The sun., 1916-12-27
GERMANY HONORS
ANGLICAN BISHOP
The Right Rev. Herbert Bury
Allowed to Visit Prison
Camp at Ruhleben.

LONDON. Dec. 24.-Ths Right Rev.
Herbert Bury. Bishop Of tho Anglican
Church for Northern Europe. the FIRST
and only E%nslishman that has been ad.
mitted TO Germany during the war. has
Just returned TO England and given out
a remarkable story which has received
prominence In the British newspapers.
Bishop Bury emphasized the courtesy
or the German military authorities. who
were anxious that he should zee the i'm.
provements at the Ruhleben camp for
British prisoners at which the ciercy-
man spent a whole week. Bishop Bury's
visit to Germany also formed the subject
OF his sermon before his crowded congre-
cation.
MY visit was n great surprise to the
men, said the Bishop. "as I am the only
Englishman that has been admitted 10
Germany during the war. l at once ex-
planned to them that I came after an in.
vitation from the German authorities and
with the full sanction OF my own Gov
as Bishop Of Northern Europe.
saw the Camps Life.
Il remained at the camp except for n
visit to the Wal once at Berlin. where
the administration connected with pris.
oners gave me an oficial reception. and
for one day when l visited the ofhcsrs'
camp at Blankenberghe. I was shown
the whole life OF he camp. and had my
meals with the men in their lofts and
forse boxes. and in spare ment re-
ceived special messages for friends In
England.
Il inspected the camp at Ruhleben
from end to end. and addressed the men
nightly. 7 held four services on Sun
day. l witnessed In exhibition football
match. 4 play at the theatre, attended
special concerts and. In fact. particle
pated In all phases OF camp life.
I'm all my varied experience ] have
never seen . better organized bit Of COM
munity life. The prisoners administered
their own affairs entirely. and tho Ger
man guard and the official censor seemed
to be there Just TO fulhl requirements
Moral Standard.
Among the $500 prisoners there IN
no crime. n the moral standard 10
much higher than II usual In 4 COM
munity OF such dimensions. All kinds
Of civilizinG. humanixing and spiritual
influences are At work. As for food. the
men practically live upon their parcels
from home. Everything that goes to tho
life Of the camp in the way Of materials
has been sent out from England or pro-
vided at the expense Of the British Gov.
eminent.
II may add that all letters from the
men may be relied upon a. accurate, as
practically every one with whom I came
In contact said they found Il so dihicuit
to persuade relations at home that they
were not keeping something back. The
camp censor-a German oficer-is an
absolutely fair and straight man. In full
sympathy with the prisoners. Aithoueh
he could have lone SO had he wished, he
never once attended a meeting at which
I spoke, and I was allowed to bring
away every note ! made and every .
given tn me.
I'm fact. I was never once interfered
with In the slightest degree from full
and uninterrupted connection with the
men from start to finish. On the last
night OF my stay I obtained permission
for the prisoners to sing God Save the
King and this was repeated when I ad-
dressed the whole camp in the open air.
I shall never forget the scene of inde-
scribabie enthusiasm"
Bishop Bury's conclusion was that I'M
der these conditions and the n%on-inter-
ference Of the German authorities, life
at Ruhlcben was not only tolerable but
character building As an experience.