"NOT RELIGION—JUST CHRISTIANITY."

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1917, Page 7

"NOT RELIGION—JUST CHRISTIANITY."

THE SOLDIERS' HEARTY TRIBUTE.

Mr. J. J. Virgo, the well-known British, Y.M.C.A. secretary, hag recently coneluded a swift round-the-world tour embracing India, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States, arousing men to yet greater efforts for the soldiers. As I have visited the various training camps the bases and the firing line, writes Mr. Virgo, [ have often asked, "What would the soldier and the sailor Christian Association?" Tommy's wcr to the question leaves no doubt: "We'd have died!" "It's the whole thing." "This is the one place where we can for a time forget." "You Y.M.C.A. blokes have struck it all right." "It-i was worth while becoming a soldier to discover what t'ho Y.M.C.A. really is." And so on. And lie lias thought f# thing out, too. | "Whait religion' is this Y.M.C.A., Bill?" The answer was truer than Bill really knew. "It isn't any religion, it's just Christianity." The "Service Man" lias discovered that the Association recognises that he has a soul, but that it ]ive»" in a body nnd is controlled by a mind. Hence he welcomes the intellectual lecture aB well as the heart-to-heart talk. the canteen as well as the social programme; the competitive items as well as the preachment. We knows now that it is the Christ influence that has brought the Association into being, and that it is the same force that has led to the provision for his needs as he finds it in every part of the world. His responsiveness to the appeal to be also a good soldier of Jesus Christ is therefore not to be wondered at.

Some young Indian soldiers asserted that "only Christianity could supply the incentive for unselfish service such as .the Association renders."

And it was a highly educated Mohammedan who, after witnessing the operations of the Association, said, "This is truly Christian." In that caso there had by agreement been no preaching, but lie and other officers in the Indian army recognised that there was considerable practising. The Association secretary has been called upon to do the unusual thing, the tiling he had never contemplated !he would h&vo to do; but he has done it naturally because ilie has caught the spirit of his Master who did not hesitate to do the humblest service in the (interests of humjanity. 'II am among you as one that serveth," he said. He made every duty sacred by his touch. At a training camp efforts were made to induce a ne'er-do-well to attend the public services, but in vain. Imagine the surprise of those interested when he was observed in the audience where a secretary was speaking. When asked, ho gave as his reason: "I saw that fellow washing dishes when there was a rush on at the counter, and I am ready to listen to a. man who is big enough to do that."

Yes, the "Service Man" needs us, and thank God the Association is out to meet 'his need. The work as now undertaken in the extraordinary conditions of life has produced a spirit of comradeship, friendship, fellowship. The soldier as a civilian will look for the same results in the homo building after the war. Get ready, American Associations. Don't let us disappoint the boys who have lately formed such high opinions of our operations.