CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 14

CHURCH AND WAR

A GREAT NATIONAL MISSION LETTER FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. In tlie course of a letter to the diocese of Canterbury about the observance of tho Day of intercession on the first Sunday of January, tho Archbishop writes as follows expressing the 'hope that his words may perchance go beyond his diocesan boundaries: — "Ever since the war began we havo commended to cur Father Who is in Heaven our cause, our country, and the soldiers and sailors who are fighting for us. If we are set to maintain a righteous cause, God make us better fitted to be its_ champions. In this time of our visitation wo are called to a deeper understanding of Bis will, and therefore to more earnest prayer, to a more searching knowledge of ourselves, and to a more thoughtful penitence. Wc must set ourselves with a new fervency of resolvo to seek God and to become by God's help worthier men and women. Tliero must be more effort in our prayers, more sacrifice in our lives, more deliberate and widespread self-denial, more 'hunger and thirst after righteousness.' "With a viow to the better promotion of that spirit among our whole people I have taken counsel with some of those who possess peculiar qualifications for such a duty. I begin to see the way becoming clear to an organised, movement of the nature of a iVational Mission for tho deepening and strengthening of spiritual life; a movement upon a-scale such as we have never yet known or oven contemplated; a_ movement extending through all the cities and towns and villngos of our land. Tlie questions of date and other arrangements are now being initially considered l\v n. committee of specially chosen Bishops and others who havo acceded to my request that they should endeavour > to cast the plan into definite' shape, and I hope before long to make an announcement upon the matter. We must look far ahead, for if such a plan ,is to become effective, the preparation will have to be long and careful. It is well; however, that it should be known that such an organised endeavour is in contemplation by those on whom central responsibility rests for helping the men and women of our land to use theso solemn. years aright."'

CARDINAL BOURNE'S ADDRESS TO IRISH SOLDIERS \ MR. REDMOND'S HISTORIC SPEECH. Cardinal Bourne recently visited the Aldershot district and addressed several regiments comprised in a division there. The Cardinal made a tour in a motorcar along the lines, and after giving an address and his blessing there was a march past, during which Irish pipes, drums and fifes, bugles, and brass bands played Irish and other airs. The Cardinal visited three camps during the dayCardinal Bourne, in the course of his addross, said it was real pleasure to be in their midst that day and to see such, a great audience of the division. "You havo given yourselves (he continued) as free men ill the full uso of your freedom to tho service of your country. It has been no kind of compulsion of ■tho law, but your own sense of duty, your own conscience, and that alone, which has compelled you to take up arms in defence of your country, in defence of the Empire, and in defenco of your King.

"More than once in recent days have I been asked to make some sort of public appeal to our Catholic men to co'me forward and to enter the army. Well, I confess I have hesitated to make any such appeal simply and solely because, as far as my own information goes, such an appeal has been quite unnecessary. I know that in England our Catholic young men, in numbers out of all proportion to our proportion of the community, have .come forward very notably, and what I know to' b'o true of the Catholics of England I believe to be true also of our Catholic brothers across the Irish Sea. "There was a momont you will remember when our enemies fully counted upon our own domestic political dissensions, trusting thereby that we should' as a disunited kingdom be rendered impotent in the face of tho foe, and there were some no doubt at homo who shared tho apprehensions that gavo rise to this opinion in the breasts of our onomy. But the historic declaration of the leader of the Irish Nationalist Party _at tho outset of the war —a declaration which I think will live in the proud and grateful memory of the Irish race throughout the world—swept away at onco tho hopes of our • enemies and tho apprehension of our friends. You soldiers are the 'living embodiment of the wish and declaration of that illustrious leader, and you have como forward freely and as free meu ill use of your freedom." TV/0 CHAPLAINS.

"THEY PUT A GREAT SPIRIT INTO , 'THE MEN." A story of the Dardanelles is told by an officer of the 10th Irish Division in a letter to a friend in Dublin. After telling how "there was no back or front about this show. We are all in it. No football behind the firing line, tho same as oiie hoars of from-Franco. I have my hair fairly well standing on end all day from shell lire, and all night from l-iiie fire," he says there is no use saying what they did. But of the two chaplains attached to the division he is compelled to speak. "Now, M , I really must say something about Father Murphy and Canon M'Lean, Churcli of Ireland minister. These aro our clergymen of the 6th and 7th Dublins and 6th and 7th Munsters, which four battalions form the 30th Brigade. This morning Father Murphy said Mass in the trenches, where bullete, etc., wei;e falling like hailstones. Oh, he is a splendid man. Tho Canon, a dear old Irishman from Limerick, holds his' services side by side with Father Murphy. They put a great spirit into the men, who love them both—in fact, almost adore them. Personally think that nothing I know of is half good enough for these two noble gentlemen. Catholic and ' Protestant 'are hand-in-liand, all brought about by the gentleness and undaunted courage displayed by these two splendid soldiers of Christ. Never since the landing has tho roar of battle, be it ever .so ferocious (and God only knows it is bad here at times), prevented these clergymen from forcing their way into tho firing line and attending to our gallant sons of Ireland. Canon M'Lean is over sixty years of age and Father Murphy is forty-eight years. Tou can imagine them, even_ though of such an ago, never off their feet, as they go to and fro daily to their duties. PRIVILECE THROUGH SACRIFICE. REV. J. T. FORBES AT FERME PARK. Tho Rev. J. T. Forbes, of Glasgow, preaching in London recently, said every privilego was tlie result of sacrifice." They were able to worship that morning, unhindered and unafraid, because others by a great price had obtained that freedom. The title deeds came to them with blood-marks upon tiiem. Certain men had got visions of truth and liberty for which they were ready to give their life. Tlie price of liberty being eternal vigilance, the conflict was always being waged, and if to- ., day w.e .were las. carelesa, .wo

should be unworthy to do our part in tliis great hour. Every problem at bottom is spiritual. It ivas not only guns, munitions, strategy, and military wisdom wliicli counted in the present conflict. AVo must realise that we are straggling to sustain and to enlarge tho bounds of freedom and to overthrow tho forces of evil and reaction. To do this well and nobly the nation must rise to a higher level of consecration and service. To affirm that might was right, and to go to work in and for that belief, was to deny tho central principle of Christianity—tlie redemptive principle. • The Kaiser never brought t-he name of Jesus into his speeches or manifestoes. Tho fact was lie took for his Gad a beinc from tlio dark ages of Scandinavian theology, or he had excogitated a God after the de-

vices of his own heart and fallen down and worshipped him.

CREAT SOLDIER'S MEMORY. OLD FRIENDS OF LORD ROBERTS AT SATURDAY'S SERVICE. Old -friends, admirers, and comrades of Lord Roberts attended the "year's mind"—anniversary of death service— at St. Margaret's, Westminster, on Saturday, November 13. Lord Roberts's two daughters were there, but not tlio Dowager Lady Roberts, wlio is too feeble to leave her house. Sir Dighton Probyn, Lord Charles Beresford, Lord Mi'lner (who distributed service papers), Sir lan Hamilton, and Mr. Chaplin were among the friends of Lord Roberts in the congregation. The service was conduated by the rector, Canon Carnegie. The T'e Deum was sung, unaccompanied, to a tune of lilie Greek Orthodox Church which has never before been sung in the Churcli of England. The special prayer was: "Remember, 0 Lord, all those, the bravo and the true, who have died the death of honour and are departed in the hope of Resurrection to Eternal Life, especially liim who is uppermost in our minds at this time. In that place of Li'ght, whence sorrow and mourning are for ever banished, give them rest, 0 Lord, tho Lover of Men." To tlie strains of Russian Church music tho great congregation—Peers, booted and spurred generals, nurses in uniform, wounded soldiers, and civilians —left the church.

IN THE LEGION OF HONOUR. Among the latest nominations to the Legion of Honour are three military ohaplains. Of tho first, the Abbe Bmle.y. des Varennes, an ambulance chaplain, it is said: — j "Began tho campaign as an army corps chaplain and is now with an army corps ambulance. Has exercised his ministry with the meat enlightened and activo devotion. Has been awarded the War Cross." The second, the Abbe Jean Merlaurie, a chaplain with an infantry division, is thus praised:— "Soldier and priest, has carried on his ministry in spite of his 71 years, with unwearying activity and devotion. Has been mentioned in dispatches and as a soldier was wounded at Sedan in 1870." The mention of the third, the Abbe Francois-Michel -Pavillard, is as follows :— "Titular chaplain to the stretcherbearers of a- division; a priest of tho highest character and inoral influence. Mobilised with his division at the beginning of tho war, has in all circumstances given a fine example of courage and energy. Always at the head of the stretcher-bearers of the division, has greatly contributed by his words and presenco to raise the moral of -his men."