A STRANGE BURIAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15194, 14 April 1917, Page 7

A STRANGE BURIAL

AFTER JUTLAND BANK.

NORWEG lAN CLERC YMAN'S

ADDRESS

The following was translated from the Kolnisehe Zeitung, and communicated to The Venturer:

"It is repeatedly announced that bodies of seamen who lost their lives in the Skager-lJack sea light have, been washed ashore on the Danish and Norwegian coasts, And that" they are reverently buried by those who lind them. "This has recently happened at Arendal, in Norw.iy and the funeral address of the Norwegian clergyman, Gleditsch, should be made known throughout Germany. There, is no bias in the address —the open grave would be an ill-chosen place for political expression—t ho preacher spoke simply, in honourable, neutral spirit, as befitted the immense and terrible drama which is now being enacted.

"All men are of the same blood," he said. "It would not appear so to-day, It does not seem so wheu we think of the destruction of life aud blood that is going on at the present moment. These live dead men, three from one side and two from the other, little thought so a.s they faced each other with arms in their hands, and called each other to death. And still we lift our heart*; to God and say: All men are of the same blocd. But God has given us dwelling-places in different parts of the earth ; he has divided us by frontiers and seas. And when Ho gave to each his country and his work if was with a definite object; that we should all seek Hjm and praise Him in a choir of many voices. That is God's aim, but the way, thereto, on which we, shall all be as brothers, is steep and hard to find.

"At times even comrades forget that they are of the same blood. That happens when we feel that our frontiers are threatened and that our homes are in danger. Then our tongues become confused. Brother knows brother no longer. They stand opposed with aims in hands. £o it is with these men. to whom we show the last honour to-day. Thev went out to defend their frontiers and their homes. They went out on the free sea to fight for the rights of free men.

TO DEFEND THEIR HOMES. "We also have known such a journey. It is not long ago. but we should not havo found it easy 100 years ago to call all men brother!?. We then fought in defence of our frontiers which our army had placed round our land; we offered our lives in defence of our homes between rochi and the fiords. That is now long ago, and we stretch out our hands to our brothers iu the South and our brothers in the East. We do not find it difficult to realise that wo are of one blood with them. If one of them is struck we are also struck; if one suffers by the other we Buffer with him. Each of the two peoples whose sons lie here before us, we know to be of the same origin, and we often speak of them ; the same blood ' One blood —but bet wen us the free, vast oeean. Thereupon we would freely journey, like they, and thereon we often went in olden days, often to bloody conflict, often in friendly intercourse. "It was a dreadful kiss with which the brothers greeted, there out on the sea. Think of all that has happened and let us pray, God that we shall never again learn such news from the, sea, never again receive such an embassy from the great waters. We know the sea, well, wo know what she is craving for, a-nd what happens out there is well known to us. We are of one blood with those who fearlessly brave We know the sea, which every year gives up some of our dead; and somfl it buries in its unfathomable depths. '•'A wornau of the town gave nw flowers for these poor fallen ones. Sho knows the secrets of the sea. Last year the sea robbed her of her darling. And our seajmen here present know what; those who trust their lives to the mr-. owe to each other. They know the toll the sea demands. And how stands it with these our fallen brothers, who found death in defending their own peoples? We will hope they have found God, to Whom they called, and of Whom it is written: "He is not far from each of us."

THEY DID THEIR DUTY. "They did their duty. They fought their fight right to the end. They knew their brothers not on the same day they sank into the sea. But God, who is not, far from ns, can bring their lives from the dead. Yes, He 'will make the -wonderful to happen, that these men who knew not each other shall meet as brother?. Who knows if the deep thunder of the cannon, and the ;--ad so rig of the sea, sung to the dead ear on the strand, will not become a beautiful and strong choral-melody of praise there in God's paradise? "We Norwegians are but small by the side of our great strong brother* in West and South. It is hard for us to look on and see the strongest branches of our family bleeding to death in conflict. W r e cannot do much to help, but to-day we will lay flowers on these graves and say: Of one blood! And we will expect and hope that also this is Gods will, and that it is in .some way to serve the purpose He has wfth ur>. "We hope also that those who aro divided shall become reconciled in peace and understanding when they tind God, Who is not far from ea.ch of us. We are only small, but we stretch forth our hands to them both and call them—"Brothers." W</ lift our hearts to our Heavenly Father in hope and confidence. Peace to the fallen. Peace to those who are still engaged in battle."