eep. I question whether
there is any more difficult place for a man to endeavour to live up to
his convictions than in the Army; and to the Christian soldier, one of
the surest tests of the reality of his religious profession is the
simple matter of saying his prayers in the barrack room or tent. If a
man persistently does that, you may be sure there is something real in
his profession.

I have already alluded to the deep impression created by the experience
of being under fire. A somewhat remarkable instance in support of this
condition of mind came under my notice a few weeks ago. The officer to
whom it relates will, I am sure, pardon my introducing his experience to
point my moral. He was standing with a brother officer amid the ruins of
Ypres, when, realizing that the position was distinctly 'unhealthy'
owing to the heavy shelling which had commenced, he suggested a
withdrawal from the locality. They had walked but a short distance, when
a high explosive shell burst behind them, and a piece of the casing
whizzed between their heads. 'That was a near shave,' said one; 'let's
go back and see where it fell.' It had fallen on the precise spot where
they had been standing but a minute or so before. The result of the
condition of mind produced by this remarkable 'let off' was a visit to
the chaplain's office. On asking what I could do for him the officer
replied, 'I hardly know, but I want your help. I have never been
baptized, so I suppose I ought to be baptized and confirmed.' I pointed
out to him that prior to the participation in the Sacrament of Holy
Baptism, he had to settle with himself his personal relationship with
Christ. By the goodness of God I believe that point was clearly
established in his mind, and it was my privilege to baptize him, and
then present him for Confirmation at the hands of the Bishop of
Birmingham.

This affords another illustration of the wonderful working of a man's
mind who comes face to face with Eternity and the reality of God. Some
men at home will possibly be inclined to sneer at such a condition of
mind, but those of us who have been through it know full well the
emptiness of such home-bred objections, which certainly do not hold amid
the issues of life and death which are found at the Front.

I have met many friends at the Base, both among officers and men. It is
a pleasing duty to record the gratitude I owe to those in command for
their invariable courtesy to me, in the prosecut