THANKSGIVING SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12698, 21 July 1919, Page 4

THANKSGIVING SERVICE.

GREAT GATHERING IN THE BARRACKS.

The big combined thanksgiving service at King Edward Barracks was worthy of a big occasion, for the citizens filled the huge building in a manner that has not nearly been equalled in the history of Christchurch- A groat platform had been erected along the northern wall, for the greater part of the building, and on this the choir of 500 voices was assembled, with the orchestra in front of it. The choir represented the combined vocal strength of tiro churches in the city, and the orchestra, of about seventy-five players, was made up of members of the (symphony Orchestra, the Christchurch Orchestral Society and a number of professional musicians. Five hundred seats had been reserved in the barracks for returned soldiers, and many men in hospital blue figured in the front rows of the congregation Civic and other dignitaries were given seats on the platform, and a great many ladies occupied seats in a reserved portion of the hall. On the outskirts of the crowd there were deep ranks of standing auditors, and beyond them men and hoys, and even women, wore perched up on a projection that offered a clear view of the stage. In the centre of the building was a little platform draped with the Union Jack, and it was from this that the speakers addressed the congregation, and the conductor wielded his baton. A SIMPLE SERVICE. The audience was estimated to number several thousands, when Bishop Julius called on the congregation to rise for the National Anthem. Under Mr A. Worsley’s baton, the effect of the great volume of voices, steadied by the trained choir, was quite memorable, and the building resounded to the first two verses of “ God Save the King.” The prayer of thanksgiving was read by the Kev T. A. Joughin, in an impressive silence, in which the great audience stood with bowed heads, and joined in the Lord’s PrayerThe well-remembered hymn. “AH ieople that on Earth do Dwell,” was sung with the same unanimity with which congregation and choir had joined in the national hymn, and the +l ev , . : then read the great “ If * had not been the Lord who was on our side.” bv+h 0 1. S - Te D . ei,m was a fin e effort the choir and orchestra, in which i e , reverential passages were not Sv Soh- 6 grCat mm “ ioal strength ot BISHOP. JULIUS’S ADDRESS. and a ? whis Pered of had strTroW last ’ . the da y the Allies vearc. 3 for ’ -through four long years of war, years which they had the? haT ePare 3 / or> Tt the dav Dav” pray ? d f °r Unceasingly. “ Ou'r chv day !°l P 6oo ® i it was the wit tmTe n C ®i eb [ nt i ng afc the preGod had glven the m der b,U 0t * Pea^ e of . surrenThnrnfp & p f ace -7 a righteous victory. Therefore they had gathered together - gire thanks to God, but it was only S ay thft they could express ' + d them thankfulness for the great victory brought to them. Two days had been set apart for public rejoicings, ? ni l w! f interest and amusement was tt hj? fo «nd m the crowded streets. He loved the streets and had always ? u " d , I T ore to interest and amuse him WV b th 'i n i he had evar found in any book he had ever read. J d-mS° P t Jul w brought his congre-gat-ion almost to the point of laughter ? lctur ? the comic side of he rejoicings, but he drew a sterner ! SidW 9 ° f 3 e , crowds and the broken +w r ’i and the tear-stained faces of those who mourned far lost ones. The t up to them, but they could never Smll n f P I tQ W j? nt the nation could not do, however. God could do. ,ey recognised m their seriousness as +1 ™ as 3I ? their joy the greatness of +ht+°v a ! T ns rig ht and proper ;S a t historians and writers should tell them the story of the war, and doubttWtk+7 T d deal more than they knew and more than anvene would care to read; but everybody P jl- d , ryahso that there was a Power bj n , ( lt n a l I; and that that Power ever ° God w h° ro igned for ever and THE NATION’S TASK. T„v 7 11 , for the Allies, Bishop Julius added, that they could not put their hands on some great decisive victory and say "That is when we did iu, because they now had to say "It was not us who did it at all, but God who fought for us.” They could give God thanks .because He had forgiven the nation its sins and had not rewarded them according to their iniquities. They could thank God for His confidence in the nation. " He has given us a task in the great world to fulfil f°r Him,” Bishop Julius added, and am 1 not right in thinking that m some strange way God is giving over the things of the world of to-day to the care of the Englishspeaking races throughout the world to guard His righteousness: to guard His truth; to guard His purity (though ; V° d knows we know little enough about it): and to raise up a nobler standard : of human life Shall we net give God thanks that we who have failed again (tVnd again have yet in God’s mercy been considered worthy to receive this trust from His hands, and, above all, the trust of the care of the poor and simple and savage races. God has given us also His presence. We need it now more than ever we did. The war has just begun. We have got the biggest task before us that ever [ tell to the hands of men, and we. none I e af’ kn /7’’, the days may’ bring forth. Only m trust, only in penitonce, only repenting from our sins; only humbly looking to God for guidance shall wo ever win through these | coming years and come out into the [ light again. Here are my poor, simple words to yom: God help us to look to Him, to turn to Him, and in the thought of all that He has done for us to go out into the world, to put away our suspicions on® of another our little bigotries, and mir little hatreds and all the little things that spoil our life, ahd go out to realise by the Grace of God that brotherhood iu j the one Lord Jesus Christ that shall hind us all together.” , +l,” o-a° d onr Help in A S« 3 Past.” the Bishop announced after his address, and taking a quizzical look at the conductor, he added "Don’t mind drowning the choir.” Choir and congregation took the hint, and tlm well-known, old tune floated upwards in unusual strength, 1 m ERWIN’S ADDRESS. Dr Erwin Said that they rejoiced W °4p3 n i the of Britain and her Allies, but at the victory of the great and sacred principles that lav at the .root of all that Was best in ciflisation Every judgment, had been that the war was one of ideals. The entry of America was not only a great military arid political event: it was a supreme judgment passed at the bar of history by the conscience of a free people regarding the menace of Germany to the liberty of every nation and even of civilisation. They rejoiced hot duly at the securing of liberty for the Allies and the smaller but above all at the triumph pi truin and righteousness. A poet, 1 ip. a flight of fancy* had char actor iaad

Waterloo as a king-making victory, but the present war might well be called a king-destroying, people-freeing., uat-]hn-making victory, and since the days of the armistice they had had a feelihg of thankfulness that was too full for expression, and which could only be expressed in reverence with bowed heads in the presence of Almighty God- They believed that victory had been gained because rt'e Allies stood for truth and righteousness, and that God was on the side of righteousness. Blind was he, indeed, who could see nothing hut the material side in the struggle, and the result could only bo described in the words of psalmist or seer when they said, “ Como, behold the works of the Lord, what desolation He bath wrought in the earth.” Addressing the soldiers before him, I>r Er win sounded a high note of patriotism when he spoko of the chivalry of the Allied arms and the heroism of the soldiers of New Zealand in their baptism of fire and subsequent campaigns. He dwelt for some time on the growing abhorrence of militarism. The conviction had gathered force that wo were fighting to end war, and that the world must be made safe for democracy. As the War ran its course, it came to bo the insistent demand of the people that a League of Nations must be formed to safeguard the future nonce of the world. Nov/ that covenant had been embodied in the Peace Treaty which had been signed. It was not perfect, but it would make it more difficult for nations to plunge into war in the future. Wars would never cease ns long as human nature remained as at present, but the League of Nations was the greatest advance which civilisation bad ever made, and its success was largely due to the efforts of President Wilson, who had laboured unceasingly on its behalf.' MR ISITT’S ADDRESS. Mr L- M. Isitt said that it had heeu a long way to Tipperary, and every foot of the weary miles was paved with heart-break and watered with tears, but they had endured, struggling up the almost insurmountable steeps, to the summit, and now there emerged a new and glorious day. Friday was the anniversary of Foch’s supreme effort. Only a year ago the hordes of Prussia threatened to sweep all before them, and Haig had warned his men that their backs were against the wall. How impotent they were, and how their hearts had risen to God to deliver them! How small a thing would have turned the scale then! How wonderful it was that within a year thev lived in a king’s palace, inhabiting liberty and freedom ov word and thought I ‘At what price had it been bongh.t! Surely the sacrifice should nerve the people to the same heroic spirit of determination to live for the land as their lads had died tor it. Among all the sectarian pretensions that so sickened and disappointed the great hungry heart of the worm, all safrifc men realised that true rehgioii consisted of oiie thing only—service. They could glory in the bravery of the bovs and talk of self-sacri-fice, blit if they were going to servo self there was nothing before them but envy and hatred and bitter internal strife, hut if they would learn the lesson of the war, and strive with enthusiasm for others and lovo of country, they could make New Zealand the happ!€T3t country the smi shone upon. Ihe service included a funeral march specially composed for the occasion by i< tr Morslev, and the choir snrm the Hallelujah Chorus” at the conclusion or the service. _ The Benediction was pronounced bv Bishop Julius, and the audience, led by the choir, sang the Doxology. Before the congregation dispersed, fwr TO w T la]f of the Cl^zens ’ anked Mr Morsley and the members Of the choir and orchestra for their valued services at short notice, and also expressed Ins appreciation of the very laige attendance at the service.