At the request of Bishop Taylor Smith, the Chaplain General, a new departure in Christian work among the troops has been taken. In twelve different camps small chapels have been built, each 30 feet by 20 feet. In each chapel are a Lord's Table and chairs, and there is a small room, 5 feet by 8 feet, for interviews with the chaplain. These chapels are called "Huts of Silence" and are intended for quiet meditation and prayer. It is a new experiment and will be watched with much interest. Tommy is a gregarious creature, and how he will take to silence remains to be seen. There is, however, opportunity for all classes of Christian work in the ever-growing British Army.
In connection with the Army work of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Soldiers' Homes have long played a conspicuous part. Before the war broke out that church had already spent £154,420 on providing forty-one such homes in different parts of the Empire, twenty of these being in England.
Always full in peace time, these homes have of course been overcrowded in time of war, and scores of temporary homes have been brought into use in all the great centres. Soon after the war broke out an appeal was made for £5000 to erect tent or hut homes in all the camps. It has had a noble response, and the work is succeeding beyond expectation. In each of these homes there is a "Glory Room." The name comes from the Mother Home at Aldershot, and they call it so because
Heaven comes down their souls to meet
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.
No pressure is brought to bear on any soldier to enter the Glory Room. There are the reading rooms, games room, refreshment room as everywhere else, but night by night an increasing number of lads find their way into the Glory Room. There prayer is wont to be made, and Sankey's hymn-book, loved of the Christian soldier, is in evidence. Never a night passes but some soldier lad comes home to God, and "Glory crowns what grace has begun."
Every night the gathering ends with the Christian soldier's watchword—"494." Years before the South African War it was used among our Christian lads. It went right through South Africa. As company passed company on the march, a Christian man in one company would shout "494," and if there were a Christian in the passing company he would respond "494." Sometimes the response varied and instead would come the ringing shout, "Aye, lad, and six further on." Thus the Christian soldier's watchword rang out from the Cape to Pretoria. And it has been ringing right through this war.
So every meeting in the Glory Room of a Wesleyan Soldiers' Home closes with it. If you turn to Sankey's hymn-book you will find that "494" is "God be with you till we meet again," and "six further on" is "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine." Thus our lads cheer each other in times of difficulty and danger.
I must not forget to mention the little Red Books and Blue Books which, to the number of 60,000, have been distributed to all Wesleyan soldiers and sailors in the Expeditionary Forces. These, which contain hymns and prayers, have been compiled by the Rev. F.L. Wiseman and are greatly appreciated by the men. Also a "Housewife" has been given to every man, containing all things necessary for patching, darning, and mending.
But every church has cared for its men, if not in these, in other ways, and the men have been loaded with comforts. I have singled out the Wesleyan Soldiers' Homes for special mention, because that church has made this work a speciality, and has homes now in every great military or naval centre throughout the Empire. But it must not be forgotten that the Church of England has its "Institutes" also, and that the Presbyterian Church is just beginning this work. Miss Daniel's Soldiers' Home at Aldershot has for many years rendered good service.
Perhaps this is the best time to speak of Temperance work in the Army, for it is another form of Christian service.