AT THE CHURCHES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1920, Page 5

AT THE CHURCHES.

FEELING REFERENCES MADE. At all the New Plymouth churches yesterday morning reference was made to Thursday's disaster, large congregations attending to participate in this sacred tribute. ANGLICAN CHURCHES. All services at St. Mary's yesterday were in keeping with the occasion, and special. music was selected. At the morning service the "Dead March" was played. In the evening the weather deterred a good many from venturing out, but in spite of -this there was a large congregation. On this occasion fitting reference to the" fatalities was made by the vicar (Rev. F. G. Harvie). At both services yesterday in the Te Henui Church, of which the late Miss Warnock was a communicant, there were special hymns and prayers. In the evening the Rev G. T. Beale preached a very appropriate sermon, and at the conclusion of the service the "Dead March" was played by Miss Greatbaeh. ST. ANDREW'S. At St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, during the-morning service, feeling reference was made to the disaster. During the offertory, the organist (Mr. P. Frederick) played Chopin's "Funeral March," and attfie close of the service the whole congregation reverently stood while the ,; Dead March in Saul" was rendered. The hymns chosen were appropriate to the occasion, and the relativas and friends of the victims of the recent accident were specially remembered in prayer.

The preacher. Rev. Oscar Blundell, took as his lext the second verse of the 01st Psalm, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.' In the course of his address the, preacher said: "Our minds have been full of the very shocking disaster which, like a stunning blow, staggered us all on Thursday afternoon. We had been deeply impressed by the demonstrations given of the mastery of the air which men have acquired, and had felt strangely fascinated by the sight of human beings being carried, apparently in complete safety, to giddy heights over the town. And then—a sudden gust, a miscalculation, a terrible downward rush, and three bright, useful lives have taken such flight as no mind can conjecture; their spirits have returned to God Who gave them. This horrifying accident is one of those sudden intrusions into our lives which force us to realise that the world in which we live is not a place where we can afford to imagine that perfect security is ours. We like to feel safe and at peace; so much so, indeed, that we are very apt to blind ourselves with the notion that we really are secure, and that everything is all right. We say to ourselves 'peace and safety, peace, and safety,' and even as we say it some terrible reminder comes and startles'us out of our vain imagining, shatters -our complacent satisfaction and plainly shows us that our lives hang but by a thread. Clod's Word repeatedly warns us that we know neither the day nor the hour of our summons to eternity, but we forget, we become preoccupied, and would doubtless sink into greater depths of carelessness, and utterly neglect the things that really matter, were it not for these drastic reminders of our true state and need. Dreadful as such catastrophies as this are, we cannot doubt that they come only with God's consent. He speaks to us through such things, and, although He speaks in many other ways with a view to guiding us nearer to Himself, we often fail to hear Him, and it becomes necessary to startle us out of our selfcomplacent neglect of God and His righteousness. 1 - We mourn the loss, the sacrifice of such valued, capable and useful lives as those so recently and with such frightful suddenness called from our midst. We crievc for the aching hearts of those who are so sorely bereaved, but if, as a result of all' this, we, as a community, turn io God in true contrition, humble our pride before Him and awaken to righteousness, then this loss and pain of heart will not be in vain. There are divinely ordained uses in adverse thing's of this nature; God's ways and thoughts are not as ours, but are infinitely higher, even as the heavens arc higher than the earth, and however mysterious we may feel His ways to be, we can at least be sure that there is no mere blind chance in any event, but always a purpose—an end which seeks our good."

AT WHITELEY CHURCH. At the morning service in the Whiteley Memorial Church, the Rev. J. Napier Milne feelingly referred to the tragedy which has plunged the town into gloom. He said: Our thoughts are full to-day of the sorrowful tragedy of last Thursday afternoon. Only 'two days before I had seen the Mayor in his office, and he had very graciously promised to come to our Whiteloy Hall and give a civic welcome to the Methodist District Synod, which is being held in New Plymouth at the end of this month. He intimated his doubt as to whether he would be Mayor then, but said that in that case 1 , he would see that his successor discharged this courtesy. In Mr.

was genuinely devoted to the welfare of this town. We mourn his sudden and early removal from our midst, and we grieve also over the loss of Miss Warnock, and Captain Russell, two vivacious and valuable young lives. Such happenings give us pause. We are reminded once again that Providence has no favorites; we live in an impartial universe; accidents remove the useful as well as the useless. But however impartial the forces of nature, what we know is that we cannot drift beyond God's love and care. It is for us to live such a life that death shall find us not unprepared, but ready for entrance upon that larger life which awaits the faithful. To those who have been so tragically bereaved we extend our deepest sympathy, and pray that God may dry the tears that no human hand can touch.

THE WREATHS. Wreaths were sunt by tte following as a tribute to the memory of the late Mayor: L. A. and 11. H. Nolan, Sid and Nina Capel, Hnwera members of the Land Agents' Association, Girls' Hostel Committee, friends at the Taranaki Herald, Mr. and Mis. S. Teed and Mr. L. Teed, Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Bartley, i"r. and Mrs. W. H. Cook, Librarian and staff Carnegie Institute, Mrj. Stocker, Mrs. Medley, Mr. and Mrs. Monteath and family, John Avery and Co., Mr. and Mrs. H. Brookman, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Elliot and Miss Jarden, Frankley Road Settlers' Association, Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Bellringer, Mr. A. B. Davies, Mr. and Mrs. T. V. Mackay, Mr. and Mrs. and Miss Callis, Mr. and Mrs. R. Cock and family, Mr and Mrs. P. Gayton, Taranaki Boning Association. Matron and staff -S'ew Plymouth Hospital, Mr. Piuden and family, Kaitake Syndicate, staff New Plymouth Tramways, staff of the garage and warehouse Newton Kind, Ltd., Mr. and Mrs. fiilmour, Mr. ("Snip) and Mrs. Allen (Wellington), Mr. .1. McLcod, office staff of the New Plymouth Borough Council, Mr. and Mrs. C. McLeod, New Plymouth branch Red Cross Society, Taranaki Licensed Victuallers' Association, Returned Soldiers' Association, Girls' High Sclrool (std. 1), Mr. and Mrs. X. K. MclMarmld, High School {iris, Mrs. Davis (Glen Road), Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hal-, lintyne and family, Mr. and Mrs. \V. J. Simons, Mrs. Wallach and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. Reed, Taranaki Jockey Club, Miss Jackson, the Mayor and Councillors of Waltara, Mr. and Mrs. Reg George, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Saunders, Miss Bnrr, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Jackson, Land Agents of Strntford, Mr. and Mrs. 'R. Whale, Mr. and Mrs. T. C. List, .Mr. A. Humphries, Mr. Weston (Bell Block), Education Board, Inglewood Borough Council, Mr. and Mrs, J. R. Sutherland (Inglewood), McLeod and Slade, J. R. Roy and. family, Taranaki Clothing Co., Mrs. Faber, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Nicholson, members Taranaki Club, principals and staff Rollo and Millar, Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, Captain and Mrs. Eliot King, Mr. and Mrs. Robertihaw, Mr. and -Mrs. McEwln, principals and Btaff New Zealand Flying School, Mr. and Mrs. F. W.. Whitcombe, Col. and Mrs. Weston, Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Shaw, Boys' High School, Mr. and Mrs. Moyes, Star Football Club, Land Agents' Association, New Plymouth Borough Council, Marble Bar Co., Mr. C. H. Wyny.ird, Taranaki Amusements Co., Equitable Bullvllng Society, Building employees, Criterion Motor Garage, Misses Hawke and Berry. Governors of New Plymouth High School, Hnwera Borough Council, Eltham Borough Council, New Plymouth ' Coursing Club, Taranaki County Council, Ngamotti Lodge, Sew Plymouth Tail Proprietors' Association, New Plymouth Tramway employees. New Plymouth Bowling Club, Taranaki Daily Nerts staff, head office Ocean Insurance Co., Royal Exchange Assurance, E J. W. Carr, M. McGarry, H. Harrison and J. W. Tumbull (Eltham Land Agency Co.), New Plymouth Fire Brigade, Taranaki Rugby Union, and the burgesses of Stratford. Among those who sent wreaths for the late Capealn Russell were the following: The parents of the deceased, Messrs. L. A. and V. C. Walsh, Captain and Mrs. MeDiarmid, New Plymouth Flower Stall Committee. New Plymouth branch of the R.S.A. Miss Atkins (Palmerston North), tho Birch family (Westmere), staff of Newton King, Ltd., friends at the Taranaki Herald, Mrs. Stewart (Palmerston North). British' Red Cross Society, "Two Grateful Friends." Dr. and Mrs. Wade, Dr. and Mri. Home, members of the Royal Air Force at \Y.ingamil. "Two Sincere Sympathisers," residents of Old Hospital Road, Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Bellringer, Mr. and Mrs L. A. Nolan, employees of Pursers,' Ltd., Mr. and Mrs. R. Cock, Dr. and Mrs. Blackley. Railway employees, Mr. Lan Roy (another Kohimarnma boy), the Girls' High School, "A Token of Lore," Mr. J. McLeod, Colonel and Mrs. Weston, principal and staff of the New Zealand Flying School, employees of tho Taranaki Clothing Company, Mr. H Wilson (Wellington), principal and staff Hollo and Mii'nr, Taranaki Daly News staff, members of the I Taranaki Jockey Club, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. ! Cook, Te Henui Boy Scouts, Mr. A. McHardy, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson (Moturoa), Mr. H. i Eraser, Misses Potls (2), Mr. Dan Bowie, Mrs. A. Capon and family, Mr. S, Oliver, Misses Lablo (Vogeltown), Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Valentine and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. .Marshall (Vogeltown), Mrs. L. Callaghan and family, Mr. Dudley, Miss Wadman and fam.ly, Sister Hamblyn, Misses K. E. and J. Campbell, Sir. and Mrs. Geo. King. Miss Preston, Mr. and .Mrs, Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Jamieson and family, Mrs. G. Parker, Mrs. Davy, Mrs. Wallach- and family, Mr. and Mrs George Millar, Mr. and Mrs. Whitcombe, Mrs. Faber. C. 13. Tattersall (Pokowhai). Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Simon, Mr. and Mrs. R. Whale, Mr. and Mrs. Dobb (Vogeltown), M'as D. Bond, Miss Abbott, Mesdames Loeach a.id Abbott, B. Martin, Johi Boon, A. It. Standisb, and Blair (Dawson Street).

A PILOT'S IMPRESSIONS. THE HAND OF'FATE. Writes a correspondent to the Hawera Star:— Although by no means an expert, I have had considerable flying expjricnce in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, both on the Wasiern front and elsewhere, and have noticed *.he majority of accidents are either caused just on leaving the ground or descending, when the machine, for some reason or other, gets out of control (lining the last few hundred feet. More than likely in this case the plane while gliding down struck a bump or air pocket and the machine got out of control, and although the pilot no doubt tried hard to pull the machine out the controls probably jammed, and the engine did not pick up in time, to enable, him to rise again and make another landing. Although one hears many theories advanced as to the cause of the accident, I venture to say the hand of Fate played the largest part in this sad affair. Although hurt in a very similar accident, I would have, been one of the first to accompany Captain Russell into the air had he been spared to visit llnwera. Colonel Barker, V.C., D.5.0., D.F.C., M.C., etc., whose last deed on the Western front in fighting sixty Hun planes stands out prominently, and in whoso flight I once had the honor to serve, was giving a demonstration of diving on a trench after shutting off his engine, and did not get it to pick up again, with the same result—he crashed into the ground, but, fortunately (through one of the wings striking the ground first) in his case he was able to resume flying after a short period in hospital, although the machine was frightfully smashed and had to be scrapped. This incident bears out Sir Keith Smith's statement that the most experienced of living men are liable to meet with this fate. While passing I am of opinion (although there are several arguments for and against) that, the large type of machines are the safest for commercial flying. If aviation is to advance in this country the people as a whole must give it both fln«.*ioia.i and moral nankin*.