The Help of the Churches
The Presbyterian Church of England and the Society of Friends.
IN addition to the numerous thanks- giving services which were arranged individually by Branches, two Churches, the Presbyterian Church of England, and the Society of Friends, gave the Institu- tion the help of their central organiza- tion.
At the meeting of the General Assem- bly of the Presbyterian Church, in May, the following resolution was passed : " The Assembly congratulates THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION on the fine record of valuable work which it has achieved on our coast for 100 years, and authorizes a special collection to be taken through- out the Church on Life-boat Sunday, in celebration of the Centenary of the Institution." It was decided to make 29th June Life-boat Sunday in the Presbyterian Churches, as being the Sunday imme- diately preceding the International Con- ference, and with the help of the General Assembly and the support of their resolution, the 400 Presbyterian churches of England were asked to give thanks on that day, for the work of the Life- boat Service during a hundred years.
The Society of Friends, while unable to set aside one Sunday as Life-boat Sunday, gave the Institution their approval and help in inviting the 400 Meetings of Friends to give thanks for the work of the Life-boat Service on either 2nd March or 9th March, the Sundays immediately preceding and immediately following the Institution's hundredth birthday on 4th March. The Journal of the Society of Friends also published an appeal in February " heartily commending to Friends that one Sunday might be set apart for re- membrance of the work of our Life-boat organization, and for some practical recognition of our appreciation of and indebtedness to the Life-boat Service.".