The Late Queen.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3002, 28 January 1901, Page 4

The Late Queen.

MEMORIAL SERVICES

Memorial services were held in the churches in Timaru yesterday, and were largely attended. The weather was very pleasant, and favourable to the assembling of large congregations. ST. MARY'S.

The memorial service at St. Mary s in the morning was attended by the Volunteers, and the church was crowded. Chairs were placed along the aisles, arid seats had to be brought from the vestry and placed in front of the usual seating. The Volunteers paraded at the Drill Shed, a-nd headed by the Battalion Band, playing, with muffled drums, the “Dead March, the companies marched to the church. There was a very good muster. A band of two-and-twenty, was followed by about as many of the Mounted Rifles in khaki, with b. ac feathers in hat, and mourning band on arm. Among them were Troopers Hedges and Bowie, returned from the war. Then came the City Rifles, Port Guards and Turnin' Rifles, averaging about 45 each, with then respective officers, and the G.Y.C. were is presented by Sergeant Melton. Colmm Bailey, Sergeant-Majors Jones and Brad ej " followed immediately after the band. 1 •- whole of the men went into the church, and after the service marched back to tin Drill Shed for dismissal. • The westen door was draped with black, and there nil a considerable amount of such draping a ; the eastern end, with draped flags am. funeral wreaths. The liturgy used wa* specially arranged for the occasion. Psalm. 90, 23. and 130; Lessons, Wisdom of Solomon 111., 1-9, and St. John hi., 16-18 • Hymns, 266, 401, 53, and an adaptation oj 610 (A. and M.) were used. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper P reac j iec! from 2 Samuel XXIII., 2,3, 4 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and Hu Word was in my tongue. Ihe God o. Israel said: He that ruleth over men mus. be just ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun liseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. On two other notable occasions m -the last thirteen years there had been similar gatherings in that house of God, with one thought pervading all minds all impelled by one impulse, one spirit of enthusiastic gratitude and love. These occasions were the celebrations of the Jubilee of our beloved Queen, and the celebration of the sixtieth year of her glorious reign. Now they were met again, but how different the> occaSion The appearance of the church, the sei rice in which they had taken part, were eloquent of that difference, yet the same spontaneous impulse of the heart, the same spirit of personal reverence and affection, now moved every heart as before. Oui Queen had passed away, at least from mortal sight, yet she is still, and ever will be, enthroned in the hearts and memories of the British race, and especially in the hearts of all of us who have had the great privilege of living in the reign « rf ow beared and gracious Queen Victoria. The preacher then took his hearers back sixtythree years, to the early hour of the morn ingf when a high officer of State and the Archbishop of Canterbury, caused the rtd! youthful princess to be aroused from her sleep, and announced to her her acc ® ss “ to the throne, when the very first words she spoke were “Archbishop, I beg your grace to pray for me.” So she began her reign and when a year afterwards, sto went on < beautiful summer’s morning, to Westminster Abbey—a living mass of people without, . waiting her appearance, amidst a. booming of guns, the ringing of bells; within th. glorious sanctuary, the very home of ah that is greatest and noblest in the anna . of our history, that covers the dust of king, and queens, warriors and statesmen, poe - £d artists,’ thinkers and so many of the greatest in the history of Zr .Jon, her. she knelt in ».’«» P»?« before the altar, and the whole of the vast assemblage that crowded every niche knelt their Queen. The ceremony c investiture with the sword of IC ® J a „ described, and the -appeal to the young sovereign recited, that , she should _ - do justice,- .stop the growth of miqmtyprotect the, church, defend the eveak and punish wrong-doers, doing all as a fa thM servant of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. The ■Queen -■ then received the Holy Communion, and the solemn ceremony ended amidst the aofclamation of an enthusiastic and devoted people. That was sixtyrtwo years ago ' Now the streets are crowded with a population twice as numerous. ‘London is vaster. All over tha British Isles towns have become cities, villages have become towns, and rthe great British Empire Kas emerged into magnificent life, building up its ; cities and its powerful communities in every part cf the globe. And ainidst it aIL to-day There is a hush Of sorrow* .music has ceased, except the most solemn; colour has fled from the streets ; the silver, cord is loosed, the golden bow is broken; the Queen lies in her palace,! dead;-. And what were The peopie Baying ■of her? North, south, east and ;west; from* our, loved New Zealand homes, and The- vast Tracts of Australia, from India’s teeming plains and glorious mountains; from Africa’s broad veldt, ' where so many gallant hearts are Btill gladly risking life and health, and all that! man counts dear for their Queen and country; from Egypt, claiming a monarchy as far back as history can go; from every nook and corner in the Mother Country ; from thousands of ships whereever ships can sail; from the snows and fertile lands of Canada; from every land where British drum and bugle are heard and the old flag flies; from the millions of . our kith and kin in America.; and further atill, from people whom we cannot claim as kith and kin —there is but one reply, &nd it could not be better voiced than in the wdfds of Our Lord himself —“Well done thou good and faithful servant.” Queen and Empress, she was in all the true servant of the people, because she was a true servant of God. There was no need to dwell, there, on the splendid untiring, sagacious, prudent, high-souled labours of the Queen, in all her powerful eo-operation with her various Ministers, setting such an example that w.e may be sure that the Monarchy of Great Britain is envied by the most successful Republic of modern days. It was not his place to dilate on her wonderful political sagacity «nd all that she had done for her people; that had been so excellently set forth by the Press of to-day, that from it they could learn almost the whole history of the Queen without seeking any other source for it. He wished to speak her as a servant of ■God, for that was the real secret of her wonderful power. Erom the hour of her secession she had realised the words of his text, and that was why she still lived in the hearts of men. Every age has its own temptations, and the marvellous progress of the last half century had provided temptations to men to think that they coffid do without God. But it occasioned no surpise that this daughter of a long double line of kings was accustomed to visit and read the Bible to sick cottagers, and to visit the hospitals and dying soldiers. It was not too much to Bay that at her presence impurity, vice, ■ dishonesty, had fled from court and courtly life, and her influence had immeasurably purified social life and raised the standard of moral conceptions throughout the Empire. One has but to compare the state of society in the time of Queen Elizabeth with the present, to see now vast is the difference, in this respect. She had Uved in “ the fierce light that beats aeon a throne,” yet not a single spot was •Beau O"’ ;’■ n fair record of Our Gracious Queen. -Vi •■■■rr ibe world, as well as Ki the c-,' v-’-ri; of dm Home land, rite-Would be '■■■»■ e' 'hi iTnpres^ • -e- <ri >.oe IT ' (o be Tie'ideal of conclusion lub i-in-aueacou pointed out that after such a life her mourning sub- 1

jects would feel assured that while her body would be laid in an earthly sepulchre, her spirit was with God, who gave it, and he appealed to the congregation to let her example enter into their hearts and make them better men, better women, better citizens, better husbands, tvi\ es, and daughters, and better Christians. At the close of the sermon the Bind, stationed in the vestry, played the Dead March, and the congregation was then dismissed. It was announced that special services will be held on the day appointed for the Queen’s funeral, a special funeral service at 8 p.m., that being almost the hour of the beginning of daylight cn the day when Her Majesty will be buried in the sepulchre of her fathers. In the evening a similar service was held, an-. 1 the Rev. J. M. Adcock preached an excellent sermon from the Ist verse of the 44th Psalm. There was a good congregation.

TRINITY CHURCH,

The service at Trinity Presbyterian Church u as; of a most sincere and solemn character. The reading-desk v.as draped in mourning, and covered wTh choice flowers; and in front of the desk was a beautiful wreath of white flowers and maiden hair ferns, having “V.” outlined in the centre. A prolusion of lovely flowers also covered the pulp t rails and pillars. The service opened with the singing of hymn 523 —national humiliation—“ Great King of Nations, hear our Prayer,” and the other musical jortions of the service were most appropriate. After the reading of the first Scripture the chosen hymn for the children “ Here we suffer grief and pain ” —“ God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ”; and after the sermon, the beautiful number relating to the Christian life, to peace and hope—2Bs,“ Peace, perfect peace “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace., whose mind is stayed on Thee.” The prayers offer. J by the Rev. W. Gillies were most earnest and heartfelt. The congregation in common with multitudes of others had met that day to honour the memory of the Que: i, and Mr Gillies thanked God for His goodness in permitting her to reign so long, and that when the final summons ci me her illness was not a lingering one; thanked God that our Queen was from the beginning a child of Christ; that in her early life she gave her heart to Jesus, and all through a long life she looked to God as her Guide; that i:> her exalted position she was never ashamed to own Him as her Lord and Saviour. ’rayed also for the new King and Alexa Jra, the Queen Consort ; prayed God to uide the King as He had guided his n - her; and that the King would look to God for everything. Prayed, also, that the King in his exalted position would follow in the footsteps of his beloved mother, ever retain the memory of her great influence for good; and put his whole trust in the keeping of Almighty God. The sermon by Mr Gillies was based upon the first and second clauses of the 21sfc verse of the 9th chapter of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah: —“For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces.” The year and the centry were, he said, yet young, Sunday was but their fourth Sabbath, yet how much had already taken place fraught with mighty issues in the future which neither his hearers nor he could divine. Death! had been busy with his worldgirdling scythe, and over all the Empire had been hanging the clouds and darkness of w r ar; and its bloodsheds -and its sorrows, with widespread tiouble and alarm among the nations of tin earth. Three such short weeks of the year and the century had not passed away ere a darker cloud arose upon the horizon, mws of the failing strength of her who not only sat enthroned and reigned as Queen and Empress over (with all its faults) the greatest nation, the widest Empire the world had ever seen, but who also lived enthroned and reigned within the heai Is and held sway over the affections of her many million subjects. Her subjects here scarce had time to realise the news of her illness when the wires flashed the heavy tidings that our beloved Queen was dead; and the prophet’s plaint in the text became the Empire’s wail. No otl "r death in the past, no other death in tin present, could make so profound an impression, or fill so many hearts with sadness in so many lands. “A world’s loss, a nation’s grief,” such were the terse arl telling terms in which the Premier of this colony had announced the sad tidings; and under tiie shadow of that world’s loss and nation’s grief they gathered together that day, saddened, sorrowing, solemnized, yet not repining against ncr distrustful of tin Providence of God Thao had removed her from her earthly throne and palace. She had been spared to the nation and the world beyond the ordinary allotted span of human life; had been Queen for over 63 years, and God gave her grace and wisdom and goodness above all that went before or reigned around her. Mr Gillies then dwelt in earnest terms on the noble example the Queen had set, not as Queen, but by the grace of God ns a humble believer in Jesus Christ. She nobly lived the Christian life, and used her personal gifts and endowments as one enI trusted with tremendous responsibilities by God—responsibilities v/hich she undertook and discharged in the fear of Gel, for His glory, and for the good of tiie nation and the world. She was not perfect or without fault; but these were minor points in her character and isolated facts in her life. Her nobiVy of rank was excelled by her nobility cf character. Her people mourned the wor 1 1’s loss, the nation’s grief; but thanked l .ud for the noble woman, who in the sight of God was us the poorest and meanest of His subjects ; the good Queen, the long life, the glorious reign, the peaceful setting of the sun, the precious memory left behind with its legacy of example, stimt ’ s, and comfort. Mr Gillies said that ’ did not attempt to give any sketch r the Queen’s personal history or reyew . ,r long and illustrious reign—the press supplied these in abundant fulness. He simply paid his little tribute to the memory, because of her goodness as Queen and in all the relations of her many sided life. He asked his hearers to join him in paying that tribute, as a Christian congregation and as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church a Church that had ever been loyal end true to Crown and Throne in all that was rightfully due thereto. Mr Gillies clc.eecl liis remarks by appealing earnestly to his hearers to live a Christian life, in their several stations; in the world, the empire, the church, and the fami’y in which God had placed them, with the same call to embrace his saving grace know His upholding strength, rest in His abiding

love, and to serve him in the things and in the way He allotted to them, with the same hope set before them of well done good and faithful servant,” wh m the work is done. Some lines written by Mr Gillies were recited by him, and brought a deeply interesting s mon to a close. The congregation was a large one, and ninny of them wore signs of mourning. There was another large congregation at Trinity Church last night, when the Rev. Mr Gillies, preaching from the words “Well done thou god and faithful servant,” gave an outline of the Queen’s life, from childhood, and dweQ spfeially on her character; as shown in the Royal family circle and elsewhere. The hymns were again of a special 'character, and at the close of the service, which was of a solemn nature, Mr White, the organist, played ‘The Dead March,” the congregation respectfully standing.

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART. At the above cliuich yesterday morning the ' parish priest, Rev. Father Tubman, made seme references to the gieat loss recently sustained by tip British Empire, through the death of Her Majesty the Queen. At the close of the service the “Dead March” was played on the organ. At the evening service there was a crowded congiegation, and the Rev. Father Mcln/nerney pleached a memoria l sermon, in which he highly eulogised the late Queen, and enlaiged upon the degree of gratitude with which British Catholics shcu 1 d regard her memory, because during her reign they had been freed from many galling restrictions and disabilities under which they previously existed. He spoke of the gieat changes made in New Zealand during the Queer's reign. A few Maori huts had given place to the fine city of Wellington. There was no Christchurch, no Timaru, and but a small village at Auckland. He spoke also of the immense advances made in the use of the forces of nature, and the discovery of utilities in the materials of the earth, especially of the development of the motive powers of steam and electricity. A rapid survey was made of the progress of physical science, literature and arts, the fruits, in every age of peace and prosperity. Turning to moral and religious aspects, he said that during her long reign the blessings of peace had for the most part been granted to her people, and though several epochs had been marked by short wars, from the national point cf view they had served to bring out in bold relief the advantages of peace, and to give her subjects opportunity to prove their devotion and loyalty—even in the remote Antipodes of her home. But the special blessing to which he wished to direct their attention was the marvellous spread of Christian faith and Catholic truth during the Queen’s reign. After a long night of three and a-halt centuries of persecution, the fruits of Catholic Emancipation became known to the woild, and the Catholic faith came forth, as it were from the catacombs once more, and spread throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles and the British dominions. Emancipated subjects of Queen Victoria became apostles in the American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and also in our own New Zealand, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific. Graphic allusion was made to Carlyle's description of the Catholic faith (or Popery as he called it), sixty years ago, when he prophesied that in another half century it would have ebbed like a tide never to return. The half century had passed, Carlyle had gone, and during all those years the Catholic faith had flowed on like a mighty tide, from end to end of the earth, all over the English speaking world. The reign of Queen Victoria would be remembered as the period of these wonderful advances. Catholics yielded to none in loyalty to the late Queen, as the war in South Africa, proved. Many of the most daring and most glorious exploits in the war had been performed by her Catholic subjects, and every Contingent that had left New Zealand and Australia had a just proportion of Cal holies among their members. The whole sermon was listened to with the greatest attention and interest, and will be long remembered by all who had the privilege of listening to it.

THE WESLEYAN CHURCH. At the Wesleyan Church the Rev. Mr Buttle preached from Proverbs XXL, 29 and following verses. The preacher said that as a people they had never before had such urn experience as they were passing through now, or a Queen or sovereign like Victoria, and when she died it was no wonder that the nation was plunged into sorrow. They felt that a “ mother in Izrael” had been taken from their midst and head; and all those feelings which came into the human heart made them feel sorrowful that day. Queen Victoria lived for her people; more than that, she lived among them and had end’.ared herself to all by her womanly sympathy, her devotion to duty, and the womanliness of her character. Many had done virtuously, tut Queen Victoria had been the first woman of the Empire in more ways than one. The fear of God was before her eyes; she rejoiced in her position, and gave herself to the performance of her duties; and now her works praise her in the gates. As a sovereign she bad traits of character which placed her as the first. The strong commonsense which marked her character appeared in all the departments cf her life; and from her earliest years there was evidence that her mind had a practical turn. She received the announcement of her succession with a full c.nse of responsibility, and in succeeding years it was evident that she did not intend the work of government to be merely a matter of form. The fullest information /as required, and she gave all things the attention of a capable business woman. With the instinct she had of her responsibility she gave herself with marvellous industry and diligence to the work of the State; and they all knew how thoroughly that was done. Her womanly sympathy with others in times of trouble was the strongest and most tender of all the bands which united the Queen to her people. The sorrows, trials, and distresses of the nation became her’s. When the news of the famine in India reached her, how ready she was to respond with help; then when calamities came, not only jo sections of her own people, but to those who constituted the subjects of other States, the first to flash a message of sympathy across the wires was Queen Victoria. Her great sympathy was accounted for by the fact that she herself had been afflicted in sorrow, and so knew how to comfort and sympathise with others who needed comfort. The Queen experienced a time of the most distressing anxiety as to the welfare of her troops during the Crimean war, ■and later still during the war in South

Africa, her sympathy was with her men during the hour of danger and battle. Thus the leaders of both arms of the Empire’s defence, the Amy and Navy, were absolutely most <?. oted to the Queen. From the day of u-r accession when she said “I will be g - right through her life and reign she dto reabse her high ideal, ard thus, ho knew her best could testify she realised it. When she died Ihe b .ess cf the world stopped, -and tlie .. ns f.L _je influence of a Hity b as the spirit of Victoria pass . )toCc .to receive His “V, !l done, od and : aithful servant.” The nation mourns, and other nations join in raising a tribute not only of esteem but of affectionate devotion to her. They prayed that her memory might ever be green; the influence of her life and character ever remain, and the example of her devoted services be an inspiration to everyone to live a noble, true, and good life.

After the conc’u ’on of the service, the organist, Miss Claike, played the “ Dead March in Saul,” the congregation standing. Hie pulpit was draped in black, lelieved with white ribbone, and a nortiait of her late Majesty was placed immediately under the preachei's desk.

PRIMITIVE METHODIST. The Rev. Mr Woodward preached to a large congregation in the evening, taking for his text Prov.XXXL, verse 30. In the course of an eloquent reference to the late Queen, Mr Woodward said that no sovereign had ever entwined herself round the heart and affections of her people as Queen Victoria, and the sadness which was felt on her demise was not merely show or evidence of curiosity or mere sentiment on their part. It showed the heart of the people, and was an expression of intense grief and deep sympathy with those who had lost a mother and friend. There had been no reign so ling and great as that of Queen Victoria. Of 36 predecessors on the English throne none ofthem reigned as long as she. We had to turn our glance back for fully two centuries before we come across any ruling person who lived and ruled longer than Queen Victoria, and for fully 2000 years back it was only allowed that half a dozen kings or queens should live and reign longer. Looking at the progress and prosperity of the world, it was found to be unprecedented in history. In the palmiest days of Rome, and the powerful days of Alexander the Great, to those illustrious periods in European nations renowned for their progress, wealth, and skill, in none of them could we find such progress and prosperity as during the reign of Victoria. In the realm of philanthropy the noblest names ever found as servers of humanity had been living in her reign. In science there had been added names known throughout' the whole world and in poetiy and literature the names of Carlisle, Ruskin, Martineau, Tennyson, Browning, and Wordsworth. The noble statesmen who have been under her rule numbered among th n Gladstone, Disraeli, Sir Robert Peel, S’ iteshury, and others. We did not boast t. the greatness and grandness of our cr .try, but rather kneel at the feet of. God .d giv. thanks to him for such a Queen oi; ie throne to make the world so good, bright, and prosperous for us. Not only was the influence of her reign felt in the British Empire, but in every country in the whole world. Her character was untarnished, and retained its purity, beauty, and truth through her r Her childhood’s training was in the direction of cultivating principle,/ of righteousness, and some of the noble t ts of her character helped to place the dm on on a higher plane, and make her endec '’ by the v orld. The preacher gave a brh ifline of te : e marriage and early official li : the Queen, finding in all a Christian fit and example for n-ood. At the cone nof tbs :rvice the organist pi; od th ’ead M rch, the congregati ct stand ■

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The Rev. G. Burgess preached a memorial sermon in the above-named church last evening. There was a good congregation. The pieacher’s platform was heavily draped with black, and selected hymns were sung, one of them, No. 425, being adapted to the occasion. Mr Burgess read the 90th Psalm, and preacht •. from Acts XIII., 36—“ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of Got’., fell on sleep.” That, a description of the career of the greatest monarch of the Hebr , nation, was a fitting description of that of the greatest monarch of the English race. They -were now taking part in the greatest act of mourning ever known among the English people; not a perfunctory act, but an outcome of earnest, loyal, and genuine sorrow. (Not always was the decease of a monarch mourned.) In this case it was not only the long duration and splendour of the reign through the most distinguished and progressive period in history, that were marked, but the personal equation of the ruler, the personality which had been familiar to us all our lives, for there were few whe had not been born within the reign, and to whom the Queen’s name had not been familiar as a household word, from childhood—and now at the close of her reign (here was an outburst of genuine and enthusiastic loyalty and sorrow, not only among the English race, but among people of every race, colour and faith. ( He alluded to the great growth of the 1 Queen’s dominion, and to her share in its development, as justifying the application to hei of the words of his text. She had served not one only but two generations, according to her perception of the Divine will, and with unswerving devotion to simple duty. Her first aspiration, when as a child it was told her that some day she might be Queen, to the day of her decease, was to worthily fulfil the duties which had been imposed upon her, and her first resolve was “I will be good.” Right loyally had she kept her word. All probably knew something of the character of the English Court in the reign of the Georges, of the unworthiness of the Sovereigns and the servility of those nearest the throne; the corruption that was openly and unblushingly practised; the degradation of all that was worthy and sacred. The Queen began with, and continued to

maintain a high persoi-al standard within her Court, and the world had been influenced by that standard of purity, honour and truth. She had no set rules like

a precisionist, but the earnest endeavour of a pure woman to maintain a high standard of purity. No one might be presented to her save those whose record was unblemished, and this law was applied to afl high officers of State. That was one of the distil "uishmg traits of the Queen’s reign—-that she had established a standard which it would be hard for any success vto depart from. Courts have commonly ?. uu hot beds of intrigue. The Queen set;.. example oi tramsparent simplicity and h, before which the old diplomacy of bp icity had faded away. The preacher i red next to the

Queen’s, sympathy with rum suffr ing in all forms, with ;, lustrate of its mruifestation, and to her crov, ' ■ graces i simplicity and humility . Christian. Her service to her generation b .d been great, in showing that a ruler can live according to the law of the life of Christ, and in her ex-

ample of watchful avoidance of overstepping her sphere as a constitutional sovereign. She had seen twenty changes of Ministry, and at such critical times she had shown an impartiality, self-suppression in holding the balance of power, recognising always the sovereignity of the people as greater than

her own. She had often influenced her most powerful Ministers, often restrained the warlike spirit, and year after year, had fulfilled her multiform duties not automatically, but with intelligence and resolute will, yet e, Th constitutional loyalty to her supreme advisers unparalleled ‘ in English history. She served her generation by the will of God, not by any “ Divine right ” but

with constant reference to the Divine law. The story might not be true that she told a savage chief that the secret of England s .access was the Bible, —but that was the fact; and she believed in religion in common life. Allusion was made to her domestic bereavements, and her courage in perfuming her duties when bowed down by then, and the Queen’s whole career and its value in history were summed up as unique in history* We should praise God that her reign was so protracted, and pray that her example may still continue to serve this and future generations ; and each one strive to take encourag nent from it to better servo our generation as opportunity may offer. The “ Dead March” was played by the organist, the congregation standing, and the service was closed by thr singing outlie National Anthem “ God Save the King,” a prayer which the preacher said would be the truest form of loyalty to the deceased Queen. CHURCH OF CHRIST.

At the Church of Christ, Sohpia street Hall, Mr Neil, of Dunedin, was the preacher, his subject being, “ The future work of Christ as King over the vhole earth. He opened his subject by a fee 1 ng reference to the death of our late beloved Queen, whose; demise we all deplored as a sovereign of exceptional excellence and virtue, who we bad every reason to believe was an earnest and consistent chris tiau. She acknowledged God in all her ways and openly avowed that the secret oi the nation’s greatness was its trust in the Bible, the word of God. In fact, it was her Majesty’s trust in God’s word that made her what she was, a Queen beloved by all her people, as well as one used of God in carrying out His Div.ne purposes and plans, which according to the Scriptures would culminate in the coming again of Christ as Ivng over the while universe, whose kingdom shall be an eveilasting kingdom and under whose sway righteousness should cover the earth as the waters cover the sen, and of whose kingdom there should be no end. To this grand and glorious event our beloved Queen was no doubt looking forward when she said that she trusted the Lord would spare her life until the coming of Christ, that she ni’ght have the privilege of laying her crown at His feet. Although she was not permitted to see that event, yet as all those asleep in Jesus shall be raised at the resurection, she too shall yet have that inestimable boon bestowed upon her at that great day. Mr Neil said that while we all deplored the death of so excellent a sovereign we rejoiced in the fact that we had a King who could never die. And when He came to reign He would according to God’s own promise abolish every form of evil; for it is said of that eternal state that “ God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21-4.)

WASHDYKE. Mr J. E. S. Jackson, a lay reader of St. Mary’s parish, conducted service in the Wasirdyke schoolroom yesterday morning. There was a good congregation. Mr Moeller officiated at the organ, and played Mendelson’s “ Funeral- March ” at the opening, and Handel’s “Dead March” at the close. Mr Jackson preached an appropriate sermon memory of the late Queen Victoria,