The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-20 00:00:00

THE RELIGION OF THE SOLDIER.

A. British soldier, on entering the service, is
requested to name the religious sect to which he
belongs, and he is ever afterwards compelled to
attend once on every Sunday a place of worship,
where the observances are in accordance with his
belief. A long and bitter complaint against this
system of "enforced" religious worship is made by
a correspondent to one of our military contempora-
ries. He regards it as nonsensical that men should
be proud of the religious liberties of this country as
long as Englishmen are allowed to be driven
like dumb cattle to a church, where tedious
services and prosy sermons are too often
the provision made for them. This writer
considers that the manner of worshipping
on Sunday should be voluntary with the soldier, and
that it should be left to him, if necessary, to adopt the
method of the Covenanters of old, who prayed on the
moors and hill tops. He, however, seems to forget
that many soldiers (and it may be that he is himself
of the number), are not pre-disposed to think of the
obligations due from them on Sunday. It has,
moreover, been too clearly proved that if young
soldiers were not made to spend some portion of their
Sundays in attention to grave and serious duties, the
whole day would be spent in unseemly places, where
temptations and tempters would have full sway over
them, and where no mention of the awards of a good
life would be heard.

HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARD&

The Londoner, who is obliged to remain for a cer-
tain number of hours each day cooped in at work in
a dark office, who is obliged to breathe
the close city air, and whose eyes for the time
grow weary looking into ledgers and ink bottles,knows
not, perhaps, that after his hours of labour he can at
a cheap rate pay a visit to Hastings or St.
Leonards, sleep the night there even with
his family, and go down or come up from
London by express trains. The opportunity
for this treat has been provided by the London,
Brighton, and South Coast, and the South Eastern
Railways. A little before five every evening two
trains start, one from Charing Cross, the other, the
"City fast train," from the Brighton side of the Lon-
don Bridge terminus. By means of these trains a man
may enjoy all the pleasures of a marine residence in
these sunny days, and as the fares are not exorbitant,
he may gain health, strength, and spirits, at no
sacrifice to conscience. He may, moreover, give all
these benefits to his wife and children, and thereby save
Many anxieties and large doctor's bills. As yet the trains
are not well patronised, indeed on one occasion this
week the express left London-bridge with four pas-
sengers. This is only, however, owing to its not
being known that there is a way of getting to the
seaside towns. It is a pleasing duty to aid in giving
publicity to the fact.

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HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, June 19,
The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, attended by
the Marchioness of Ely.

Her Majesty, Princess Louise, and Princess Beatrice, and
the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, attended Divine ser-
vice this morning in the private chapel.

FASHIONABLE ARRANGEMENTS TO-DAY
Lady Poltimore's dance. •
Mr. William Gillett's (of the Albany) fancy dress ball, at
Willis's Rooms.
Philarmonic Society (conductor, Mr. W. G. Cusins).—
Last concert but one, at eight o'clock.
At Lord's Ground (grand cricket match)—M.C.C. and
Ground v. University of Cambridge.

SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS TO-DAY.
The Asiatic Society at 3 p.m.
The United Service Institution at 8.30 p.m., when there
will be a discussion on Capt. Hoseason's paper on " The
necessity of our Naval Transport Fleet for Military
Purposes."