friends. The people assembled amidst much jolly noise, friendly greetings, and enthusiastic shouts of recognition. Air balloons floated about the hall, and “ war cries ” re-echoed from one part of the great building to the other. During the first hour there was community singing. A volume of popular songs has been printed for the express use of Toe H. “ Ilkley Moor,” “ Bobby Shafto,” “ Three Blind Mice,” “ Billy Boy,” 'Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes,” and “ Shenandoah,” figured amongst the musical programme. When Mr Harold Williams rose to sing the first of his solo parts he was greeted with shouts of “Take your coat off,” and immediately responding, it was in immaculate white shirt sleeves and white dress waistcoat that he delighted the audinece. The singing was led by the band of the Welsh Guards. PRINCE’S APPEAL. Tumultuous cheering greeted the appearance of the Prince of Wales in his box opposite the organ, and this outburst was succeeded with the lusty singing of “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” There was a fresh outburst of cheering some time later when the Prince walke'd through the hall to the platform to make his appeal. The speech was broadcast. He spoke wonderfully clearly, only referring to a paper with a note or two on it from time to time. Not only was every word heard in the hall, for his voice was “ amplified,” but “ listeners-in ” all over the country heard equally clearly. “ The spirit of Toe H is deeds, not words,” he said. “ As I have been asked to say a few words, and as I feel that they should point to action, it is to action that I would call Toe H to-night. Let us for a minute review the last 12 years since that drab December day when Talbot House opened its doors for the first time to soldiers in Poperinghe. Those of us members who, because of our age, fought in the Great War. saw Talbot House, a war baby, born; but the majority among us, because they were too young, only saw the birth of Toe H as a peace-time baby. But although of necessity we are divided into these two categories, all of us have seen Too H grow, and as members of Toe H we unite the older generation and. the younger generation in the new spirit of service.—(Cheers.) A BIG TASK. “What exactly is Toe II? It is a power for good. It teaches thousands to do good with their lives. Each member pays his way in proportion to his means, but, above all, he tries to perform a spare-time job of citizenship—such as organising Scouts’ camps and other things. Now all of us have a fine work, but we cannot allow it to be strangled and leave it unfinished or insecure. It is a power for good, but we must make it a permanent one, and for this a scheme for the extension and consolidation of Toe H has been explored and adopted. This scheme is the creation of an endowment fund in 1928,, the tenth, year from the Armistice. This is a big task, but it is one in which I want tonight to enlist my hearers, both these seen and unseen, because I want them to help to create this endowment fund. “ No one has more experience of appeals than I have. —(Laughter.) I don’t want you to think I am boasting—(laughter)— but no one has to ask more on behalf of good causes than I have to do. So I can claim to know what the demand and the strain are nowadays on the cheque books of the generous. But I am undaunted—(laughter)—and am going to ask again.— (Cheers. ) Toe H, as we know, is a big organisation, and big organisations need leadership. Toe H has many branches and to those branches belong thousands of members. A general staff of leaders must be formed to supervise these voluntary services of members. In these days it is not possible to get suitable men who should constitute this general staff of_ Toe H, unless you can attract them with somethin<» very definite. They absolutely must be whole-time jobs, and you cannot expect to get the right man and get the best out of him unless that man is relieved from the financial anxiety of daily life. ANNUAL INCOME OF £19,000. “What is needed is a fund capable of producing an annual income of £IO,OOO to maintain not less than 20 really good whole-time jobs for Toe H leaders. A fund is also needed for capital outlay and additional houses to serve as rallying points for members and radiating centres for their work. A sum of £250,000 will secure Toe II for all time as a living memorial. Is it too much to ask that this sum may be forthcoming before we meet again at our next birthday festival? I have known Toe H from its earliest days, and I have watched Toe H with hope through all its most difficult days. If it is going to be the big thing that we expect it must never lose its first and truest spirit—the spirit was manliness and cheerfulness. Toe H also has depth. The depth must not grow shallow. Do not let your lights burn low. That light is sorely needed; never more than now.” —(Loud cheers.) LIGHTING THE LAMPS. , After the interval, when the ceremony of lighting the lamps of maintenance be-

gan, all the pwriment that had hitherto reigned subsided into la. solemn eilencej the vast arena which, but a few moments before, had reverberated with shouts of greeting and banter, became suddenly invested with an unearthly stillness. From the opening opposite the organ there emerged an impressive cloud of witnesses to the inspiration and the faith of Toe H—-a procession of 600 members bearing banners emblazoned with the names of many parts of the globe. All the areas of Great Britain were represented: the dominions of the Empire, the United States of America, and British colonies contributed to the amazing cortege which traversed the hall and made its way to the tiers of seats on each side of the organ and to the platform underneath. The audience, now entirely possessed by a sentiment of reverence, sang “ The Inheritance,” “ They Trusted God, Unslumbering and Unsleeping,” as the Prince of Wales took his seat on the platform, prominent figures on which, beside him, were the beloved founder padre, the Rev. P. T. B. Clayton (“Tubby”) and Private Pettifer, in khaki and steel helmet. Ever so softly the band played divine, haunting music; gradually the lights of the hall were extinguished; then, the transformation complete, there was unfolded the spectacle of 300 rushlights, constituting a constellation of brilliance amid the encircling gloom. In the semi-obscurity one saw the Prince, a boyish figure, seated before his own lamp. Over 30 delegates, representative of new branches in this country and in Britain’s possessions overseas, passed slowly before him, and, on bended knee, had their lamps lighted by him. OUR ELDER BRETHREN. “Let us remember out- elder brethren ' —those words, uttered with deep solemnity by the founder padre, broke the spell of a wondrous experience. “We will remember them,” came the response from 8000 throats. Then a hush of silent prayer. The stillness was dramatically broken from a distant corridor by the sounding of “ Last Post” by buglers of the Welsh Guards. The mood of mourning was changed by the triumphant sounding of “Reveille” by trumpeters of the Royal Horse Guards (Blue) stationed immediately above the organ. The lights went up; we returned to earth. “Tubby,” his_ right arm in a sling owing to neuritis, delivered a little speech characteristically intermingled with solemnity and wit. Padre Owen Watkins recited prayers; and the singing of “Jerusalem” brought to a close one of the most remarkable gatherings, strange, mixture of hilarity and hererence, that even the Albert Hall has ever witnessed. FIRST GERMAN MEMBER.

On tho Sunday services were held in various churches. The world-wide spread of Too H was emphasised at the “family gathering ” of about 1500 members at the London Rifle Brigade Drill Hall, on the ! Sunday afternoon, which ended the 192/ birthday festival, when the first German member was welcomed. The Rev. (Padre) Ted Davidson, of Australia, urged those who were going to Australia to give details of their journey and destination to Toe H headquarters so that they could receive tile hospitality waiting for them out there. “ Toe H has become more than British, it is becoming world-wide. We have with us the first German member of Toe H, Mr H. Jensen.” Responding to calls for a speech, Mr Jensen said that he was very proud of being the first German member privileged to speak at a Toe H gathering. Major Craver, of Hull, who has just returned from a tour of South Africa, said: “The spirit of Toe H will bind nations together far better than any League of Nations or politician." £25,000 RECEIVED IN A DAY. On the Monday following the ' Birthday Festival £25,000 was received in response to the appeal made by the Prince of Wales For £250,000 as a permanent endowment of the movement. Among the contributions was a- cheque for £IO,OOO from Sir Charles Hyde. It is reported thdt appeal offices have oecn opened at Byron House, St. James's street, S.W.I. All communications should be addressed to the appeal director at :his address, and cheques should be made to the treasurer, Toe H, and crossed out Barclay’s Bank.