"NOT RELIGION-JUST CHRISTIANITY."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14446, 5 November 1917, Page 7

"NOT RELIGION-JUST CHRISTIANITY."

•-■« m l ' ' . _. THE SOLDIERS' HEARTY TRIBUTE Mr J. J. Virgo, the well-known British V.M.C.A. secretary, h as recently concluded a swift, round-the-world tour embracing India, New Zealand, Australia Canada, and the United States, arousing men to yet greater efforts for the sof-j -diers. . ' ' . As I have visited the various training camps, the bases 7 arid the firing ! line, \yi-ites A-fr Virgo, "I have often "asked, "What would the soldier arid sailor have done without the .V.M.C.A. ?" Tommy's answer to the question leWes no doubt! "We'd have died!" * "It's the whole thing." . •This is the one place where we can for a time forget." "You V.M.C.A. blokes have struck it. all right." "It was worth while becoming a soldier to discover what the V.M.C.A. really is," And so on. And he has thbrightHhe thing but, too.* V' ' ' -''■ ' "What' religion is this V.M.C.A.. Bill?" The. '3ns-we£ wa| .truer than Bill really knew. "It isn't? any' religion," it's ' just Christianity." The "service man" has discovered that the association re- ■ cognises that he has a sbul, but that it j lives m a body and is controlled by a [ mind. Hence he welcomes the, intellectual lecture as well as tho heart-to-hearl, [talk; the eariteen as; well-as the social programme; tlie * competitive items as well as the pr&ichmtfrit. He knows that it is the Olwist influence that has- brought the association: into being, and that it is the same^ force that, has led to the provision. for . his -need^'as'» lie Vfinds- it-ip eV'ery* part of the world. His'responsiyene'ss to the appeal to be also. a good- sot 'dier.'sof Jesiis! Christ '" is therefore' not t*6 be wondered at. . ,-... > ..-',.- --''/So- youn<r Indian Roldie"j*.<* hssprftf-fl that! "only Christianity conldy suprily" the incentive^ fbiyrinselfiShservice'^rien UR'tl^e association renders." And it was a. hi^Wy educative !Mohafnmedan who, after witnessing the operations of the association, said, "This is truly Christian." In that case there had by agreement 7beeh' rib preaching, but he arid other officers, m. the Indian army recognised that, therft' was considerable practising. The association secretary has been" called"' rip^n" to do the unusual thing, the- thing {Jie had never contemplated he would have to do; hut ho has done it naturally because 'he has caught tHe spirit of hife' Master s who did not hesitate to . do the, humblest service m the interests of 7hnm'a-nity! "T am among you as *one that serveth," He said. He made every duty sacred by his touch. At. a training camp efforts were made to induce a. ne'er-do-well '.to attend' the public services, ' biit in' ; vain. Imagine the surprise of those interested when he was observed -in the audience where a secretary was speaking. When asked, he gave- 'as his reason, "I saw that fellovv washing dishes when there was a rush on at the counter, and I am ready to listen, to a man who; is big;, enough to do that."' Yes, the "service . man" needs us, and thank God the association' is out tp meet his need.- -The wdrfe'as!;!!©^ undertaken m the extraordinary "- conditions of life has produced a sfniit of comradeship, friendship, fellowship. The soldier, as \a civilian will look for the . same .results m the home building afterrthewal*. * Get ready, American associations.' Don't let us disappoint the boys who have lately; formed such high opinions of our operations.