"'We kept this up for a bit, but it was evident we were getting weaker. Neither of us spoke for a while, and then presently the Salvationist said, "Mate, death means life to me; you are not converted, you hold on to the spar and save yourself; I'll let go. Good-bye!" "'And he let go and went down!'" When we have Christian men like that on our men-of-war, we need not fear for our country, nor for the Kingdom of Christ. And so not only now, but when the war is over let us pray: "O! hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea." I close this chapter with one more quotation. It is from the _Methodist Recorder_. It may be a comfort to some who lost dear ones in the _Hawke_, or in some of the other ships which have met a similar fate. "On the Sunday before the _Hawke_ met her doom, one of our chaplains conducted Divine service on the cruiser. As soon as he went on board he was taken to the cabin of one of the warrant officers--a local preacher--who is one of the few survivors of the disaster. About thirty men gathered together. A few hymns were sung from the little blue books, which have quite captured the sailors' hearts. The chaplain read the latter part of Romans viii.--that great message of inseparable love and glowing assurance. He then spoke from the words, 'All things work together for good to them that love God.' The men listened most earnestly to the message. One of them asked that the hymn--which has such sad but heroic associations,--'Nearer, my God, to Thee' might be sung. The little service closed with prayer by the warrant officer. As the chaplain shook hands with each man, one and another said, 'Thank you, sir.' Arrangements were made to have another service when the _Hawke_ next came into port. But that will never be. To those whose hearts ache for the brave dead of the _Hawke_, there is no sweeter message than that which was given to the men on their last Sunday morning, 'All things work together for good to them that love God.'" CHAPTER X CHAPLAINS DESCRIBE THEIR WORK Church of England Army Chaplains' Work at the Front--Permanently Commissioned Chaplains--Hospital Ministrations--Six Parade Services on one Day--Holy Communion in Strange Places--Services under Shell Fire--Tonic Effect of Difficulties--The Work of the Free Churches--The Salvation Army and the War--One Hundred and Thirty Best Rooms--A General's Testimony--He Plunged down on his Knees--In Belgium--At Hadleigh--Send them to the Salvation Army--S.A. Patrols. Readers of this book will be glad to have first-hand reports of Christian work among our soldiers. I have therefore asked representatives of the different churches and religious organisations to give their own statements of the work attempted and accomplished. I do not purpose, therefore, in this chapter doing more than presenting to my readers the statements received, merely introducing them with a few explanatory words.