THE WHITE COMRADE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1757, 27 November 1917, Page 1

THE WHITE COMRADE.

[Being excerpts from an address delivered by Mr M. A. Tremewan (schoolteacher, of Shannon, and late of the hospital ship Marama), in the Foxton Presbyterian Church on Sunday last.] A picture which probably many of you have seen has been painted since the beginning of the Avar, the title of the picture being, '“The White Comrade.” The scene is the battlefield. Amid all the horrors of war are the wounded and dying. In the centre of < the picture, there amid shot and shell, stands the Red Cross man, supporting a grievously wounded soldier and doing what he can for him. But he is not alone. What is that white form standing close beside him, and to whom is he looking? It is the Christ, the great White Comrade. Wherever is pain and sorrow, there is our Master as of old. His touch has still its ancient power, and none know better than those out there who love Him. TEMPTATIONS OF CAMP LIFE. A boy goes out from a Christian home into camp life; first of all here, and* then over there. The world to him has been a very beautiful place, for his life has been sheltered. And then as he gets there, if he is at all sensitive his heart is nearly broken. All his dreams are shattered. All the world seems black and full of the most hideous sin. He shudders with horror as he hears the foul word, the filthy story, as he hears the name of Him he loves used in so terrible a way. It seems to him that there is no good anywhere; that Christ and His evangel would almost seem to have failed. And then in his despair comes the White Comrade, and through the air and above the foul language he hears (ho •words, “Lo, 1 am with you alway,” And then he knows that Christ is real, that he must be true to the Master whatever else happens. But that is not the end. Just as the constant dripping of water will wear away a stone, so the constant fierce temptation will (end lo pull him down. He remembers |ho White Cqmradc, and at once feels his feet on solid rock again. IN THE TRENCHES. But he has gone through his training, lie is in the trenches waiting for (he attack. He hears the roar of the great guns, he hears the whizz of the bullets, ho sees (lie gas cloud advancing, and he feels as if he is losing grip of himself. It is all so terrible. And when he is just 'at breaking point, again the White Comrade speaks to him, and once morel he hears (hose sweetest of words: “Lo, I am with you alway.” The White Comrade, is very real (o him then, and as he rests his hands in (hose nail-pierced hands, and as he looks into (hose wonderful eyes, he no longer feels afraid. Now he is prepared to go over, and amid all the horrors of'thc battle he knows everything is all right. WOUNDED AND DYING. He is wounded. He lies there in great pain, and knows that his life blood is ebbing away. But what of that? He has made the supreme sacrifice, and he knows that the White Comrade is still beside him, and he smiles sweetly up into those blessed eyes. And' as his earthly eyes begin to see less clearly his spiritual eyes discern (he Comrade more clearly than ever before. Death has come. Nay, say not so. It is life! For now he sees his Comrade face to face. Now all failure, all pain, all sorrow is over, and he is there for ever with his Beloved. LIFE AFTER DEATH. Not spilt like water on the ground, Not wrapped in dreamless sleep profound, Not wandering in unknown despair Beyond Thy arm, Thy love, Thy care; Not left to lie like fallen tree — Not dead, but living unto Thee. And I see him there. The saint* sunny smile. The same loving, attractive personality. The same, and yet not the same, for it is richer and grander. I hear his merry laugh ring through heaven, and I see a smile light, up the face of the Comrade as lie hoars it. I see the wonderful love-light steal into His eyes and make them bright with glory as He looks -upon his merry, happy face. Christ is still the While Comrade, only now nothing can separate them. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE. But this is one side of the story; there is another side, just as real, just as true, but oh, so much sadder. I have described to you what the White Comrade is to those who love Him. But now for a time I must speak of those who will not have Him with them.

There are tho.se who have always through vice and sin severed themselves from Him. They would have none of Him, and His name to them was but-a word for cursing. • Perhaps if we knew all we would not judge too harshly. There is an old French proverb which says, “To know all is to forgive all.” Remember Christ's injunction; “Let him that is without sin cast the first stone.” ’ - THE INDIFFERENT. There are others, however, and perhaps this is one of the largest classes. They arc the indifferent. Not naturally vicious, perhaps brought up in Christian homes, but to them the appeal of Christ does not come. To them Christ passes unseen because their eyes are sealed with blindness for (he pride upon their brow! They hear not the voice That calls us mid the traffic of the street, And calls in vain, because our ears are lent To these poor babblements of praise that cheat The soul of heaven’s truth with / earth’s content. 1 heard one chaplain in Bulford Camp say again and again, “How am I to make these men feel their need of Christ?” These indifferent ones are the hardest to reach, and they are in such viist numbers. But there is a third class, and to me this seems the greatest tragedy of the whole war. There are many brave boys who went away with clean lives and bright prospects before them, some even followers of the Christ. But amid the terrific temptations that beset them they are slipping down, they are going under. Have you ever tried to realise the fierce temptations with which these boys are assailed? I say that you can have no conception of the intensity, There is the drink, a temptation so terribly insidious. By one means or another it creeps through (he defences, and before long has attained its hold. There is gambling —so much time on hand. A few games of cards to while away the time, then gambling for pennies, and so on. And most terrible of all there i,s that gross form of immorality of which we dare not speak plainly, but whileh is attacking our boys on every hand. Picture, if you can, what 1 have seen. A boy is surrounded in camp life by talk and conversation foul and disgusting in the .extreme, lie has little time to himself for thought on deeper things. He is only young, and gradually but unconsciously that fine young life is.undermined. He goes to London, and in the face of sudden and,terrible temptation he gives way. And so it goes on. Men and women, this is going on to an alarming extent, .and drink - , gambling and immorality are claiming not their hundreds, not (heir thousands, but their lens of thousands, I cannot now give you anything but the barest hint, but just what 1 have seen has made my heart ache until it seemed as if it would nearly break, and mas made me wonder if God could ever give us the victory while there is so much evil in our midst. Aye, more: it almost shattered my belief in a God at all. But I know that surely as there is a God, so surely must right ultimately triumph even as Christ —His resurrection triumphed over the forces of evil. THE ANGER OF THE WHITE COMRADE. As I look on this scene, these fair young lives being ruined and spoiled, I see again the White Comrade, but His face has changed. Now it is tilled with anger. He is looking beyond these boys, and I follow His gaze. At whom is He looking? Firstly, I think He is looking at those who are directly responsible for the fall of these hoys. See them there. Some are those..stronger personalities among the men who use their influence to drag the others down with them. There are (here, too, thpse who for mere profit and gain would send all these precious souls to hell. Amongst them are not only the usually recognised ones, but I see many politicians there, men who have the power and will not raise a finger to remove the temptation out of the way. THE CHURCH, But now Christ’s eyes turn to an-, other group. Shall I shock-yon if I tell yon who is in this group? I see many of the clergy there. I see many church members, and a flush of shame spreads over Christ’s face, for as He looks there He sees how His church has failed Him. What message has the church given ns at this time? What kind of a Christ have they portrayed to us? I tell you that not only is the dmrcdi failing to reach men, it is driving them away. The men don’t want the church, and but for the work of the

Y.M.C.A, and the Salvation Array the church would be utterly discredited. , THE CHAPLAINS.. There is, however, another group on whom Christ’s gaze rests, and Ahese are associated .with the last group. They are the chaplains. How many men back from the front have you heard speak well of the chaplains as a whole? There are many grand men, I know, but, see, they are among the group of fallen boys, lifting them up, urging them on. Instead of respect you hear the sneer: “When the next war comes I am going to wear a white collar and a black front.” Or this: “I think you chaps are all after the easy jobs.” “Yes; do you want any chaplains?” is the general chorus. Men are willing to respect an earnest chaplain. I heard one fellow giving his opinion of chaplains in a lurid style, but he ended up with: “But there is one man I except, that is so and so.” I knew this chaplain, and speaking to him afterwards he told me this:'“l respect that man, because I have seen him going among the boys and saving one after another of them from becoming absolute rotters.” NEED EOR A UNITED CHURCH. We must see to it that .our church has the spirit of Christ. This it will surely do it each and everyone of us yield his life to the Master. The church must do as the Master did. of old, comfort and help the sorrowing, lift up the fallen, care for the weak, remove from the way all that, causes our weaker brethren to stumble, and preach the Christ of love and pOAver —preach the Christ of the Gospels. We must have an united church for the fight ahead is too big for a divided church. GREAT PROBLEMS PRESSING FOR SOLUTION. Great problems are pressing for solution. Are wc content that mere selfishness shall control the whole of our social system and so bring about more Avars as it has brought about this Avar, or are avc going to strive more toAvards the ideal of brotherhood and co-operation. Only thus Avill the bitterness betAveen capital and labour be assuaged. Only thus can the problems of unemployment and poverty be dealt With. Are you content that the same old social evils shall make pitfalls and ruin our young lads by the tens of thousands as the evils are ruining them uoav? Gan you call yourself a Christian and not do all in your power to make this Avorld a place in Avhich it is easy to do right and hard to do wrong? Won't you give your boys a chance? Great problems, upon which I have but been able to touch arc pressing for solution. Is the church going to stand aside? Then the Avorld Avill put her on one side, as it is doing even uoav. But there is yet time. Still a cry is ascending to God from the oppressed and wronged.