The Haslingden Gazette. — 1910-11-19 (Haslingden, Lancashire, England)

MAYOR'S SUNDAY AT ACCRINGTON.  VISIT TO OAK-STREET CHURCH.  RAIN MARS PROCESSION.  The newly-elected Mayor ef Aocrington, Alder- forted? How much hope has it awakened in man A. S. Bury, paid his state visit. to Oek-street human hearts? How many regenerating, upbuildI Congregational Church. on Sunday last, but the ing, purifying, ennobling influences, has it introcivic procession was to a considerable extent duced into the lives of nations and individuals?" marred by rain. Notwithstanding this. however, By that. rough test their oreed must stand or fall. there was a large gathering of townsPeoPle, who And because ho was convinced that belief in God were received by the Mayor in the Town }fall had, no to speak, gone about. ths world, like Christ, vestibule, the procession being marshalled by the doing good, Professor Jan.s hailed it as true and l'hief (onstable. The Mayor, who wore he' official worthy of honour. In rim name way this Pragrobes, hat, and chain, was preceded by the mace- matio philosophy confronted the atheists di our bearer and halberdiers, and with him were the day—if there were any—and asked. "How many I)epury-Mayor. Alderman T. E. Nustall. and the hopeless dawns have men faced through your Town Clerk (Mr. A. H. Aitken), in wig and gown. creed? How many suicides has it caused? How The pageant included thus Territorial Artillery, much of the world's hopelessness and despair can under Major Frankish, the Accrington detachmeint he laid at Atheism's door?" And bemuse is. tinda of the sth Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, that Atheism converted no souls, healed no wounds, generated no mighty enthusiasm, the Pragmatic 1 under the command of Captain Slinger, the Ambulance Corps. Fire Brigade, police, members of the philosophy regarded Atheism as false and worse Council. Magistrates, Guardians, officials and than useless. Let them apply that rough test to townsmen, and music Mao provided on the route by the political and economic theorists they held so . three Inutds—Accrington Old, llowlrd and But- dear. lough's, and the Pipers. The route was from the Before him that morning he saw f 'cnservatites Town flail by Blackburn-road and Abbey-street, and Liberals, Free Traders and Tariff Reformers, the return being down Oak-street and along Soeialiste and Individualisat A presumptuous Church-street. The officers present were Major politician would at ono, pith out one of those Frankish and Lients. Grcy and Browning, of the polnical theories, hail is as a heaven-inspired Art illery, and (*Wain Slinger and Captain creed, and mercilessly pulverise and discard the Welch, of the Territorial Infantry. Commissioner rest. But he asked them to look their political Is Whittaker, Chief Superintendent' Ogden, and and economic creed fairly and squarely in the Dr. Clegg were with the Ambulance ('orps; Supt. face, and task themselves the question: What good Barnes had charge of the Fire Brigade, and the is it doing in the world? If, like the Master, their police were under Chief Constable Sinclair and political creed went about doing good, he wished Inspectors Read and Ashcroft. it God-speed, but if evil a speedy death and a Amongst those in the procession were Aldermen dishonourable grave. "Unless," continued the D. C. Dewhurst. Cunliffe, Dud:worth, Iligharn, preacher, "Conservatives and Liberals can east Rawson, and Walker: Councillors Sprako. J. (.: We believe that our principles. if applied to Lupton, Harwood, Smith, Waddington, Bolton. nal:ions:4 and imperial life, will establish our EmC. F. Bury, Cameron, B. Bury, Nuttall, Wilson, piro in righteousness, give peace, happiness, and Clayton, Bckey. J. Dewhurst, Emrnott, Paireas. prosperity to the people at large. and not to a Barlow, J. 11. Lupton, Dixon, and Maslen; Mr. small section of our nation—then I any no case J. S. Higham, M.P., Messrs. J. Townson, J.p., I can be made out for either of your political creeds G. Brownhill, J.P., E. Woolley. J.P.. J. Holman, Unless Free Traders and Tariff Reformers can J.P., A. T. Townsend, J.P., J. T. Walmsley, J.P., say: Our economia doctrines applied to our I.)r. Fox, J.P., E. Chadwick, J.P., R. Broughton . national life will cheapen the food of the many, (Magistrates' Clerk), W. J. Newton (Borough ae well as augment ilhe incomes of the few, will Engineer), J. Beckett. (Borough Treasurer), J. i help to abolish unemployment, want, and misery, Kenyon. R. Diggle, T. Walmsley, G. Haworth, i and establish friendly relations between nation and J. Neild. J. Birtwistle, R. Phillips, J. En.swistis. l nation—then your coonomie creeds are weighed in W. M. Williamson, J. W. Barlow, Councillor Cook I the balances and found wanting. Unless Socialist* and individualists are sure that their fundament(Oswaldtwistle), H. T. Haworth, R. A. Jackson ; (Blackburn), G. T. Rattray, 11. Whittaker, J. ally hostile political creeds will help to rid our Hays, J. Rawstron, Prescott. Duerden, C. Dew- cities of their slums, our civilisation of millionaires burst. A. Whittaker, Lee, Bunkall, J. Ilargreaves, at one end and miserable paupers at the other, and Clough. will make adequate provision for those wounded The service at Oak-street Congregational Church in the industrial battle, and for the aged poor creeping sadly to their graves—unless you are was numerously attended. The Mayor sat in the frets eat with Alderman Dr. Nuttall (Deputy- sure of these things, you have no reason for b01d,•.• . .  Mayor. Mr. Jdhn S. Iligham, M.P., Aldermen Iligham and Duckworth, and the Towu Clerk. The ,sersioe was conducted by the Rev. Herbert Brook. M.A., pastor. Mr. H. Bury. the Mayor's elder brother, organist at Sale Congregational Church, ably presided at the organ. The music, effectively rendered, wan as follows: Introit, Holy, Holy, (Camidgc); hymn, All . _  ing your political-vieWs. "Now I pass ors to eay that we must put precisely tho samo test. questiorr to every individual man. After all, there axe only two ultimately important questions with which every man moat be faced. The firso is: Is he a good man? The :second Os: Does ho work good works? The supreme question that mast be asked concerning  _ people" that on earth do dwell"; To Deum (Dykes); anthem, "Seek yo she Lord," (solo by Mr. W. .4. Stark); hymn. -0 God, our help in ages past"; solo. "If with all your hearts" ("Elijah"); hymn. "God of our fathers, known of old" (Rudyani Kipling). Mr. Stark. an effect. tine tenor, ably acquitted himself.