CIVIC RELIGIOUS SERVICE

Southland Times, Issue 24754, 27 May 1942, Page 5

CIVIC RELIGIOUS SERVICE

There was a fairly large attendance of citizens at the civic religious service held in the City Council Chambers last night before the meeting of the City Council. Among those present were a number of Chinese. The Mayor’s dais was decorated with a Union Jack and two flags of the United States of America. The service was conducted by the Rev. C. J. Tocker. The Deputy Mayor, Mr A. W. Wachner, said that the City Council felt that the service would help to promote a spiritual unity which was very necessary at the present time. Mr Tocker apologized for the absence of the Ven. Archdeacon J. A. Lush.

A lesson from the New Testament was read by Mr A. W. Grundy, pastor of the Church of Christ. The Rev. W. H. Greenslade, of Central Methodist Church, then offered prayer. Mr Tocker said that the service was somewhat unique. He was rather sorry it was unique and he hoped that the action of the Deputy Mayor and the councillors would be the forerunner of much more of this sort of thing in the public life of the Dominion. One purpose of the service was to lift up the minds of the people so that they might see the vision of the great British Empire and of the nations united with the Empire in the present titanic world struggle. Another purpose of the service was to emphasize the unity between the Christian churches. The churches were trying to say to the world that there was only one foundation for international and national life, for domestic, for industrial and economic life, and that foundation was God. We must bring our own national life into conformity with the will of God. God must be made supreme in the national life.

The service ended with the singing of the National Anthem and the Benediction.