SOLDIERS. AND RELIGION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1916, Page 10

SOLDIERS. AND RELIGION.

LUlilJ FIiEXC'H'S .MKSSAUH. All interesting letter from Lord French, bearing mi the religious side of warfare, was read at a meeting in London, in connection with the movement ior the national revival of family prayers. ".My experiences in this war,'' lie wrote, "assured 111 c that the teaching of religious leaders in this country has already borne good fruit, which is clearly manifest in the devoted spirit of seltsaeriiice which our soldiers; have displayed in the field. A marked characteristic of the armies which are now lighting in i ranee and elsewhere is the presence u i high ideals ami noble aspirations. "I'lie inculcation of tnose principles has ijccn fostered and kept alive by visits to the front of prominent teachers of all denominations, whose presence amongst the troops lias had the very best ell'ect. "Any action taken to extend and perpetuate such spiritual influences must appeal strongly to all who have the interests of the Empire at heart.'' The Archbishop of Canterbury said there was a feeling in the presence of the present visitation that men were longing, with an eagerness that was both vague and intense, for more than we were able to bring about, a real touch with the eternal side of things. His own impression, based upon what lie had learned and felt, not only in Iviiglaml, but oil the battle fronts in France anil Flanders, was that *lll ijuite a novel degree men felt the things that mattered, and that both the privileges and problems and mysteries of prayer were presenting themselves for thought and discussion in quarters where a little while ago it would have been 011 every ground improbable.