THE PARSON AT THE FRONT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 217, 13 October 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PARSON AT THE FRONT.

TOMMY ON A " GLORIOUS OLD SPORT". THE SIX HYMNS. The "Natal Mercury" publishes an interesting letter trom a Durban man who is serving in France with an ortitlerv brigade. After graphically describing an exceptionally desperate tight for a wooded hill, in the course of which the Germans used poisonous gases, he continues:— ' "Tho next morning, just after three, I was up the hill in that same wood and, you would scarcely credit it, but the cockoo was calling in the unburmd patchos, the lark singing, flies and butterflies fluttering around, and not a shot to be heard; all appeared so peaceful. "Down below was the Y.M.C.A. hut burned to the ground, and the old parson was still carrying on his search for bodies and wounded. Ho was a mass of mud and blood from head to boots, and there he was 'labouning on.' A glorious old sport he is, too. The other day he offered to bet any of our men five francs that they could not sing six hymns through from memory. Several of them won, and the parson stumped "I must say I have l.ttle time tor the canting, hypocritical sort ot Christian who lends himself to be a conscientious coward, but when ;t comes to a fine, glorious old gentleman like this parson, 1 feel I could take him by the hand every time. " Thank God there are other chaplains like him x and these practice Christians are bringing more 'sheep to the fold' than thousands of them that stay at homo with rich livings and array themselves an white. They get right home to Tommy's heart. You see, Tommy's idea is that if a man has got courage enough to believe that God can protect him n a hell like this, and to put that 'dea to the proof, then the God who protect..? such a men must be Someone worth enquiring for.

"LITTLE REV. DAVEY." "In a dug-out in our front line trench with a big hell going on outside, and shells bursting all around, a. sing-song was going on. Bang! A hole in the roof and all but the minister fled. Thev came back sheepishly later on to find the minister finishing his song and binding up ins leir! "At (iivciuhy. when the boys went over the top' and took the German trenches, there was the 'Little Rev. Davey' (of the Canadian Scottish. He had a rich living in Vancouver 8.C.) 'Davey' is a Roman to the Romans, and enjoys himself with the rest, but let a man !>ehave unseeinIv and the Rev. Davey lands him.