The Opening Service

On Wednesday afternoon the Cemetery was opened with a religious dedicatory service. The weather was dull and there was a cold breeze from the north.  at three o'clock a large number of people had assembled at the north side of the lodge of the Cemetery, where the ceremony took place. The members of the Town Council and ministers of the town (all of whom were invited) assembled at the Town House and were conveyed thence to the Cemetery in carriages.

Among those present were:- Provost Mitchell, Mrs and the Misses Mitchell,  Bailie Alexander and Mrs Fraser, Bailie Boyek and Mrs Boyek, Dean of Guild and Mrs Sim; Treasurer Heckford, Hospital Master Brand; Mr Grieve, Convenor of the Burial Board and Mrs Grieve; Mr and Mrs William Ross and Miss M. Ross; Mr and Mrs Melvin and Mrs Spencer; and Messrs Whiteman, Hall, Adamson, Murison, Ford and Strachan; Mr and Mrs D.C. Wills; Mr D. Smith, Town Chamberlain; Mr Andrew Bruce, Burgh Surveyor, and Mrs Bruce; Mr A Melville Watt, Police Treasurer; Rev. J.Niblock-Stuart, First Charge of the Parish; Rev. W. Taylor, Melville Parish Church; Rev. G.S. Sutherland, Free St Paul's; Rev. J. A. George and Mrs George, Free St John's; Rev. James Hay, John Street U.P. Church; Rev. G.P. Macfie, Knox's U.P. Church; Rev. Mr. Cairns, St Luke's U.P. Church; Rev. T.S. Connolly, St Peter's Episcopal Church, Rev. A.R. Henderson, Congregational Church; Rev. W. Kelson, Wesleyan Methodist; Rev. R. Jackson, John Street E.U. Church;Mr. W Douglas Johnston and Mrs. Johnston; Dr Howden; Dr Lawerence and Miss Lawrence; Mr and Mrs James Gaudie; Mrs Balfour; Mrs James F. Balfour; Mrs Joseph Foreman, Nursery House; Captain and Mrs Findlay, Wellington Street; Mr A. Tennant; Mr Macaulay; Mrs Bain; Miss Johnston, Hill Street; Mr and Mrs J. A. J. Reid; Mr and Mrs George Addison; Mrs James L. Shand; Mrs Moug, Murray Street; Mr D. M. Hutcheon; Mr and Mrs D. D. Clark; Misses Allan, High Street; Mrs Charles Ross; Miss Gibbon, Ferry Street; Mrs A. Petrie; Misses Scott, Christie's Lane; Mr and Mrs T. Reid, St Mary's Road; Mr and Mrs J. Barnett; Mr and Miss Burgess, Melville Gardens: Mrs Sturrock, Union Street.

Shortly after three o'clock a commencement was made with the service, by which time the crowd numbered over 500. Rev. J. Niblock-Stuart, in opening, said:- Assembled as we now are in what has been appropriately called "God's Acre," as the final resting place of our beloved dead, let us begin this solemn service by singing together Psalm xc. The psalm was sung to the tune "Dunfermline."  Mr John Edwards, precentor of Free St George's Church, leading.Rev. Lames Hay then read from 1 Cor. xv., after which Rev. Mr Sutherland engaged in prayer as follows:-