VETERANS’ CHURCH PARADE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144198, 15 September 1913, Page 6

VETERANS’ CHURCH PARADE.

At ST. MARY’S CHURCH. SERMON BY ARCHDEACON EVANS Over forty veterans, under Colonel Ellis, at ided a church parade at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday morning. About twenty Boy Scouts from St. Mary’s troop formed a guard of honour for tho veterans as they entered and left the church. At the conclusion of tho sermon. Bugler J. -H. Walker sounded the “Last Rost.” The Vcn. Archdeacon E. G. Evans preached a very impressive serman, taking as his text, Zech. 14. 7, “At evening time it shall bo light.” At the commencement, the Archdeacon said ho was glad to have tho opportunity of addressing tho veterans. Ho thanked them for electing him an honorary member of tho Veterans’ Association, and for tho honour of appointing him chaplain. He had been so long associated with them that ho was beginning to feci that he must be a veteran himself. Mr. Evans continued: ‘lt is fitting that tho Scouts should form a guard of honour. Wo cannot teach onr boys too much to give honour to those gallant men who did their best for tho country in its deep need. I am thankful that at last tho Government of this Dominion has given a generous and unconditional pension to the veterans. At least it is expressing tho gratitude of tho country tor self-denying work done. Wo commemorate to-day the battle of Ngutu-o-Te Maim, which was fought 45 years ago last Sunday. It was a sad reverse for tho British, for 50 gallant officers and men were killed and wounded. Many splendid deeds of valour wero dono that day that deserved tho Victoria Cross. Officers were carried away from tho danger zone by bravo comrades at great risk to themselves. It was a day of mourning and sorrow. Dark night camo on, and stars of hope .wero few. I suppose no one over thought of light at evening time? Now, this verso speaks of certain light at evening time —something contrary, to expectation and experience. When the day is dono and night comes on, everyone looks for the dark. Then light comes. Wo are so pessimistic that wo won’t learn Christian optimism. How often, liko Jacob of old, we cry, “All these things aro against mo!” and wc forget that when evening camo to that old patriarch ho was safely in tho Land of Goshen, his family re-united, himself the honoured father of tho Ruler of Egypt. I havo said that on that night of mourning and sorrow 45 years ago no ono thought of light at evening time. All was black and sad! Bravo men were no more: tho prestige of the British Army vyas lowered, and in all probability people began to anticipate further trouble and loss. But if those gallant men had a vision before they passed away, a vision of tho future, our present! ■ Coujd they havo seen tho smiling farms and the countless happy, children; tho thriving populace for whom they fought and died. If they could havo had such a happy vision before they died, , snrely there would havo been “light at evening time” to them. You have lived to soo that vision in all its beautiful reality, you have been spared to realise that you fought and suffered for tho future then unborn. Every year you live your vision is onlargd, and tho country thrives and prospers. First of P. 11,, you thought you. were fighting for yourselves, your own lives, your own homes, your own families, your own country. Then as your vision cleared and expanded, you realised that you did all, not only for yourselves, but for all wiio shall ever live in this happy and beautiful country, every man, every woman, every child". You fought for yourselves, that ,1s true, but also for this country, which will bo a haven of blessin'g for British people for endless generations, ' And this is exactly the reason why men should still bo.willing to defend, this country from attack,, not only for themselves, homes and families, but for those who will como after. The time is coming when a far greater danger than a Maori rising will threaton*this country! 1 refer to tho coming of a powerful alien race. Those who realise this vision, who feel their responsibility as inheritors of this wonderful country, who know that it is theirs only to hold as a sacred heritage to pass on free and sacrod to others, will bo willing to spend and be spent in protecting it. “My friends among the veterans,” said the Archdeacon, “you will not have toiled and suffered in vain if you teach your children and grandchildren this lesson —if you show them tho vision you have seen yourselves. My friends among tho Scouts. —This is tho lesson you must learn, and the vision you, must see. But there aro two other lessons taught by this text that X want briefly to bring before you. Firstly, tho lesson of Providence, and secdfldly, tho lesson of Death, ‘Light 'at evening time.’ The ways of Providence aro often very difficult to understand. "Who can says always ‘Thy will bo done.’ For seven long years the widow of'Captain Buck shut herself up in the house be-, cause she could not recognise God’s/ Providence in his death. There aro times no one can really say ‘Thy will bo done, because Thy will is highest and , best.’ Wo cannot help rebelling. Why should things happen so? Tho loss of tho Titanic, tho terrible railway accident, the fatal colliery explosion, the death of the bread-winner of the family, the prevalence of evil, the prosperity of the wicked, tho awful murders at Kaimata. Who can understand these things? No oho. Apart from belief in a Divino Providence that ‘shapes onr ends, rough-how them as wo will,’ life is a perfect chaos. Tho unbeliever is of all men tho most miserable. But to the Christian optimist, there is light at every turn. Even now wo begin to see tho moaning of many things, but wo shall see more clearly by- and by. Our Glorified Master stands over all, Ho holds the scales of life, Ho sees tho end from the beginning, and He cries down to ns, ■What I do thou knowest now, but thou shalt know hereafter.’ There shall bo ‘Light at evening time.’ “And then there is tho lesson of Death. Now, Death is of all things tho darkest; wo call it ‘The night of Death.’ Life’s day goes down in darkest night. Is it the end of all? Tho agnostic thinks it may bo, the materialist says it is. What does tho Christian optimist say? ‘For to mo to live in Christ and to die is gain. I havo a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.’ Doatli is tbo portal of the life Elysian. It is tho suburb of the Holy City of God. It is Nature gently putting her children to sleep before the glad morning, of eternity. A grand Christian soldier said when he. was dying, T am not dying in darkness, I am dying in the light of life.’ When earth is fading away, when friends grow indistinct and unreal, when darkness gathers—then light, the faces of tho angels, the presence of the Lord of Life and Glory, eternity’s long loud thanksgiving psalm. My friends. —If you fought so

well for this country, and thought it not a hardship to risk life and all you held dear for its sake, is it not worth whTlo fighting a few battles for the Heavenly Land ? What are a few battles, sufferings'and self-denials, compared with the Land of Joy and leace, where the Saints of God abide, and there is ‘Light at evening time?’