“Favored with ideal weather, the parade for divine service held by
the 91st Canadian Highlanders yesterday morning, brought out
thousands of people to watch the boys in kilts pass by.”
Hamilton Spectator.
October 5, 1914.
Whenever the 91st
Canadian Highlanders attended a church service, marching from the armories on
James street north, their bagpipes, kilts and bearskin headdress were bound to
attract attention.
However, the
attention was even more focused for the church parade on Sunday, October 4,
1914 as the Highland militia unit marched to the Church of the Ascension on
John street south.
Long before the
arrival of the soldiers and long before the scheduled starting time of the
service, the sanctuary of the beautiful church was filled to overflowing,
except, of course, for the pews roped off for the military guests.
Reverend Dr. Renison
was in charge of the service, and for his sermon, he chose the text, “Whence
comest thou : what is thy country and of what people are they?”
Reverend Renison
delivered his sermon in his usual thoughtful, eloquent manner:
“ ‘The time had come
for clear thinking,’ he said, and taking the word of the prophet, we find that
religion and patriotism are twin sisters. Most of our forefathers come from the
little island, and our hearts go out to those who have faced and are facing the
great tragedy of the centuries.
“ ‘England owes much
of its past success to the simple truths
which lie deep in the hearts and minds of her people. It is not always
culture which makes the race formidable, as witness Germany. In that country,
philosophy and militarism go hand in hand. The progress of the world has been
such that it is impossible to believe in this freedom-loving country of ours
that militarism can hope to rule universal dominions.
“ ‘We, as a nation,
did not declare war. Nothing that could have been done to avert it was left
undone. Our empire stands for a single purpose, the freedom of its people. This
is a battle to allow the little countries to live. It is a fight for the
possession of the simple life.’ ”1
1 “91st
Regiment Attends Church :Thousands of People Watched Them Pass.”
Hamilton
Spectator. October 5, 1914.
Rev. Dr. Rension
continued by emphasizing that the war was for the common people’s rights.
Militarism, he noted, had killed democratic progress in parts of the world and
that the lights of freedom would go out if British ideals were trampled
underfoot:
“ ‘We are fighting
for our children, just as our forefathers fought in days past for us,’ he said.
‘The response of the different component parts of the British empire to the
call is a lesson to the world of the utmost loyalty of British possessions to
the mother country.
“The British race is
not a military people, but we stood as one when the call came, as I ever hope
we shall in the times of danger.’ ”1
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