Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 19 November 1900, page 8


SERVICE AT 8T. JOHN'S, ASHFIELD. .

In memoriam services were yesterday held at St. John's Church, Ashfield, where the late Canon Cor-lette, DD., had been rector for 34 years. Not-withstanding the inclemency of the weather there was a large attendance. The service was conducted by the Rev. A. Yarnold, of Christ Church, North Sydney, and was of a simple character. The church was appropriately draped, and there was a full choir. A processional hymn, " For ever with the Lord," was sung, and the ordinary morning ser-vice was proceeded with. Hymns suitable to the occasion, including " A few more years shall roll " and " O Paradise," were rendered. The Rev. A. Yarnold look for his text Acts xiii., 56, " After he had served his own generation by the will of God, he fell asleep," and preached the sermon from it, making kindly reference to the work of the late canon. He also read the dying messages of the canon to his parishioners, and asked them to take the words as though they were from their author that day.

In the evening Archdeacon Gunther preached, Taking for his text Revelations vii., 9, 10,14, the preacher referred to the blessed society of the great dead, the saints and martyrs, those who had rendered signal service to mankind, and carried out God's will upon earth to tbe best of their ability. The faith, prayer, and self-denial of the great ones who had passed away had received the reward promised by God. They bad been clad in white robes and stationed round His throne, where there was eternal happiness and joyful service. With palms, the emblems of victory, in their hands, they praised God day and night, and experienced the full meaning of the Divine promise of everlasting life. He had been asked to read the late Canon's dying message to his people, and he therefore read the touching words of farewell. He had known the late Canon when they were both at Oxford, 40 years ago, and during his deceased friend's tenure of the Ashfield rectorship he, the preacher, had frequently been associated with Canon Corlette in church work. The late Canon was an able, conscientious, and thorough minuter, who possessed a keen sense of the responsibilities of his priesthood, and laboured diligently for God. He would gladly bear testimony to the late Canon's ability and record of faithful service.

Special hymns were sung by a large choir, and the anthem with quartette and chorus, " Blest are the Departed," from Spohr's " Last Judgment," was impressively rendered. At the conclusion of the service the organist, Mr. Albert Fisher, played Men-delssohn's " Funeral March."