CAMP LIFE AT FEATHERSTON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1014, 16 November 1917, Page 5

CAMP LIFE AT FEATHERSTON.

A .SALVATION ARMY CHAPLAIN’S EXPERIENCES.

At the Salvation Army Hall last evening Chaplain-Captain Greene, who is in charge of the Salvation Army Institute at Featherston Camp, gave a racy and very interesting address on “Camp Life.” Mr G. 11. Bennett presided, and in introducing the lecturer briefly referred to the. work of the Salvation Army during the war, expressing his personal gratitude. that it hud been so helpful to his son. who had made the Army Institute “his spiritual home” while in camp. Chaplain-L'aplain Greene, after giving a •■djort history of Salvation Army work throughout the New Zealand camps, proceeded to toll of the more intimate camp life at Featherston. In describing the Salvation Army Institute at the camp, lie said that the building contained five storeys, and it was none too large. The library, which now contains 1500 volumes, is keenly appreciated by the men, who upon payment of one shilling deposit, which is returnable when the man gives up the last book borrowed on leaving camp, may take out any book in the library and exchange it u.s often as he likes. With the library was inaugurated the stamp oflico, which did a big business, us, said Chaplain Greene, “the men are great letter-writers down our way,” the commission on the sale of the stamps covering the salary of the librarian, who is solely engaged in looking after the library and tho sale of stamps. On a recent Sunday tho letter box, no small affair in itself, was jammed full at I o’clock, and wc had to send to have it cleared. _ At 5 o clock it was again full, and later in the evening it had to be cleared for tho third time.” The men also look on the Army chaplain as general advisor, and every night the waiting room of his oflico is crowded, from 6 o’clock till closing time. llis duties vary from making wills and drafting powers of attorney to acting as counsel at Courts-martial, besides giving advice on private matters of all kinds. Would you believe it,” said Captain Greene, “that recently a man in hospital made a request to soo me, and when I wont to see him I found he was a publican who wanted advice from mo as to how to sell his hotel and 1 helped him to do it.” Another^ time tho chaplain acted as counsel at a Courtmartial. and putting in a plea of_ not "niltv got his man off with 50 days detention. The first thing the man did after his detention was to come to the Salvation Army Institute and join the Army. “After this,” said the Chaplaincaptain, “I was in demand for Courtsmartial. I must have got my name up. The speaker also gave an interesting account. of the Salvation Army meetings in camp, which are held in the mum hull ot the Institute, which, seating 600 men, is usually “jammed out.” “Ihc last thingI over ask a man,” said the speaker, is what hid religion is, and the next last to become a Salvationist.” After giving a number ot anecdotes, grave and gay, ol camp life, tho speaker concluded by declaring that in everything the Army undeitook the spiritual welfare of the men wa.-> the first consideration. 'lhc proceedings closed with votes of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman and the stngin 0 of the Doxology.