SPECIAL DAY OF PRAYER

Southland Times, Issue 24154, 17 June 1940, Page 9

SPECIAL DAY OF PRAYER

INTERCESSIONS FOR FRANCE INVERCARGILL SERVICES YESTERDAY At the call of the Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday was observed as a special day of prayer in Anglican churches throughout the Empire for the people of France. In New Zealand both the Anglican and the Presbyterian Churches observed a day of prayer, the request being made through the Primate, Archbishop West-Watson, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson.

Special prayers of intercession were offered by Archdeacon J. A. Lush in St. John’s Church at the morning and evening services yesterday. In the evening, Archbishop Lush referred to the desperate straits in which the French people found themselves and said that all who believed in the power of prayer could help the French people by prayers for their welfare. Special hymns were sung and prayers offered in St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church at both services. In the evening, the Rev. C. J. Tocker took as his text St. John 16, 24 “Hitherto ye have asked nothing but in my name: ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full.” He spoke of the reinforcement that came to religious faith through the knowledge that an appearance would be made before God, not in the Christian’s name, but in the name of Christ. He referred to the power of Christian prayer and added that prayers for the people of France could be offered in full confidence in the name of the Saviour.

Prayers were offered at both services at First Church by the Rev. R. C. Boyd. In his address at the morning service, he took as his text Joshua 10, 14 “And there was no day like this before it or after it that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.” , , . The preacher said that the destiny of men and nations often turned upon a pivot battle and he believed that during the present struggle there would be such a battle and the issue would be the overthrow of force and the establishment of a lasting and just peace among the nations.