MEMORIAL SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11871, 4 December 1916, Page 3

MEMORIAL SERVICE.

SYDENHAM BAPTIST CHURCH. ADDRESS BY THE MAYOR. A Roll of Honour memorial service vrns conducted at the Sydenham Baptise Church last night by tho Rev L. B. Busfield. There was a very large attendance. Tho servioo was opened by the singing of tho Russian National Anthem, and " God Bless Our Native L&nd." Prayers were offered oil behalf of the Empire's soldiers and special prayers were offered by Messrs C. Burgess, F. Jackson and A. Davies, fathers of tho Sydenham Baptist, Church who liavo sons at the front, extending .sympathy to the relatives of tho Dominion's fallen (•oldiers, exhorting strength to enable the troops to carry out their great work, and. praying for success of the Allies in the cause of right, world progress and future peace 011 earth. Ihe prayers were followed by the singing of the duet " O Lovely Peace," by Misses Bell and Dymond. Tho Mayor (Sir H. Holland), who attended by invitation, stated that he had been under the impression that the Roll of Honour was to be unveiled that night, but as he had learned that that had taken pla-ce previously he had changed tho character of his address. Mr Holland said lie spoke as a father of sons ati tho front to fathers anv' mothers of other sons who were so far from their loved ones, fighting the great fight, upon the result of which hung not only the fate of the British Empire but the future peace and happiness of the world, for all his hearers knew that God's world was never intended to be as it was to-day, and that militarism, as Germany practised it, must be crushed and obliterated. He had in mind as the text of his address five noble words, " Fear God, honour the King." They constituted a 'short Biblical passage and a _ short message on which so much hung in tho present crisis. The nation should ever remember the two injunctions of - the text. If it did, what troubles would be saved. If they served the King loyally every available man from this country would go to the front voluntarily. They had not altogether understood the significance of the need of preparedness. He remembered that on the occasion of the visit of the Dominion's gift warship, the New Zealand, some parent? had said that they would not allow their children to visit the vessel, which they had described as an instrument of murder. He had visited the big ship, and 011 stepping 011 board tho first thing that had attracted hia attention was the text that ho had quoted that evening. In the bright sunshine, shining resplendant on a polished brass plate, was the injunction, "Fear God, Honour the King." He had thought then how very beautiful those words were, and he had since been even more impressed with tho beauty and dignity of them. They were very noble words and a symbol of British character. To-day everyone in Near Zealand, and, indeed, the whole Empire, , honoured the Dominion's battle cruiser. But for her and other more mighty Warships we to-day would have been under German domination, and his hearers would not, probably, have been engaged in peaceful worship. The late Lord Kitchener, in his great message, had made use of the words of the text. Mr Holland said he had often wondered if New Zealand was doing all it could. When he realised the huge sums of njoxysy that 'had been given by its people and thought of the "cream of the manhood of the country that had gone to the front, numbering about 70,000, he had to say that New Zealand had not done badly. But what of the future? Personally, he had no doubt of ultimate result if all would pull together. But there were sad cleavages within the Empire, and he almost feared that, as a consequence, England might yet have to face the disastrous possibility of an inconclusive peace. When he read of what had happened in Australia, and that twelve men had been charged with deliberately burning down, private and public buildings, that men had been sentenced to death for acts of horrible disloyalty, .all in a. time of such crisis to the very life of the Empire, and when he considered the labour troubles in the Dominion; it made him fearful of men's actions and of the national safety. " What are we coming to, that such things should happen?" scid Mr Holland with earnest emphasis. " Is the blood of our boys to bo shed in vain? Are the heroes who sleep on Gallipoli and in France to bo treated dishonourably? Are the lives they give of no account, that men should stir up trouble within our gates that the stronghold may be weakened and the enemy may find a weak spot and break it?" A meeting had been hekl in Cathedral Square on Saturday night, continued Mr Holland, and he regretted, to have to say that it had the elements of a rowdy character. A minister had urged them to put their trust in God, ana a voice in the crowd had cried out: " Oh> leave God ou ; '!" That was just it, said Mr Holland. God had been left out too long. Men did not realise their duty to their Creator. And until they did how could man expect peace and happiness ? Man power was wanted and New Zealand could send many more thousands of helping hands and contribute the riches of the country. If that were not done the Germans might yet rope in the people as slaves ana gather the harvest of wealth. It was time all realised the seriousness of the situation. Already the Germans had turned Belgium into a land of slavery and its people forced to help make munitions to kill their own flesh and blood, and their deliverers, while they had, too, to make trenches to hide their worst enemy. Poland had been overrun and was a vassal German. State to-day, Serbia had been destroyed » and it might only be a matter of hours before they learned that Rumania had lost its capital and was to become a second Belgium and Serbia. Could any able-bodied man of this country «,est as things were? If the eligible men of the country failed to sec the fight through, what was tho outlook for the future? Tho matter must once and for all be looked squarely in the face. The Mayor pleaded that labour troubles should cease. It was a time oi Empire stress and all should pull together. Referring to the trouble with the State coal miners, the speaker said after all their demands had been acceded to at the comerence in VY eilington and after the Minister had voluntarily ordered the paying of the out-of-pocket expenses of delegates, the meeting of miners to hear the delegates' report had afterwards decided, according to the newspaper reports, to "go slow." Whatever _ could "go slow " mean in such a time of crisis, 'ft made the speaker, wonder whether men really realised the critical nature of the world struggle. Referring to the Church's part m the war, the Mayor said that the more he saw of the work of all the churches the prouder he felt of the people of the churches. His own boys had. been brought up under church influence and he was very appreciative of that fact to~dav- In a letter fhut he had recent) v received one oi ma boys iiaa said:" " Father, I feel now how grand it i<? to ficht. for Britain and 1 value more than ever the experiences autl life of ;< ClnifitiiKi. horn.--. <*od <* Mc.-.-iiu: protecting us. I i, :l v,.' to word? ul onn

fort to my poor comrades who have been struck a own by my side." Mr Holland congratulated the Sydenham Baptist Church on its roll of honour, which contained at present twentv-four names. At his own church, a small ono compared wit!) some, not a man of military age remained ; fill wore serving. Fhon j were somo who referred to church-goers as " wowsers," but lie (Mr Holland) said the churches had done noble work, and he was proud of the churches. Mr Holland also spoke strongiy on. tho action oi legislators cf the country in regard to horso racing, tho facilities for which had been increased. It made him feel ashamed to think of the mad desire for racing exhibited by so many of tho people ill this terrible time. And what of the drink question? asked the speaker. the churches endeavoured in bring up their boys clenr of tho drink. He had hoard with alarm that rum rations were being served out to tho troops and he wished that night m God s house to raise his voice in protest against the practice. 'Mr Holland tendered his sincero sympathy to the relatives of all those who had 'fallen, and paid a great tribute to the mothers and women or* New Zealand, They were suffering, but held up bravely and were carrying a burden that the world knew nothing about. "There arc heroines in NewZealand who a.re stifling their sorrows," said Mr Holland, "and are working, nobly, silently and persistently to carry tho war to a successful termination." In conclusion, the Mayor said that they should bear in miud that if Great Britain were forced to an inconclusive peace, it would be necessary to maintain a great army equal to about half the men engaged in the operations to prepare for an° enemy threat, which would assuredlv follow when Germany was again fully prepared. His final words were an appeal to all to hold together and work together to bring the war to a successful termination. The roll of honour, which was surrounded by the Union Jack and the flags of the Allies, Belgium, France, Italy, Russia, Serbia and Rumania, contained the following names :—Cap-tain-Chaplain T. A. Williams, Sergeant D. Burgess, Gunner T. A. James, Corporal S. Burgess. Private O. O. Blackie, Private A. C. Clements, Sapper A. E. Gale, Sergeant A. S. Blackie, Corporal Eric Hudson, Private Bernard Blackie, Corporal Walter Blackie, Trooper Harry Frith, Private L. H. B Webb, Sergeant H. Jackson. Private Harry Smith, Private Leslie Ruddle, Lieutenant F. H. Dodd, Private C. Brown, Gunner H. J. Hunter, Private J. H. Davies, Lieutenant A. W. Smith, Private J. R. Smith, Private W. Simmons and Private Albert E. Jackson.