ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 53

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

UNVEILING OF STATHAM MEMORIAL WINDOW. The Statham memorial window in St. Paul's Cathedral was unveiled on tiunday by Bishop Nevill. The service was the usual matins to the third collect, witli hymn 27, the hymn sung before the army went up the hits of Gallipoli, and Psalm 27, The choir and clergy walked in procession to the baptistry, where the window was placed, winch was unveiled by tire Bishop alter a short service consisting- o* prayers and responses. Then followed the sermon and the concluding blessing and hymn 540, “Fight the Good Fight,' terminated a most impressive service. The Bishop took his text “ Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant ” (2 Samuel i, 23), said: These words form a part of that incornparab e funeral dirge which was composed by David on the occasion ol the death of Saul and Jonathan upon the mountains of Giiboa —a great catastrophe had overwhelmed the lsraelit-isli nation. The Israelites were, indeed, the chosen people of Cod, yet the Philistines, votaries of a false retig.on, had been suffered to defeat them with great slaughter. But the Israelites had fallen away from God, had neglected their religion, and plunged into the sensual indulgences of the heathen by whom they were surrounded, thus, m defence oi His moral government, God permitted them to be punisned by their enemies. The words of my text have a natural application to our ceremony of today; but that ceremony is fraught with no little solemnity since, however much of personal sympathy it. may excite within us, it carries us back to the tragedy of Gallipoli—Gallipoli, on whose hilltops the British nation fell under the d.scipiine of God, and whence a great wave of suffering spread throughout our Empire. _ God did not prefer the Turk to the Christian, but he allowed the Turk, with his impure reli gion, to remind the Christian that his higher knowledge and purer faith demanded a holier life; that the revelation of the love of God in Christ, which is the glory of Christianity, calls for .the response of the human soul in devoted worship; and that djvine majesty is affronted by human presumption and neglect; lienee the national rebuke. But Cod is not unrighteous that Ho should forget His faithful ones who had offered their lives in vindication of Ilis laws. No! Though in a general calamity all are alike involved in a materia! overthrow, yet will the All-seeing ever discern between him that servetli Him and hnn that sorveth Him .not. “for the Lord is mindful of His own. He renrenibereth Ills children.” , In this faith we have unveiled to-day a beautiful memorial of two noble youths who fell in fighting the battles of the Lord. Many others there were who went forth from us who shared the same fate. Some may be represented in this congregation. Wo recall at least the. two brave sons of our absent bishop; we hail them all as Heroes. It is intended one day to place a window in this Cathedral which shall be a memorial of them all. Ladies are. already engaged in collecting funds for that purpose, and if sufficient is forthcoming probably the great window over the entrance will be dedicated a memorial to all who, of whatever rank or creed, fell in our defence. AII were the flower of our y-oung men, the pride of our country, the glory of their parents and bereaved relations, and we inscribe their names in the imperishable record of our hearts.