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
"Over the road, opposite the building, is a patch of ground--just a
cabbage patch. A grave has been dug, just a few minutes previously,
and the dead soldier lies in it uncovered, just as he fell in the
trenches. His arms are folded on his breast. A piece of cloth hides
his face from our sight. He lies two feet from the surface--no more.
Three of us stand by the grave. The corporal hands me an electric
torch, and I begin to read the burial service.
"'Ping-ping!' A bullet whizzes over us. Out goes the torch--and we
finish with an extempore prayer. Five minutes later two of his mates
are filling up this soldier's grave, and another is cutting out a
rough wooden cross. Ten minutes more and we are away with our
ambulance."
If they all acquit themselves thus we shall indeed be proud of
Kitchener's Army.
The Christian work at the front becomes increasingly successful as the
months go by, until one wonders whereunto it will grow. We must not
exaggerate or make too much of momentary impressions of those at the
front, but such scenes as the following, pictured to us by the Rev.
Lauchlan McLean Watt in the _Scotsman_, will live in our memory. As we
read it we can hardly wonder at his closing words declaring that it is
Resurrection and Pentecost through which they are passing in France
and Flanders to-day.
He had been in a deserted billet just behind the firing line, and was
about to move on when a couple of soldiers of the Black Watch appeared
on the scene. Here is the story he has to tell:
"They touched their bonnets, and said, 'We're going off to the front
to-night, sir, and we thought we'd like to have the Sacrament before
we go. Can you give it to us?' 'How many?' I asked. 'Oh, maybe
sixteen,' was the reply. 'Well,' I answered, 'at six o'clock in the
shed next to this one be present with your friends.'
"Off went the two with a deepened light in their faces, while I
prepared the place that was to be for some of them the room of the
Last Supper. A tablecloth borrowed from the officers' mess and a
little wine from the same source helped to meet our preparations. A
notice on the door that the place was closed for ordinary use until
the Communion service was over did not keep us free from interruption,
for the room was the ordinary one for the soldiers' 'sing-song,' and
men would come and beat upon the doors and clamour for admission, not
reading notices nor at first understanding.
"The men began to gather, and sat down there as reverently as though
the dim, little, draughty hut were the chancel of some great cathedral
holy with the deepest memories of Christian generations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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