Reots Guards and Shanghai Scottish Parade The Sunday preceding St. Andrew's Day has for several years been' observed in Shanghai. by a special service at Union Church, when the Shang-bai Scotti, 'S.V.C., are joined by, the Committee and many' memders of St. Andrew's Society in a acrvico which closely resembles that held on the same day in St. Giles, Bulinburgh, in honour of the patron Saint of Scotland. This year the service took on an added national significance, due to the presence of a Irae contingent of the 2nd Battalion of the Scots Guards, at present forming part of the forces stationed Shanghai, Over the rostrum front of the organ hung' the Union Jack, flanked by the St. Andrew's Cross and the Scottish' Standard, while the choir stalls were decorated with bunches of heather tied with tartan ribbons, There was a very large congregation, extra reats being requisitioned provide the necessary aecommodation. Seated with the President, Vice-President, and Committee of St. Andrew's Society, wore Mr. C. British acting. Consul:
fidge Sir Peter Grain, Pr ident of St. George's Society; Mr 4. R, Jones, President of St. Davie Society; Lieut.-Col. E. T.C. Warner, Commanding the Scots Guard, and several of hin affeers.
The Service The service was conducted by the Minister, the Rev. E. F, Borst-Smith, assisted by the Rev. J. C. A. Behn, ex. and the Rev. J. P, Murray, Chaplain of the Scots Guards, who preached. It opened, after the brief invitations to worship and re-spouses, with the "Old Hundredth," followed by a collect and the Lord's Prayer, and the well-known "St, George's, Edinburgh"—"Ye Gate itt up your heads on high." The first lesson, Exclesiastes xii, "Remember now thy Creator in the days Gen, rnaghten, President of of thy youth," was read by Brig
St.. Andrew's Society, while the second, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, was read by Lieut.-Col. Warner. Between the lessons came Matheson's familiar hymn, "O Love that will not let me go," and after the tecond lesson, the' national hymn, nung with intense fervour "Lord while for all mankind we 'OF every" cline. and coast hear us for our native land, The lana we love the most."
This was followed by special prayer, led by the Rev. J. C. A. Behn, who invoked the Divine bless. ing upon His Majesty the King, that he may in due time be restored to health and strength to carry on his work among his people, and for our native land that she may stand among the nations honoured for her Christian principles and work. The hymn, "Jesus calls us," preceded the sermon, which was preached by the Rev. J. P. Murray, whose theme was the Parable of the Prodigal Son, centred on the words "And He (the elder son) was angry and would not go in, And the father answered. It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost_and is found.
The Prodigal's Elder Brother Mr, Murray noted at the outset that prodigals are often the most. conspicuous persons in a community, and fref\uently gain sympathy and help, while the steady-going, decent Aiving men, who-are the backbone of society, receive no encouragement, und no incentive to clear them on their monotonous way. In the pa: able the elder brother plays a minor-part in the scheme of things, and yet one cannot withhold sympathy from him in the attitude he adopted. iis objections to the lavish way his brother was feted on his return after having spent his portion of his father's goods, is after. all only human. And yet in the telling of the story Christ seems to Lay emphasis upon the duty and responsibility of the lder brother: "This thy brother was dead and is alive; he was lost and ig'found." The elder brother was fortunate: how fortunate he did not realize, Ie had great privileges, ut he: did not realize them. How people to-day, when adopting
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.