Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/392

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DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN

with all their temptations and their sins, are not hopeless, are not filled with despair. I have become the more hopeful the more I have known of a soldier's life and a soldier's possibilities. There is solid ground for a living hope beneath all the depressing facts which present themselves to us. My opinion to-day is precisely the same, only strengthened, perhaps, through longer experience with our soldiers.”

“It would, I think, be interesting to learn something of the actual work of the Church in the Army?”

“Each chaplain has the freest scope for work. The methods of men differ in many walks in life; so with the Army chaplains. Each is encouraged to work in his own way, applying his own particular gifts as he thinks best. You will have gathered already that the door of the Army is open to ministers of all denominations, and that these ministers receive their appointments when the soldiers professing to belong to a denomination have reached a given number. No special favour has been extended to the Established Church; she enjoys no advantage except that which her numerical strength affords. I mean, the greater number of adherents calls for the greater number of Church of England clergy, as compared with the others. Parade services are held by chaplains at such time and place as the General Officer Commanding may direct. They are short