A CITY'S REJOICING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12698, 21 July 1919, Page 6

A CITY'S REJOICING.

pens in cnsmm

A MEMORABLE OCCASION.

“ When Peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendours fling. And ■■. the whole world send haefe the song Which now the angels sing. 1 ’ It was a long call from the historic “ pistol shot at' tierajevo ” to the wonderful iNovember 11, 1918. lJuring that time the world had writhed m intolerable torments, aud it came out haggard and drawn trom the ordeal. It was another long call from that November 11 td Saturday, July 19, lor. in that period me spring meaning of Europe Had been going on, and the sores of the. world were being bound up and eased- During that time the Allies had had an opportunity of assimilating the stupendous fact that victory and peace were txieirs, and that henceforth the world lay before them to make or to mar. The city had been busy decking itself out for many days previously, but when Friday night arrived the scaffolding, ladders, workmen's appliances and looki odds and ends melted away, and the morning of Saturday, July 19—the day that was to mark a great epoch of history—dawned on a city splendidly airayed. Somewhat of a Sa.bbath stillness was noticeable' in the streets at the time when, mi ordinary week-days, they would have been thronged with an active, bustling crowd of office and factory workers. Gradually, however, the duter streets woke to the rushing sounds of motors, the rumble of other vehicles, a neb the murmur of pedestrian movement as the citizens converged on Cathedral Square. These sounds joined and swelled in volume, and gradually, as the sun’s golden rays grew in strength, the gaily decked city, presenting a happy sight in the clear, frosty morning air, was peopled witn a heterogeneous crowd, some in flag- , adorned motor-cars, some with red, white and blue ribbons bound their ■ hats, others with little flags growing from their buttonholes and then pockets, and many others with many other forms of patriotic decorations—all, m fact, almost without exception, showing in some way that they were out to celebrate a great day of Empire. Gladly the Cathedral bells pealed forth from their tower, adorned with fluttering flags the message of peace on earth. AT THB BARRACKS. Half an hour later a great gathering bad assembled in King iikiward Barracks to extend the city’s welcome to the men who had gone from our snores to uphold the Empire’s cause, and who were back among us,, taking their place once more in civil life. Seating accommodation. for over two thousand people j bad been provided in- the Barracks, but it was taxed to the full, and s standing crowd mad© a : semi-circle around the seats, j Close up to the platform sat a . khaki-clad figure, with a strapped and bandaged loot and a crutch. JNea.bv. were, seated several diggers joking with each other in their hospital blues. 'There was led in slowly an old man, bereft of his sight, who took a chair to which he was piloted, and sat with bowed head. Another digger in hospital blue sat with his wife, and two kiddies, the one nearest him snuggling , up close and playing with the bronzed band which kept near him. On the platform the city’s leading people were seated. The Mayor, in his robes of office, was the central figure, and near frim were, the Mayoress, the Hon G. W. .Russell, Mr and Mrs H. Holland, Colonel Ohaffey, Mr H- R. Smith, Superintendent Dwyer, and; other well known citizens. : The keynote, of the rejoicings', was sounded by the Mayor. “ Soldiers, sailors, women soldiers," lie said, “this is the greatest day that has ever been on God’s earth. It is my proud honour to welcome you safe home and to thank you on behalf of our city for the deeds of valour that have , been performed by you, and. that will'ling down tile corridors of time.” If the people did not rouse to, the" "glad "occasion as they should have, it was not for want of expectation from the speaker. “ Let us, rejoice ten thousand times if we can,lie-exclaimed. The existing dangers were touched upon in the phrases •‘the tidal waves of Bolshevism, the undertow of selfishness, graft and profiteering,” but the rosy future was presented, ;■ with the people’s duty to the soldiers and their dependents well to tn© 'forefront. “ You fine soldiers, may you spend many years of love, honour .‘ind renown,” was the wish the Mayor finally conveyed. A popular interlude was provided by Miss Haunay and her , '.Reveille girls, who did their best to louse the.audience from undue solemT >dy. At the Mayor’s call, the swinging ohorua was joined in, but the people seemed unable to rise to any appreciable extent out of their undemonstraiiye state. “ Ladies and gentlemen, one would thmk that you had l been rstnick dumb!” the Mayor candidly exclaimed, after the response he got to an invitation to cheer for the soldiers. Come on, now,” he added, leading an<pteer and much more successful effort. “ Those girls are soldiers just as much ■is those who fought the war,” said the Mayor, alluding to the “ Reveille” girls. “I want you all to sing ‘For rl r • A*"® Jolly Good Fellows.’ ” •Hooray, doctor,” cried a returned soldier enthusiastically, and the tribute was sung, after which the Mayor, again trying to key up the spirits of the audi-ence-to a congenial pitch, led l off with Akbj ’.ake,” in his best style. This is a day of days,” was the phrase with which the Hon G. TV. RusBell introduced his renmrics. He expressed the Government's thanks to those who had done their part in yinjung .the Wfiv 5 not forgetting the womanhood of the country, “without whose, sympathy and support our vast army could not have been sent to the .war. He referred to the years of war, ■happily passed, as a “ long, sad, weary trageay, ’ hut spoke with gladness of the share Aew. Zealand, only eighty odd years ago “ peopled with a barbaric race and , a handful of whalers,” had taken in it., As to the issue of the tragedy, he said “ no longer the rattling of the sabre in Berlin disturbs our li 7 ! 3- ” , n At , present,” he added. chaos broods in Europe, but after all will come democracy and the treading down, of militarism. A new earth, ami peace, will reign.” A modest but earnest speech waa made by the ex-Mayor, Mr H. Holland, who was introduced by Dr Thacker with the statement, which was popularly received, “There are no other two citizens in this Dominion who deserve better of this country, than Mr and Mr* Holland.” It was with evident and justifiable pride, however, that Mr Holland said, “I said farewell to forty-five out of forty-eight reinforcements that left • these barracks, and it has been my great privilege to welcome horn** several drafts.” Mr G. T. Booth, who followed, spoke to good effect, with admirable brevity, for. the noon hour was approaching, r/heiv everyone wanted to be m Catnedral .Square. Mr N. B. M’Callum, on behalf of the .returned men, told tbs people how glad they were to he able to, rejoice with the citizens, and spoke ofytho sadness which tinged their pleasure wlien they thought of those who had fallen by their side. .The speaker, like Mr Russell, sounded the note of preparedness. ..Something-• important had ’ been missed Sfrom the speeches, the Mayor then rose to tell the people. Chi behalf of the city, he extended a hearty welcome to the Ehglish wives who had come among us. THE SILENT TRIBUTE. It was a tense moment, waiting Swaoog. the - dense crowd, outside the

Cathedral for the midday hour to strike. The Mayor, in his motor-car, was in. the middle of the people, and explained what was to take place, and the significance of it. The clock seemed to linger w’ith leaden, heaviness on the stroke of twelve, and then, at last, it struck. All heads -were bared, and a stillness fell. There were many sad faces; many bowed heads; many tear-dimmed eyes. It was a wonderful minute, and it pulled at the very heartstrings. Only the crying of a little child, and the distant muffled boom of cannon,'made themselves heard. Then came the “Last Post,” and the bells tolled half muffled peals. Amid all the bright show around, a great sadness seemed to fall. THE MILITARY PROCESSION. The afternoon was a bright, sunny one, and all Christchurch took advantage of it. The route of the military procession was thronged. It cannot be said that the procession started off well. As the troops came over Cashel Street bridge there was an absence of a swinging stride among the bulk of the Senior- Cadets and Territorials, though Christ’s College and Boys’ High School corps made a better showing. More than once the heads of the procession slowed' or halted, and the lads surged back and ran against on each other. Then,-again, there were too-many thin, stooping shoulders, and too ’ much slouching gait noticeable, although the two corps mentioned may be very largely exempted from this criticism. Appearances smartened up at 'Hagley Park- Hordes of citizens moved across the great open stretch of ground, and the parade and march past were witnessed by thousands. This-part of the military effort was much, more spectacular than the march through the streets. Behind the troops, at the march past, followed a number of officers in motor-cars. As they 'moved over the mounds and depressions in Hagley Park a suggestiveness in thenappearance struck an observer. “ Look at the tanks!” he cried- The hig event of the afternoon over, the great crowd dispersed hither and thither. NIGHT IN THE CITY. How many hundreds of youngsters had looked forward for weeks to Saturday’s outing, and especially Saturday night’s fireworks,, and had grown restless and sleepless in their beds on the previous night, their little brains working in feverish anticipation of what was to cornel The civic and military ceremonies over, at last Saturday night came, and thousands of folk," both young and old, lined the route of the torchlight procession and filled the darkness in North Park. Through the streets came the longed-for sight. A ruddy glow lighted up the crowds and the buildings as it passed, torches flaring, fire spouting hither and thither, and smoke belching skywards. In the distance it struck* hne as being peculiarly suggestive of a weird pagan procession, with sacrifice to be offered

with due rites to a. huge squatting idol. As the procession went on its way the masses crowded in at its rear like the waters in the wake of a ship, and huge crowds hurried down the several streets leading towards the park. Viewed.from the ■ distance, the scene in the park must have brought war. memories to many a veteran. Eight streams of water, playing skyward, with red lights thrown on them, and mixing with a cloud of smoke, suggested the activity of “ flammerwerfers,” and the roar of the fire engines and the ruddy glow detracted no whit from the effect. Through the mirk could he seen a dark mass, fringed with thousands of heads. As large rockets soared into the sky, burst and scattered their bright lights, a sea of faces was momentarily and faintlv revealed. The display included tourbillons, a wonderful golden cascade, and a set piece which blazed up at the end into the word “ Victory.” The whole thing was, however, rather too protracted. As usual in winter, a dampness being over the lake and the park, and, the night being bitterly cold, it would have been better if, instead of stretching ’out the exhibition from 7.30 till past 9 o’clock, a shorter and smarter effort had been made- The effect wonld have been grander, and the crowd assure dly more pleased. BACK TO THE CITY. The_ display over, the crowd poured back into town, and promenaded the streets as they have, done on many a Aow Year's Eve, with crackers and turow-downs bursting among them. There were many more sights to see than on New Eve, however, for the city s illuminations were a thing of wonder and beauty, thanks to the lme < hydro-electrical supply which Christchurch, as distinguished from Other New Zealand cities, eniovs. Perliaps_ of all the settings of the day the glowing triumphal arches, and ’ the many blazing signs will be amongst the most vivid memories.. Slowly, reluctantly. the crowd melted awav,’ and at last the striking of the witchinohour of midnight announced that a bright page in the city’s history had been filled. Looking back over the dav. one quickly realises that there was ‘little of the abandon of Armistice Bay. Indeed, One almost regrets that the crowds were not more demonstrative. They seemed too prone to regard themselves _ as spectators merely instead of participants. However, "Christchurch has the reputation of being like an English city, and the Englishman, we are told, “ takes his pleasures sadlv ” I e-rhaps, however, beneath that somewhat stolid exterior, the tide of joy ran deep. Let us remember to-day “Joy is the sweet voice, joy the luminous cloud. "We in ourselves rejoice! And thence flows all that charms the ear or sight, All melodies the echo of that voice, All colour? a suffusion from that light.”

CHURCH SERVICES. GENERAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING. In practically ©very city church yesterday, was observed as a day of thanksgiving, notwithstanding the earlier thanksgiving services, at which the King’s Proclamation was read. The congregations in all cases were extremely large, showing a very general appreciation of the reverential side or the celebrations. THE CATHEDRAL. Special Peace thanksgiving services were held in the Anglican Cathedral on Sunday, collections being taken up for the victory Schools. The chancel was decorated with flags. Holy Communion was celebrated at 8 a.m., and matins at 11 a.m., the music at the latter service being Martin in 0 and Garrett in F. Proper Psalms 124 and 120 were sung, and the service was merged into a choral Eucharist. Specially selected hymns were sung. There was an overflowing attendance at evensong, all available seating being taken, and the congregation being accommodated on the chancel and on thealtar steps- , The service was rich in musical offering (Attwood in C,). Proper Psalms 46 and 150 were sung, and special thanksgiving prayers were said by the Rev C. J. Mutter. The anthem was “If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side” CVValmisley). Bishop, Julius, who preached the sermon, took as his text the first two verses of Psalm 97, “ The Lord reigncth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of the isles he glad. Clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne.” It had been thought, he said, that the armistice celebrations and the sickness which followed would bring to nothing the Peace celebrations; but our deliverance had been so great that the people had heartily joined in this Thanksgiving. Thanks, he said, were due to Almighty God and those noble men who had given the best of their manhood for our cause. Many kingdoms had crumbled into the dust during the past four years, and chaos threatened. At least we had to build again, and from the foundations. What were the manciples on which we might safely build? Th© foundations of God’s throne were righteousness and judgment._ Righteousness meant justice, and justice was the giving of our due, whether to God or to man. Judgment meant discernment. When the war came, it was not a question of whether we could face the Germans, hut whether we could face the rightjudgment of God. "What were the issues of God’s judgment? Manv thrones had fallen, hut one had stood

pre-eminent. How wonderfully, faithfully and manfully had our Sovereign stood the test of God’s judgment! And our Empire? There had been many wrongs, many failings, among us- We uad been shaken to our foundations, but we had emerged from the test. j £* d fmmd that we turned to Him, and He had pardoned us from our sins and saved us from destruction. God iad deemed us worthy to be saved, and ue had to build up again. It was a desperate task. Many great and sleeping reforms bad been talked of. f. ut the question was « What foundations are we going to build upon?” Iney must be righteousness and jud»meat. Passing on to another phase of y“, Be T°?’ -> tho Bish °p Eaid that New Zealand had a glorious hope. It mighty some day be the very centre of a glorious kingdom. He believed that some sort of justice to man t nl l d n Bllt Of jUBchildren knew a mai?v B ? Clnl options, but tW k f ew Precious little of heir duty to God- It was in this conthe vlt* on behalf of ndl J l fcory i Sci ?°" ls i so that children Go? b A !i n ° ;ltcc l in their duty to v*ocl. A thousand pounds was a big sum to raise mone day, but the As sociatxon of the Love ‘of God had Vais of’tfe 'iTt 0 "''T',;" 11 ’ th « sinking or the Te Deura to Martin in C the A 0 W gaudy ’ a u d *s® Atonal Anthem A large number of pennle waited behind to leam the result of the day’s collections. It totalled £1142 HOMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL. wet ~' hanks Siving High Mass C hj ? 6 ra ! d , at ' tk Romaa Catholic Cathedral at eleven o’clock yesterday Sl D Tv Father Morkane! biant rtl 3 S° lle f?’ * celeand tb« p HeV n. D i; Renued y deacon, deacon r Murphy subaeacon. His Lordship Bishop Brodie was unavoidably absent. The front dieS W T + ?° CU i Pied b .>' returned sob It Cadot “ nd Seuior Mwby the Rev bather Bartley, M.A. (Timaru), late 1 aplam to the Expeditionary Forces in an eloquent discourse Father Bartl ley exhorteri the congregation to thank God for the great blessing of Peace. Although they were taking part in the joyous celebrations, they must not forget that it was a duty which devolved u P on , each and every on© of them to come before the altar of God and discharge their debt of gratitude- They must not be like the ten lepers who nad received a favour from Our Lord on one occasion, when only one of them came back to thank Him and Our Lord asked where were the other nine. It was their duty to thank God for restoring peace again on earth. There never was a day of sadness which did not bring joy later. He wished to

speak to them as a Catholic priest to let them know some of the things’ for which they should be grateful. The preacher then referred to his experiences with the men in the firing line. He considered it a great privilege to minister to the boys in the firing line. The men flocked in hundreds to the little church which stood near the danger zone in France. They could take it as a general statement that was true, that practically all the nieu in. J ranee were weekly oommunicants and many of them daily communicants. People spoke of war as a wastage of human life. The men who were buried on the battlefields of Trance were not dead. They were in the glory of God- One night* he heard some_ orderlies talking in a dressing station of a young man who had died the previous night. One of the orderlies had tried to cheer the dying man, hut ha replied that it was no use telling him lie ivas not going to die. He was anointed for death he said, and was going to face it like a man. That was the spirit in which the Catholic boys died in France, and their relatives had occasion to thank God as well as to weep. He envied those brave boys who slept on the battlefields. There was in war more glory than horror- The glory was in the many cases of self-sacrifice that were seldom seen. The preacher went on to refer to the • wonderful work of the medical corps, which worked day and night attending to the wounded.* Such wonderful examples of self-sacrifice were never witnessed before. He also referred to the heroic work of the priests and nuns in a little village in France which was shelled • continually by tlie Germans. Such wonderful and heroic examples of self-sacrifice brought out the glory of war, concluded the preacher. Over a thousand pupils of the Catheoral schools, as well as the children in Nazareth House, wearing regalia and carrying banners, marched to the Cathedral yesterday afternoon. The Pope s prayer for the preservation of peace, and Rosary were recited. The Rev,bather Murphy, 8..A-, in an address to the children, explained to them that they were living in an epoch-mak--mg era. They would reap the fruits of what was being celebrated that day. The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed, and the children marched back to their respective schools. DURHAM STREET METHODIST. There was'a crowded congregation at Durham Street Methodist Church last evening, when a special thanksgiving service for Peace was held. The anthem, “It came;even to Pass,” was rendered by the choir, and solos were sung by Mr H. Blakeley, Mr Harold Prescott and Miss Beatrice Sproston. The preacher was the Rev Percy Knight, and he selected as his subject, ‘ Lawlessness: a Growing Peril.” Taking his text from Deuteronomy xii. 8, “Yet shall not do every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes,” the

preacher said that the crving need of the present time was a revival of the spmfc of obedience to law and the sensa ot justice. Laws dome the sky above man s head, they make the earth farm’ beneath his feet, and give the process sum of the sea soils and the music of the spheres. Man’s journey across the con-, tinent of the years was safeguarded., every step, by guardian angels known as laws. There were, however, men who believed that laws were fetters, and that-lawlessness was the road to liberty. The industrial outlook of this country would probably gain if for one week every wheel should stop and every engine be still, while parents and teachers, editors and industrial leaders turned the land into one vast scholoroom and drilled all, children and. adults alike, in obedience to those physical, moral and social laws that were the path to national prosperity. Laws were not weights which dragged people down, but wings on which they rose to happiness' and contentment. ' The world was q methodical world, because it was an empire of laws. Man’s success or failure, his happiness or misery, depended upon using the forces of Nature as his tool* and obeying their laws. The Kaiser had flung laws and treaties to the winds, but the storm he raised had wrecked both him and his house. He lost his paradise by Hinging himself against.^the banner of law, and . ponalties of Jaw. All the sorrows ‘and disasters of life; sprang-fvom--a disobedience to the physical and social laws, ft was the lawless element which corrupted Governments, degraded men by feeding their passions and filled the land with unrest instead of-'content. Liberty, happiness, success and fame were won through obedience to laws, and ignorance of laws meant slavery and weakness. The way to gain perfect liberty through obedience to laws was to love one's neighbour as oneself. He who loved his work found its laws easy and obedience pleasant.. The absence of love explained the lawlessness of the world at the present time. Hate broke all laws, human and divine, but Jove fulfilled the rules of happiness. Love was a. cosmetic that lent oeauty. it was an energy that defied weakness, a friend that cheered and 1 inspired, a fire- that warmed in the midst of winter. Love was liberty and life, because love was of God and fulfilled all laws. the Scottish”jhurchfs. ! . A martial feature of the thauksgiving services in the Presbv terian churches _ was the parade at St Taut’s Church iu the morning and at St Andrews Church in the evening of the combined Scottish' and Caledonian Societies, headed by the Caledonian Pine Hand and the Christchurch Highland Pipe Band, and accompanied by the remna-nt of the old Highland Rifles. .With Scottish flags and Onion Jacks, a fin© muster of kilted pipers a a i nem * ,ers > the bands marched to and from the churches, morning and evening, to the music of the pipes. , ST PAUL’S CHURCH. t f ,or^?g?g a , u< * zoning services at ot Baul s Church were conducted by the Rev John Paterson, and at the close of the evening service the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was adminis- % , • tile afternoon there was a united children’s service at the church presided over by the Rev P- Knight, and the speakers were the Rev B. P, Blamires and the Rev John Paterson.' Preaching in the morning, Mr Paterson took as his text the song of tho angels at the birth of Christ, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace. “W e rejoice to-day,” ho said, not because we have driven Germany and Austria and Turkey to their feet, but because the powers of lustful ambition, of brute force, and of foul dishonour, have been overthrown. The victory is more than a victory of Britain and her Allies. It is the victory of the forces of truth and honour and of freedom; and, indeed, the victory is not complete until our enemies, humbled by their material defeat, and brought to repentance, have enthroned in their own policy and national life the same moral ideal s« wo have been fighting to establish triumphant. Some day we shall hope that a chastoned German democracy will share with us the wonderful issue Of this great war and tho glory of this great victory.” The struggle had been too stupendous, Mr Paterson added, and the issues too great, to allow of jingoistic congratulations. “It is a good thing,” . e . “ that in the midst of our rejoicing we have come pn this Lord’s Day into the House of God to lift our thanksgiving up to the Throne of His Grace and acknowledge that it is His right arm that hath wrought our salvation, and that with hearts too charged with humble gratitude fpr full expression we should gather this mornwithin the courts of the house of tho Lord to render praise to Him who has so wonderfully used ns and our Allies as the instruments of Hia righteous purposes, and who has wrought through us so great a deliverance.” The true greatness of a nation, Mr i aterson added, was not unity of blood, but unity of tradition, and the great hope of the League of Nations was that it was bound together by a mighty, common tradition of one great tragic war of suffering and pain whereiUj through struggle and tremendous effort, they had rolled back the power of evil. .. . LINWOOD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Thanksgiving services were held in the Linwood Congregational Church yesterday, when the Rev Clyde Carr, of Maungaturoa, preached morning and evening. In the morning the subject was, “Emancipation,” the text being taken from Psalms xliii. 6: “ When God bringeth back the captivity of Hia people, then shall Jacob rejoice and Israel shall be glad.” The preacher said the text was a prophecy that had again been fulfilled, and the Psalmist rejoiced in hop© of the glory and looked forward to the time when there should dawn for all the gladness of realisation of emancipation. How great should be our joy to-day, for our captivity was ended. The Peace terms and the League of Nations had rendered our world reasonably secure from a resuscitation of impious ambition. The rights of smaller nations had been secured, and the British. Empire had been bound together by closer bonds than ever- Industrial unrest and discontent formed, the blackest cloud in the world’s sky, but time and patience would no doubt allow the writ tp settle. OXFORD TERRACE BAPTIST CHURCH.; “ Tho Oxford Terrace Baptist Church was very effectively decorated for Peace Sunday. The Roll of Honour, containing 110 names, was surrounded by the national flag and surmounted by a wreath in honour of tho fallen. The central decoration was the word “Peace” done in everlasting flowers on a blood-rod ground. The church was crowded to excess at both morning and. evening services. In the morning tho thank-offering of the congregation, amounting, .to £1460, was announced, and the freedom of the church from all mortgage was achieved. The gift was solemnly dedicated. '. ' The Rev J. J. North spoke in the morning on “ Seek peace and pursue it.” He detailed the amazing features of the war. and insisted on the moral issues that were at stake. He declared that the Prussian concept of the State as the ultimate good and of the rightness of all conduct which . furthered State interests had been broken by a combination of forces which, in spite of many shortcomings, believed deeply in the supremacy of truth and "or right. He recited the pledges of Philip Gibbs end of H. G. Wells, which dedicated all their powers to the prevention of another war.. He declared that the people ought to regard as the enemies of their dead all who taught that war was either natural.tor necessary. The preacher called on, the eoag re nation to make a solemn vow to dedicate ' their powers and influence to the preservation of peace., The entire cohvfegation rose and, ■ with - lifted vmht bands, vowed in this.way to seek +lii> the dead shall not have died in vain.* ‘