WITH THE N.Z. FORCES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2463, 17 May 1915, Page 7

WITH THE N.Z. FORCES

A CHAPLAIN'S EXPERIENCES

OUR MEN IN CAIRO

Chaplain Captain Guy Thornton, of the New /calami Expeditionary i'orce, who recently returned as chaplain in ehargo of the returned invalids, gave

an address in tho Y.M.C.A. Gymnasium yesterday afternoon to a crowded meeting of men. The Prime Minister presided over tho gathering, and, in introducing the speaker, retorred to the pleasuro it gave him to be present and co-operate with the association in making Mr. Thornton's visit a success. Chaplain Thornton said that there had been a great deal of misrepresentation, and that awful tales in which there was not a vestige of truth had been disseminated regarding New Zealand's soldiers in Cairo. He counted it one of the privileges of his life to have been associated with the Alain Expeditionary Force. He referred to the tremendous enthusiasm "our boys" aroused on arrival in Egypt, and compared them with the British Territorials who, ho said, were on. ail average 4in. or oin. less in height. There wero ill the i'orce the ordinary man and men with distorted imaginations, who had injured the reputation of "our boys" in their letters. Amongst 10,000 men one could not oxpect that all should bo plaster-saints. Of this he was sure, there were some of the finest men he had ever met in tho I'orce. Kipling had said that East was East and West was West, and that never the twain could meet; but in Cairo they had met. He had worked among savages, amongst the opium dens of Sydney, he was acquainted with tho cities of India, and knew what sin was, but in his experience, two of tho worst places on earth were Shaughai and Cairo. Ho thought that Mohammedanism catered to the lowest and vilest passions of mankind, and' degraded womanhood, and this contributed to the dark side of life in Cairo. He desired to stir up Christian men so that the plague spot might be blotted out from this latest British Protectorate. It was a fine tribute to our soldiers that so many had been able to withstand tho temptations of a life that was so new to them.

He then referred to the drink problem, and showed how easily a man fell into drunkenness, and then was ensnared into evil ways. The moral evil and drink were tho dark sides of Cairo life, but xhe "bright" side was much in evidence. He paid a willing tribute to the men who had assisted to counteract Cairo life among the soldiers. He particularly referred to tho Presbyterian Chlurch in Cairo, which had assisted to tho utmost of its power, to the American Mission, which contained Americans second to none in their loyalty to British ideals, and had separated two of their missioners specially to work among our boys, to tho C.E.M.S.. who had provided special lectures. and thus had endeavoured to nullify the evil attractions of the city. He spoke most enthusiastically of Mr. Jcssop, Y.M.C.A. socretary of Caii'o, who had done magnificent work on behalf of New Zealand's soldiers. Ho had erected marquees and manned t'hem with enthusiastic workers of the type of Andrew Bell and W. Oates, of tlie Glasgow Y.M.C.A., Dr. Jayes, one of God'a gentlemen, and tho Bev. M'lCiver, a Scotch minister. For the first two months, the novelty of their now surroundings acted injuriously on some of our men, but after the erection of the Salvation Army marquee, and those erected by Mr. Jessop for the Y.M.C.A., a remarkablo change took place. Counter-attractions wero provided in the shape of lectures, concorts, games, libraries, etc. During tho first three months the Y.M.C.A. marijuees issued to the army in Egypt between 500,000 and 600,000 sheets of headed paper. Mr. Thornton then spoko of the I'eligious work in camp, emphasising its value in conjunction with the spiritual. Many instances were given of the benefits of person evangelism, and hundreds of soldiers' lives had been changed for the better as a result of evangelistic efforts in Zeitown Camp. "I have never in my 22 years' experience found such joy in Christian service and its results," said the speaker. He exhorted young men not to cheat the Grand Mother Empire of their service—for God's sake, for their country's sake, for the sake of. a reign of righteousness on the earth hi called upon them to do their duty. Their greatest enemy would be strong drink. He had seen more lives ruined by liquor than by anything elso. Tlioy should all sign the K. of K. pledge to abstain from liquor during the course of the war. Not only did he exhort them to do their duty to their country, but also to their God. He urged them to enlist as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Mr. Thornton will speak again in the Y.M.O.A. 01 Tuesday evening, when mothers and fathers of soldiers and everybody interested in them aro invited.