THE WAR AND THE ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2421, 29 March 1915, Page 7

THE WAR AND THE ARMY.

Sir,—l have to thank you most heartily for inserting my- former letter showing the patriotic work that has been undertaken by the Church Army in England, in addition to their ordinary work among the- poor, the prisoners and those generally who need a helping hand. The donations for the latter purposes exceed £250,000 a year, and are still increasing. The need is also increasing. The. letter you published has been the. means of allowing your readers to know that the Church Army is in existence, and has been for over 30 years—about the same time that the ' 'grand old" man,'': the late General Booth, commenced the Salvation Army. The two armies are doing practically the same work, the main difference being that, the Church Army is part of the work of the National Church of England. The first Labour Home was opened in the winter of 1888; it has now 120 Labour Homes and agencies for the outcast all over Great Britain. There are 1800 evangelists and trained mission sisters, who assist at these homes, and officer the 66 mission vans continually itinerating through the parishes of the Old Country, assisting the clergy. In the Labour. Homes £50,000 is paid yearly in wages, and their work produces £95,000 yearly. Five* million Church Army periodicals are sold yearly, and 110,000 halfpenny Churoh Army gazettes sold weekly. Missioners aro sent to prisons, workhouses, racecourses, barracks, sailors, fruit and hop-pickers, slums, public houses, casual wards, etc. There are, also youths' homes for, discharged ' prisoners, tramp receiving homes, King Edward tentß for men, Queen Alexandra's depots for women, women's social departments, training homes, men's lodging-houses, and rescue stations for women. I think you will see tho Church Army has come to stay, and is doing its share in carrying out the marching orders of Him who also "went about doing good." Some of the extra work undertaken by the Church Array during the war was detailed in my last, viz., tho war hospital of 100 beds at Caen, in France, costing the Church Army £200 weekly; twelve field camp recreation rooms built at their own expense at £130 each; recreation rooms for wives of soldiers and sailors—£loo runs one for a year. The staff of 1800 trained evangelists and mission sisters is most .invaluable in our emergency, ensuring Christian devoted workors tor all these sudden requirements, and they are all Church of England communicants. It is only necessary for Church people to know of this whole-hearted work for God and humanity to ensure its support by them. Please God wo may Go entitled to have the Church Army working in-New Zealand before long. Donors of £50 to tho War Hospital in Frauce are invited to nanie beds. There is to be a lantern service given in Weber by the vicar on Good Friday, tho proceeds to go to a fund for naming a Good Friday New Zealand bed at- the front. Wober is only a back district, and cannot do much. Will any of your readers help towards the Good Friday New Zealand bed by sending donations for the purpose to Prebendary Wilson Carlile, hon. sec., 55 Bryanstow Street, Marble Arch. London, and advise me, or send to the Church Army secretary at tho Vicarage, Weber, to forward. Tho Church Army has placed its labour homes at the disposal of the Government for the use of the sick and wounded. When tho advance is made by tho Allied Armies it is feared that our casualties will become greater. Great preparations are made at Homo for this sad eventuality. All classes aro giving up their houses or their rooms as required. The gilt of another bed in tho hospital will be a graceful aot for New Zealand, which has already done so much. Tho "Good Friday New Zealand Bod" will accord well with tho cross on the nurses' arms and with the Red Cross nurses' arms and with tlio Red Cross motors and ambulances, and will holp to carry the mind back to that Lovo of Men who hung on the Cross of Shame, that all might live through Him.—T am, etc., F. W. WIIiBLEY. Tho Vicarago, Weber, 11.11.