The Royal Visit

White Ribbon, Volume 25, Issue 10, 1 January 1954, Page 1

The Royal Visit

H.M. QUEEN ELIZABETH II - H.R.H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

It is a matter for thankfulness that one of the first act. ; of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Koval Highness the Duke of Edinburgh after their arrival in New Zealand was to attend Divine Service on Christmas Day. Her Majesty, a Queen, received with all the marks of high honour and respect, went to worship One she acknowledged as her King and Lord, who, though He was horn in a stable and was crucified foi our sins, rose gloriously from the dead and livetli and reigneth for evermore. To Him all the Kings and Queens and ri.lers of this earth owe homage. Her Majesty, as Sovereign, stands above parties, and in John Buchan’s words forms “the mystical, indivisible centre of National Onion. It is the point around which coheres the Nation's sense of a continuing personality. In any deep stirring of heart the people turn from the mechanism of Government, which is their handiwork and their servant, to that ancient, abiding thing behind governments, which they feel to be the symbol of their past achievement and their future hope.” The presence of tiie Koval visitors in our midst at ilie time of the national railway disaster at Tangiwai, whrh resulted in the loss of so many lives, has been a very real source of comfort to the bereaved, who were helped by the Queen’s svmpathy and the Duke’s presence at the funeral. They were so anxious to do all they could to help.

women of \Y*w Zealand the coming of the reigning Queen has been something very special. We saw her as a Monarch, one of our own sex. a young mother with children, and as such she makes a special appeal to all wives and mothers. Her wifehood and motherhood have given her an understanding of our problems. We think of all she represents: the people of Great Britain with their long history, the Dominions and Colonies, faith in freedom and justice, which has uphvj the British people throughout the centuries. 1 lie history of the Kings and Queens of Israel has revealed the tremendous importance of the example of the Monarch’s personal life and actions. When Kings called the r> »i«»n to righteousness and the service of God. t people followed in their steps. We see that to, v also. Ihe Monarch, though shorn of much j ditical power, possesses something even greater —the power of personal example in daily living. East June, on her Coronation, Her Majesty accepted her heavy responsibility as a , sacrament. Our Queen has consecrated her life to the service of her people, but she has lold us that she feels unable to carry on this great task in her own strength. She has pleaded for our prayers. Let us all pray that the Queen, her husband and their family will be such examples of Christian consecration and daily living that the whole standard of our national life will be raised to that “righteousness which exalteth a NationY.G.

The Royal couple have been particularly gracious with the children, the sick and the aged. To the