Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 128, 11 July 1941, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

EASTER SUNDAY IN EGYPT flic Rev. R. G. McDowell, C.F. is chaplain at. a baset camp in Egypt. He gives us the Story of the Easter services, with the troops. The padre's room is one of six itf a hut about sixty feet by twe-ntv. The walls are made of plaster witn Jhc lower portion of about three feet of soft red brick. Partitions also are! of plaster on a rush base, while the root too is of plaster laid <>n scrim. There is a door at on? end and at the other a shuttered window which has no glass in its frames. No particular fault of the pad re/s ! It never had any ! The door is: paved with, limestone flags about fourteen inches square, and furnished with a couple of tables, two chairs, his tin trunk and suitcase. and a board bed. Soma nails serve to hang clothes on. Most ol his clothes are in his trunk and 'uitcare as. some protection agains:t the sand which drifts in everywhere with the frequent winds. It is Easter Sunday morning! Let ns take a peep into his room about P) a.m., and; see what he does with his day. Ah! This room is omte light although windcwless ! Where does the light come from? There is a gap of about three inches between the top of the; wall and the roof, and the light penetrating here is reflected on the white Avails. The padre is awake although reveille does; not sound on Sundays till 7 o'clock instead of the usual 6. He has a busy day before him and has not much time after 8 o'clock breakfast to run over 'his address before the r> o'clock parade,- so he is up as usual just after six. A little kerosene primus provides tn a few minutes tlici luxury of hoi S)having water, and the; simple necessities of his toilet are soon attended to. What is that fellow shouting for? Ah, it's "George" with the morning paper. A paper is available seven a week at about 6.30. A few minutes with the paper to see what is doing then the padre has a little time to himself completing his preparation for the morning service. Picveille at 7 brings the batman, who polishes up boots and belt, and at 8 comes breakfast. A half hour to get ready, a last glance through the sermon and then down to the "Epi"—Expeditionary Force Institute—a hall where the troops gather to drink their beer, have a bit of supper if they wish it, and play housey houscy. On Sunday it is; cleaned out and arranged for the scrvice. The band, under Bandmaster Dean Goffin is present and as the men file in plays a few quiet, tunes. Six or seven hundred men, cram all available space, some sitting on the tables ranged along the walls and others standing in the aisles. There is a hum of muffled conversation as the time for service draws near. Right on the, 1 hour the padre is called to attention, the conversation ceases, the CO. enters and takes his place, and the padre goes to the platform on which is a table draped with ,the New Zealand flag. With the men still standing he makes the ancient proclamation, "Let vis worship God," and the service opens with prayer. Thre? hymns, a reading, further prayer, an address of about twelve minutes, and the National Anthem following the Benediction take just over an hour. The men are reverent and

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE (Supplied by the Whaltatane Ministers' Association).

attentive, find although inclined to listen to the band, sing fairly well. Immediately the service is over the padre gathers his papery and his books, goos out to a waiting oar and is taken to another part of the camp for a service at 9.45. This is rmuch smaller. In another Epi about 250 men are waiting and a pianist. The same service is conducted with the singing much better because the men are forced to make the music themselves. One or two deep rich Maori voices can be heard joining \vholclieartedly in the hymns. The day is getting warmer and the flies are making a nuisance of themselves. Both the padre and his congregation are compelled to wage a constant warfare against the pest. At 10.15 the service is over and the padre walks* back up the road half a mile or thereby to' the Y.M.C.A. Here in a little quiet room accommodating about thirty people, the Sacrament of the Loid's Supper is to be observed. A tiny organ with three octaves has, beer obtained, and when all is ready, with Padre A. Macfarlane acting as elder on one side, and Captain G. Nelson of Roslyn on the other, and a group of about twenty-five men, tiie service bf.gins. There is no organist, but the little group desires a hymn. The organ if played with only one hand gives real assistance when the singers are no! of the best, as the padre plays with one' hand while the congregation sings with a deep sense of its meaning two verses of the hymn "Here O my T>ord I see thee face to face." This service is like an oasis to us all. We feel that God itf indeed here, and what is! more, that in Him by our faith the folk back home and ourselves: are made one, dwelling in a land and siharing. an eternal habitation of which nothing can rob us. Neither life nor yleath shall be able to separate us from the love of God which isi in Christ Jesus our Lord. Here the atmosphere is subtly different from tho other services. These Vnen are 'icre because they believe and want to come —there is no "flashing of un--leen swords as men strive against God, but hearts surrendered ready to receive and willing to obey. When the service; is over some- 1 one is waiting to see the padre about a matter that has been troubling him, and a quarter of an hour is spent in getting some understanding of the man's, 1 difficulty, in advising him about it. Tea is at 5 on Sundays, after which the padre calls at the E'pi for a. few minutes on his; way to the Y.M.C.A. On Sunday evening: a service is heild here from 7-7.45. rev-night, however, special films of the Resurrection, are available which leave to-morrow, and only the devotional part of the service is held. Nearly always a pianist is available, sometimes several, but to-night the organ is used as in Ifie morning scrvice, whilet Padre Macfarlane conducts the devotions. Prom 7.30 ori the picture is shown to several hundred men, an excellent picture ! One or two films of travel complete Ibe series, and at 8 o'clock thes men crowd the buffet for a cup of tea and cake, while the padre goes home to: his room. A little while in private devotions, a read, thet light out, a visit from the folk across the sea in the wonderful ships that memory and thought provide, a yarn around the fire with friends, the laughter and chatter of a little* child . . . and "sleep" knits up the ravelled sleeve of care."