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
"The troops bear hearty testimony to the blessings these havens of
rest and happiness have proved to be. Lord Kitchener himself has
expressed appreciation, and there have been many other most generous
expressions from highly placed officers regarding the Army's efforts
on behalf of the men. A general commanding one of the great camps
said, 'Please do not thank me for arranging sites for your buildings;
it is for me to thank General Booth and the Salvation Army for
rendering us such service. I know the value of the spiritual and moral
influence which the workers of the Salvation Army exercise over the
men.' The senior chaplain of a great camp applied for Salvation Army
officers to go and work amongst the troops, and himself defrayed the
cost of supplying and equipping a marquee for the purpose. 'Your men
go for the soldier's soul; that's why I want them,' he said.
"The value of over 13,000 Salvationists scattered amongst the troops
and the fleet can only be faintly suggested here. A Salvationist is
trained, from the moment he kneels at the penitent form, to confess
Christ by his life and testimony; and never has he taken a braver
stand than he is doing to-day in the barrack-room, on ship deck, and
in trench.
"The following incident, which has been multiplied a thousandfold,
illustrates the power of example. A rough, illiterate Salvationist
found himself in a barrack dormitory for the first time. Cursing,
swearing, and ribaldry were going on all around him amongst a crowd of
half-drunken, hilarious men. He knew he should kneel and pray, but
never before did he understand the full significance of the Salvation
Army song he had so often lustily sung: 'I'll stand for Christ, for
Christ alone.' Surely it would be easier to go into action than to
kneel and pray in such company! He turned hot and cold by turns, then
decided: 'Here goes,' and plumped down upon his knees. A few whistles
and jeers, a boot, a pillow followed, but he did not move. The
cursing gradually died away and there was silence in the room.
"Next day several men sought him out to confess that they, too, were
Christians, but had not dared to face that fire alone. Next night
several of them knelt to pray unmolested, and by degrees the
Salvationist became the conscience of the company. A military officer
of high rank remarked to one of our leading men the other day: 'I
really did not know the Salvation Army until the war, but I have
watched your men. Now I deliberately place Salvationists with the
wilder of our spirits, and invariably find that after a week or two
the tone of the company has noticeably risen.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account