RELIGION UNDER FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 17 December 1914, Page 8

RELIGION UNDER FIRE

THE SOLDIERS' PRAY EI?

One*- asked what were the dominant factors which led to Japan's success in her great "war, Marshal Oyama said: "Religion and discipline, the former leaches you how to face death, the latter how to fight." To a friend he said: "I would rather command a thousand men inspired by religion than ten thousand scoffers."

A contribution to the .Londou "Globe" gives a psychological analysis of the soldier's religion under fire. "You get at close quarters with' it at the end of the day, when night sometimes brings rest as well as darkness, and the men gather round the camp fire and recount the various experience.? which have thrown them together on the knees of the gods," he remarks. '"You hear of narrow escapes, of miraculous help, of strange intervention, of weird happenings, feelings, and emotions, and underlying all is the sense of the spiritual, the belief that this life has its root in another, and it is told in & simple direct -way. Tommy Atkin's religion has its shortcomings," its failures, so far as we can estimate the one and trie other. Thei-e very shortcomings and failures, synendidly acknowledged, freely commented upon, are often threads in weaving warm friendships that have in them something of the greatest gift—charity. The fire, we are told, shall .test every man's work. On the battlefield it shall do more—it is turning what- professional religion ■would call dross into pure gold. Our stay-at-home religion has the comfort of the gospel, God is serenaded with ululations -that would drive" a marr mad; and plagued with petitions that would send a whole House of "Commons off its head. On the battlefield men. ieafn and practice the self sacrifice of the Gospel, and it bears a warm sympathy sufficient to lift a* roan up into the embrace of the God preached and interpreted by'the histoiic Christ. 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friend.' - - "When the wondrous volume cf the Passion Play of "Life opens at an unknown page to the roar of guns, there are no cheap sneers of the agnostic at God. The opening orchestra to the play called the Invisible is full of awe, you feel the beat of unseen wings—of those who will presently gather -men in to the Grand Parade.- In the moment of battle men .are not cheap; they are often God-like, looking death calmly between the eyes—they move forward, the- incarnation of relentless fate. The earth shakes, shells explode, green and-brown fumes poison - the air; men begin to" fall, the faces of men grow sterner, £hey might be chiselled out.of steel. There is only one thing -that softens -those truly brazen- countenances, the plaint chant of battle, the moan of/the wounded. This is the minor music which keeps men human. The only- against a heart of stone. The theme of ■ that solemn chant is God. These are no mere lip prayers. Man'has thrown ojrl the wrappings of artificiality :and returned to the abyss of primitive ira--ture,- he ; is J not ashamed to express his 'thoughts and his emotions. ' Religion, un--der -fire is not. apologetic : it is. .quietly dominant. Shadow, darkness, doubt, : -vardsh. *My God' is the call of the heart and a sincere call."