CAMP LIFE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 51, 29 February 1916, Page 9

CAMP LIFE

ITS EFFECTS OX THE MEN. Having seen twelve months of camp life, Chaplain-Captain Walker delivered an address at the East Street Mission Hall last evening upon its effects on the men. He said the greatest danger was the tendency to lower the ethical standard. The effect of camp life upon any soldier was largely determined by what the man was before he went there. Whatever the views of come members of the Methodist Conference nrignt bo upon ministers enlisting, he had no hesitation in saying that the examples set by clergymen, home missionaries, and theological students in camp had home magnificent results. They had been a tower of strength to many a weak man. The man who was too weak to take a firm stand the first night in camp had a poor chance of getting through all right. One eoldier told him that when on the first night he knelt in prayer in camp, lie heard the man he feared most say: "LI anyone dares to interfere while he'e saying his prayers I'll bash his head." Another said:* "Don't you dare to interfere with a fellow who has got more spunk in him than all of us put together." The Chaplain added that wherever a man •ivae brave enough to take his stand, the others were very quick to recognise one of sterling worth. A crisis tested, a man or a nation. He was glad to say that most men won through. The largest group of men who were in the camp had passed through Sunday schools and had ibeen church adhorents. They never objected to converse about spiritual things. Sometimee they sought the chaplain. These men lived clean lives, and were going to play the game. One man told him he came to the camp practically an atheist, but had now returned to the practice of saying his prayers. There was, however, another side to the picture. Clear-eyed young fellows came to the camp, met men with foul tongues, sank, and were debauched. "After twelve month*; in camp," said Captain Walker. "1 have nothing tout good to say about the men who are in authority there. So far as they are able, they try to raise the moral tone of the camp." (Applause.) The drinking men were the growlers, who gave the most trouble. People were, however, apt to think there was more drinking among soldiers than was the case, because when a man was inebriated he was soon noticed. One Lieutenant-Colonel told him that eliminating offences such ac .being absent without leave, fully 80 per cent of the rest were the result of drink. Practically the whole of the crime, 'however, was" limited to five per cent of the men. That meant there were 95 per cent of men in camp who were law-abid-ing. The men were grateful for what the churches had done for them in camp, and the soldiers, as a whole, showed a fine sense of humour.