to the
conclusion that the Association is doing a great social work, but is not
much as a religious force. It is not difficult to understand that point
of view. He has seen two or three hundred men clamouring at the
refreshment counter for coffee, buns or cigarettes; the billiard tables
have been fully occupied; hundreds of soldiers were writing letters at
the tables provided for the purpose, and hundreds joining in some rowdy
chorus, or heartily laughing at a humorous song or funny sketch. Where
then does the spiritual work of the Red Triangle come in? The best
answer is to quote what has actually happened.

To the south-west of Salisbury Plain there was before the war a tiny
village. To-day it is the centre of a big camp, which, incidentally,
contains several Y.M.C.A. huts. The leader of No. 4 was talking to the
Church of England padre one morning. They were warm friends and the
chaplain was frank in his remarks: 'I think you are overdoing it,' said
he, 'by having prayers in the hut every night. Surely it would be
better,' he added, 'if you concentrated on one evening of the week
instead.' 'I have thought and prayed about it,' replied the leader, 'and
it is a matter of principle with me. These dear boys are all going to
the Front next week, and no matter what the programme of the day, I feel
we ought to finish at night with a public acknowledgment of God.' 'Very
good,' replied the padre, 'if that is your conviction, carry on! Take
prayers yourself this evening.' And he did. He was no orator; he was not
a college man, neither was he ordained. It was a simple little service,
and did not take more than ten or fifteen minutes from start to finish.
There was an opening hymn, one of the old familiar ones, that took the
lads away back to the homes of their childhood. A short passage of
scripture was read, followed by a few straight but sympathetic words of
exhortation and a brief closing prayer. That was all, and the same
thing, no doubt, took place in hundreds of centres the same night.
Prayers over and the 'King' sung, the leader came down from the
platform, where a young private greeted him and shook his hand till it
hurt saying, 'I want to thank you for giving me a new vision of a God I
once knew.' Walking towards the centre of the hall, a young subaltern
greeted him saying, 'I want to thank you for that little service; it has
been no end of a help to me, and I should like to give you this for your
work,' so saying he h