The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-05-17
THRILLING R0DRESSOF
MAJ. GhaS. II. G0RD9a
Delivered Before ire General Confer.
saae Of the Me,a.d.st Church, How
in sess,ar It At.sRlS.

Raj. Gordon Is chap.aia Of the For
ty-thiri Battalion, Cameron High.a1e-
ers. Canadian Expeiiaioeary Feses
nov on tie front in France;
Mr.. President, AID Gentlemen OF the
Conference:
Brethren:-I consider It a great
honor to be permitted 10 break in upon
your rush Of business and to say few
words to you; an honor because Of ths
great body Ct Americans that yea
represent, and an honor, too. and
privilege because Of those whom 2sa
permitted 10 represent before you.
thank you for your consideration ard
for your welcome not only in behalf Ct
myself, but in behalf of my comrades
and yours, who are now in the front
line. When this war broke out there
were those-and they We're not few
who said in tones Of lamentation that
this great and terrible var signaliZed
the collapse Of Christianity, in one
very real sense this war is the JUST
fication of Christianity and Of Christ
ian teachings. Had we been barbal
Gus, Indifferent to the high claims d
righteousness, we possibly should No.
have been in the war. The reason WY
you are in the war and why we are a
the war is that our people have beea
instructed in and have become devoted
to certain great ideals. We think mere
of them than we DO Of property or n
deed, Of cur lives. We would never
have got our army had it not been Tor
our churches. Our soldiers we're TRAM
ed in our Christian churches. They
were brought up in our Sunday
schools. That is the kind Of men they
are. When war was suddenly thrust
upon US every pulpit became a recruit
ing station, every minister recruit
ing officer. The church in Canada was
the leader of the nation in the making
of the army, and in the steadying and
inspiring of the people that stood be-
hind the army. When these boys went
to the front they did not drop Their
religion; they did not forget theic
training. | am often asked, when
come back "How are the boys get
ting on?" am always glad to speak
what | know to be the truth concern
ing them-that, while we do not pose
them as spectacular saints Il use the
word, not in the best sense, fear) yet
they are rea II religious. Deep down
in their hes IS there are great con-
victions, and to those that have fully
proved to be Uortl while they are clins
ing still. Others they may have to
reject. If | had time / should like to
speak to you on the theme; "The Rela-
~tioh Of Religion to tire War--The
Church ard the Var" May I say
oretaing To gou about a Pit Of my
w 1sheritnce is, about the
wosA e he cf -p!sin at the 1-c II
When we Canadians went across they
found ourselves linked up with TIL.
British army, and their traditions are
not always ours. The British chaplain
had a relation TO his battalion and brig
ade not quite the same as we had. So
| am speaking now only of the Cana
dian and the Canadian chaplain and
the Canadian battalion and brigade.
The Chaplain was won't to be consid-
cred in ordinary peace times a some
s ornamental attachment to the
batallion-useful to dress out the left
flank Of the parade. In his parade sery
ice, he was expected to give a shore
ten minutes t8lk or address. His duty
was to offciate at the burial OF the.
dead and to attend the wounded and