Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 82, 16 June 1944, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakatnni- Musters' Association)

WITH THE BOYS OVERSEAS Padre A. D. Horwell, who is wellknown to many people in the Bay, writes of an Easter service in the front line in Italy. It was evident that to hold services in the Regiment over Easter one would need to go round the gun positions, and, since the sun favoured us in the mornings, we would use the mornings of Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the job. Will I ever forget that Good Friday morn as we scampered up the shell torn road in a jeep? Just below us is the now historic but battered town of Cassino and towering above stands the monastery, or what is left of it —a perfect observation post for "Jerry." Around the base of the hill we pick out these places that are to-day sacred to our chaps—• places now battered and torn. But there is no time for contemplation, the driver literally hurls that jeep along till he turns down an alleyway and bounces out of sight over a track that no driver would use in peace, time. From there we take to our feet and wind our way down into a wonderful valley. lit is a delightful spot, the gnarled vines about two feet high are just beginning to bud. Almond trees abound in wonderful pink and white blossom whilst the birds chirp their springtime song. Amidst all this we gather on a grassy plot to worship God together. Thirty men, one of whom plays his accordion, praise God and give thanks for Easter and its message of His redeeming love. Over our heads we hear the hum of a plane— it's one of ours. Alongside, the guns boom forth. There is no let up. Some of the men have had to stand by for fire orders and carry on with the job• whilst we worship, and so the service goes on. At the close, sixteen officers and men gather at the communion table —two ammo boxes are all we can find to use, but over them we spread the flag and there we. feel the Master's presence and that close but unseen link with home—for "though sundered afar, by faith we meet around that common mercy seat." In the midst of war we may sometimes feel a lo.ng way from God, but He is very near to us all the way, and who could not but feel His Presence as we gather here at His table and take the symbols of His Body broken and His Blood shed, and give thanks for His triumphant victory over sin and death. His Living Presence is very real —Christ is Saviour, Redeemer and Friend. There is reality in the worship oif these men . And so we go on our rounds, some services ,we held in the. gun pits and some out on the grass as sheltered as we can be from Jerry's observation. En one. place the whine of a shell goes over with its resultant "crunch" a few hundred yards away, and then another and another —a bit disconcerting in the midst of prayers—yes, hard to concentrate. And, at the close of the prayer, my remark was: "If you chaps would like to shift into better cover, we'll shift." But the reply was: "Carry

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

on, padre," and so we carry on to the accompaniment of the whine and "crunch." Fifty-seven took communion in this regiment, and they were not all who would have been there had not duty demanded their absence. But what of those who gathered for the services? The guns are manned for twenty-four hours o? the day. Sometimes the gunners are working right through the night. Only a percentage can be allowed away at any time even to a service on the gun position. This was evident when our own guns were firing whilst the service was on. The absence of men means their cobbers are carrying on, yet there were at least twenty-five per cent of the regiment at those, services. I think that tails its own story. All I can say is that I doubt if any more could have been spared to come. These men are of sterling worth, they are ever ready to help each other. Here we see the best, in men revealed. They have a deep faith in God—yes, most if not all. When this war is over, will the Church be ready to receive them? I know the Church is always ready to see the pews full, but is she ready to show these men that, there is a place in the fellowship of the Church for them, that she is a living organs ism and ready to receive, the contribution they can make to her very life, and that for them she is a spiritual home. God is very real here — a part of their very life. Let us pray God that the Church may .be able to hold for them that reality of God's Presence when they get home, and reveal to them the Gospel of Life.