With Our Fighting Men: The story of their faith, courage, endurance in the Great WarSellers, William E.
History
With Our Fighting Men: The story of their faith, courage, endurance in the Great War
Sellers, William E.
Great Britain. Army -- Military life; World War, 1914-1918 -- Religious aspects
"There are, of course, many other sides of a chaplain's work: the
ministrations to the wounded and dying in the hospitals, and advanced
dressing stations of the Field Ambulance, the burial of the
dead--often at night and in strange weird circumstances--the visiting
of men in the trenches when feasible, the writing of letters to
relatives, the censoring of letters, and a number of other duties.
"It is often in a strange sort of place that one witnesses a poor
fellow's last dying testimony, in some cellar possibly, where a
wounded man has had to be conveyed so as to be safe from shell fire.
"In times of comparative quiet, and when troops are resting, I
consider it most important that chaplains should try to organise some
directly spiritual work, and also recreation daily during the trying
hours after dark, until men have to be in their billets. For instance,
in this place we have a room and a hall; in the room we have a
Bible-class each evening, while in the hall there are papers and
games, coffee can be procured, and there is an impromptu concert every
evening. We have a stage with footlights, and a serviceable piano. On
Sunday evenings there is a well-attended voluntary service there. Both
places are well warmed and well lighted, with plenty of seats and
chairs. This is most important.
"One great difficulty under which the Church of England has to labour
in this country is that, with very few exceptions, the Roman Catholic
ecclesiastical authorities will not allow us to use their churches.
This is, I think, to be deplored, and I cannot understand how people
can worship comfortably in their churches, while they know that
fellow-Christians are obliged to hold their service in the open air,
in cold discomfort, or in some quite unsuitable and mean building.
"Possibly, however, it is for our good that we should have these
difficulties. These difficulties and trials are perhaps a tonic for
our spiritual life. And after all we learn what every campaign has to
teach us, and what I was first taught in South Africa, that often the
truest worship can be offered in most uncongenial surroundings; and I
have been myself strengthened and helped, and I have marked the
reverence and devotion of officers and men at some service beneath the
sombre skies of Flanders, or it may be in some comfortless or even
squalid building.
"Out here one realises more what things really matter, and how to
distinguish the essential from the unessential. One has so much to be
thankful for and so much to help, strengthen, and inspire."
Hitherto I have given Mr. Tuckey's statement in his own words. Nearly
all the rest does not concern the public, but ere he closes he
acknowledges gratefully the kindness of the Archbishop of Rouen in
allowing him the use of two churches or chapels, and speaks most
appreciatively of the hospitality of some of the _curés_. We may hope
and pray that he may be long spared to do such glorious work as his
statement indicates.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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