God’s creative glory, shown in the lovely arrangement of flowers and shrubs, at once provided a starting point for our meditation period so wisely provided for in the program. Silently, but ever so eloquently, the petals and leaves pressed their irrefutable claim; “The hand that made us is Divine”. Then the organ voluntary, highlighting well loved music from the “Messiah”, phrased the scriptures which speak of his birth and life; his death and the miracle of his resurrection.
Inevitably the whole congregation was charged with a spirit of expectancy. The atmosphere of goodwill and savour of good things to follow had been apparent in the previous day’s proceedings when the speakers had told us that we were all children of God and each was dependent on the other. We had been exhorted to be willing to share ourselves with each other in the true spirit of service, and now before us lay the linen-covered emblems of the greatest example of service the world has ever known.
No place here for idle thoughts: still less for noisy chatter! How lovely that over a thousand brethren and sisters should so reverently assemble in peace, displaying by an early arrival their devotion.
Our presiding brother E. Wilson rose. There was no expectant hush, for quietness had seemed so automatically right in this gathering: as indeed it should in all such, whether large or small. With well chosen words, he reminded us that Christ’s presence was among us and in us, to separate us from the world, to draw us together, to consecrate us and to bring us to the consummation of our hope.
“Father Supreme, whose wondrous love, Our utmost thought so far exceeds, We seek Thy blessing from above, A rich supply for all our needs.”
The heartfelt singing of this glorious hymn brought us to a ready appreciation of John’s record (chap. 4) of the doings and teachings of Jesus: and what a joy it was to have it announced that two young men had heard and obeyed the Master and were with us to receive the right hand of fellowship. Words of welcome and sound advice to our new Brethren Nitschke and Kay struck a reflective cord in our own recollections of our personal life ‘in Christ’. How had we measured up to the vows made so long ago? And we were thankful for the forgiveness that God grants to the penitent heart. “Blessed, blessed be Jehovah, Israel’s God, to all eternity. Let all the people say Amen. Praise to the Lord give ye.”
In silent unity we prayed with and through our presiding brother, who presently directed us to suffer the word of exhortation which we heard from Bro. K. Quixley (Melbourne) and substantially reproduced below. The standards spoken about were adequate for a close self-examination before partaking of the Bread and Wine in memory of our Saviour.
“Wherever, Lord, Thy people meet,
There they behold the mercy seat;
Wherever they seek Thee, Thou art found
And every place is hallowed ground.”
Appropriate for the visitors from afar and applicable to the place, for as the Adelaide Town Hall rang to the closing hymn, we knew that it had been hallowed and that we had been greatly blessed and stirred to a tremendous awareness of our ‘Hope and Glory’.
“Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious: See the Man of Sorrows now,
To the earth returned victorious;
Every knee to Him shall bow.
Crown Him, crown Him:
Crowns become the Victor’s brow.”
A closing supplication to our Heavenly Father and a short organ reiteration of the final hymn tune completed our first Memorial meeting, one which will long live in the memories of those privileged to be present, and as we filed out into the thick-carpeted, marble-walled foyer, these embellishments seemed tawdry compared with the riches of sincerity and joy and happiness and goodwill and fellowship, so evidently manifested in every face and upon every lip: and in one group, where the lips were sealed, upon the swiftly moving hands.
The spirit of this meeting set the standards of holiness and sanctification before us, as reasonable objectives for our attainment in the week that lay ahead.
Fellowship with the Maker and Brethren