With Methuen's Column on an Ambulance TrainBennett, E. N. (Ernest Nathaniel), Sir
History
With Methuen's Column on an Ambulance Train
Bennett, E. N. (Ernest Nathaniel), Sir
Red Cross and Red Crescent; South African War, 1899-1902 -- Hospitals, charities, etc.
and families at home, and one forgot the bad grammar, the rough accent
and the monotonous repetition in one's sympathy for these honest fellows
who were not ashamed to pray.
Would we Churchmen had more enthusiasm and courage in our teaching and
our methods! This was the quality that enabled the infant church to
emerge from its obscure dwelling in a Syrian town and spread all the
world over. It is this warmth of conviction which lent fortitude to the
martyrs of old time, and at this moment breathes valour into our brave
enemies. But where is such vital enthusiasm to be found in the Church of
England? In one of our cathedrals we read the epitaph of a certain
ecclesiastic: "He was noticeable for many virtues, and sternly repressed
all forms of religious enthusiasm". History repeats itself, and for
manly outspeaking on great questions of social and political importance
the laity are learning to look elsewhere than to the pulpit. Oh! for one
day in our National Church of Paul and Athanasius and Luther, men who
spoke what they felt, unchecked by thoughts about promotion and
popularity and respectability. Enthusiastic independence is as unpopular
in religion as it is in politics; and the fight against prejudice and
unfairness is often exceeding bitter to the man who dares to run his
tilt against the opinion of the many. The struggle sometimes robs life
of much that renders it sweet; nevertheless it may help to make history
and will bring a man peace at the last, for he will have done what he
could to leave the world a little better than he found it. These good
mission-folk looked after our physical as well as our spiritual
necessities. They had annexed a small house and garden just opposite
their tent, and here we could buy an excellent cup of tea or lemonade
for one penny, as well as a variety of delectable buns, much in request.
So pressing was the demand for these light and cheap refreshments that
the supply of cups and glasses gave out, and the lemonade was usually
served out in old salmon or jam tins. Very often, after a couple of
hymns and, perhaps, a prayer, we went across and finished up the evening
with a couple of buns and a cup of tea. One of my ambulance comrades,
an ex-baker from Johannesburg, was extremely good in helping on the
success of the refreshment bar, and frequently stood for hours together
at the receipt of custom. The returns were very large. One day, I
remember, they amounted to L22 in pennies: this would mean, I think, on
a low estimate, that something like 1,500 soldiers used the temperance
canteen on that evening. Apart from this enterprising work, private
gifts in the way of fruit occasionally arrived on the scene, and I well
remember one day when almost every "Tommy" one met carried a pine apple
in his hands. In addition to such pleasures of realised satisfaction we
enjoyed the pleasures of anticipation; for was not her Gracious
Majesty's chocolate _en route_ for South Africa? The amount of interest
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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