The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

G > I < By JACK EVANS Staff Reporter As far as the family and many friends of the late Jack Green are concerned, the ranks of the heaven- ly band have just welcomed a new first cornetist. There were a few damp eyes in the crowded Salvation Army Citadel Thursday morning, but that did not stop them from singing a rousing, hand-clapping chorus of: "sweeping through the gates of the new Jerusalem, washed in the blood of the Lamb." And there was another famous Welsh hymn, Guide Me. 0 Thou Great Jehovah; which sings in part: "songs of praises, I well ever give to thee." Green, for almost 60 years, this city's most steadfast Salvationist and bandmaster, died Monday in Hastings Manor at the age of 94. He lived such a-humble life that he was often unaware himself of the number of honors and affec- tions he won during his Hfe from friends, associates and the com- munity. For instance, he was one of only 16 Canadians to have received the Salvation Army's highest decora- tion -- the Order of the Founder. But that's not all. In April 1975, the City of Belleville honored him with its Cultural Award for 1974. His gifts at that time included a commissioned oil painting by local artist Barb Whalen. The painting was displayed beside the coffin at the front of the citadel showing a silver cornet, a Salvation Army hat and a music stand with baton in the foreground, and through a window, a representation of Jack Green teaching young people, a job he did for many years as music director of the army's camp at Roblin Lake. Born at Maestag in the county of Glamorganshire, South Wales, Green took to "banding" as the Salvation Army calls it, at an early age, perhaps "a refuge from his rough life as a miner as young as 14, Conscripted for the British Ar- my in the First World War, with service in Greece and Bulgaria, he was on one occasion called on to perform the General Salute for the arrival of King George V and General Kitchener for a troop in- spection. He also served as bugler for his unit' In 1928 in the depths of the depression, he and his wife and two daughters, Glenys and Dorothy, ar- rived in Belleville, in response to an advertisement in the army's War Cry for a bandmaster here. Hk He then got a job with the Canadian National Railways. In those first few years he established himself as a cornetist of national class by winning the top gold medal award for three years in annual competitions held as part of the Canadian National Exhibi- tion at Toronto in those days. And apart from his railroad work, and training private pupils and Salvationist bandsmen and women. Green continued to ex- press Christian witness, stressing a making of music to the glory of God, as speakers at the service Thursday testified. He also carried on in extra hours a prison ministry in the former county jail at Belleville for many years, in- cluding being one of the last to minister to the last person to be hung in the jail, in 1941. That per- son left a letter under his pillow, addressed to Green, and assuring him that through his witness, and pleasant tenor voioe singing of God's love, the prisoner had ac- cepted God's Salvation before go- ing to the gallows. For many years Green also led the Quinte Concert Brass group, and he continued playing his belov- ed cornet almost until the age of 90. Members of his family, children, grandchildren and great grand children, remained oommitted to Green's love of God, service in the Salvation Army and love of music. Lt. Col. Robert Chapman, formerly of Belleville, used as a Scripture quotation: "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? " Bandsman Douglas Mason played The Last Post at the com- mital service in Belleville Cemetery, where Gen. Brown again officiated. Bearers were Don McBride, Jack Roffel , Ron Moorman, Ron Lessels, Alf Morris and Brent Daniels. Honorary bearers were Dr. Bruce Cronk, Dr. Eric Naylor, Ernest Lee, Stan Lessels, Chris Lockyer and Ernie Sargeant. A memorial service for Mr. Green will be held in the citadel on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m.