DAY OF PRAYER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 209, 4 September 1943, Page 4

DAY OF PRAYER

WANGANUI OBSERVANCES SERVICE IN OPERA HOUSE The fourth anniversary of Britain‘s entry into the war was commemorated in Wanganui yesterday with a service of intercession, arranged by civia and religious authorities in response to a wish expressed by His Majesty King George VI.. that this day shoulft he observed throughout th? Empire by special prayer. Held between 11 a.m. and noon, tha service in Wanganui was attended by representatives of all sections of the community, including the Mayor, Hon. W. J. Rogers, city councillors and leading citizens. At the request of thus Mayor most shops and offices were closed for an hour, with the result that the Opera House was filled to capacity. The gathering was held primarily under the auspices of the Wanganui Ministers’ Association, and the Rex. E. B. Chambers presided. The speaker j was the Rev. W. N. Flett, and also present were the president of th* Council of Christian Conregations. the Rev. H. D. Rosenthall, and Rev. Godfrey Fretwell. Arrangements were made for the overflow' from the Opera House to attend a similar service in the Majestic Theatre, but this was unnecessary. The service opened with the hymn. “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,’* which was followed by a prayer oC invocation, a Psalm, the hymn. “Almighty Father, Who Dost Gix'p,” and a special prayer to which the public responded. The hymn, “Holy Father, in Thy Mercy,” was folloxx-ed by Scripture reading and a special prayer of intercession which brought the service to a close. Appealing to the people to pray for peace and place their trust in God, Mr. Flett delivered an inspiring address and used as his text the xvords of Hezekiah, “By these things men. live,” in the Old Testament. These words xyere spoken by Hezekiah after recovering from an illness. during which he had given much thought to the spiritual and moral tones of life. In the present, as in the days of old, all men unconsciously dev r eoped a i philosophy of life by which they lived. K Mr. Flett added. Nations also developed their philosophies and to-day the world xvas witnessing a great struggle between two opposing philosophies. On the one hand was democracy, which respected freedom of thought, and on the other were thetotalitarian forces which claimed man in his entirety. Four years ago that day the EiwU pire heard the late Mr. Neville berlain. Prime Minister of Great tain, declare that all efforts to preserve peace had failed. Britain at tlv» time was unprepared and in the dark months that followed the xvorld saw Hitler’s milion swarm across European d outrage every human decency. Later a handful of fighter pilots fought and won the Battle of Britain. The war was now' in the favour of Britain and her Allies, but it was essential that people should realise thnt they were dependent on God. There were certain values xvhich war could not destroy, such as truth and goodness. and in the general reawakening to religion it was being realised, more and more, that no plans for n. post-war world would be complete unless given a spiritual basis.