The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-02-07
SOLDIERS VIEW Of
FOREIGN missions
Some Thoughts That Were
Prompted By Gift Of
a Testi1nent.
A letter to Mr.. Robert Holmes.

Author of "My Police Court
Friends," printed in the "Cana-
dian Churchman."
Lying here in hospital helpless
three months from shrGDnel wounds
which refuse to heal, and just wait
ing" writes gallant soldier Of
Kitchener's Army a month before he
died, Il nave been thinking
"You know have ben all over the
world. 1t would seem that should
have plenty to think about. Strange,
isn't it.. tina. my thoughts always so
back to the one theme Of Foreign Mis-.
sions-especially as never though Of
them before but in derlsion; yes. and
that notwithstanding help cheerfully
given me at mission hospitals in
Amritsar, Jaffa and Uganda when /
was sick.
II do not remember giving a single
penny to Foreign Missions in my life.
1t was easy to pirate about their use
lessness-aIl so cheap and popular
too. Even as I travelled in distant
lands sometimes well knowing that
but for the work Of missionaries there
had been no read for me, IN refus-
ed to own tho blessing their work con.
fered both on the natives they set out
to convert and the country which gave
the heroes birth. l think that stranger
even than my ingratitude for help gem
erously given me in Mission hospitals.
For gold was my god. MY whole en-
orgies were set on trade. / might in
common fairness have recognized who
prepared the way for markets which
I found so profitable. But / did not.
When the call to arms came, as
you will remember / told you in an
earlier letter, ] was in London, home
on furlough. joined Lord Kitchener's
men. You sent me New Testament.
l have 1t new.
Reading at random for want Of
something better to do one night, I
was struck by the words Of John
17:3: and this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee. the only true
God and Jesus Christ. Whom Thou has
sent. could not forget those words.
They have been with me every waking
hour these twelve months. They are
with me now. And how precious l
find them, who can tell? They cause
me to care not a jot for this poor
manned body, soon to be set aside.
I've found Friend, oh, sucha Friend
he loved me e'er I knew Him;
II realize now that this Friend cares
for every savage Of our race, even as
He cares fol me, and why should He
not?
"As I think Of the loyalty Of subject
races, SO gloriously exhibited in this
day Of stress, as picture those splend.
i'd Indians seen in France, my mind
still refuses to absorb any but the
great central fact-We have here the
fruition of the work Of British mis-
isonaries and of the prayers Of mis-
men.
Why dues our Church keep Fore
ign Missions SO much in the back
ground? How, is it that l was left so
long a scoffer?
II do not blame any mortal. am
saying that something is wrong with
a scheme of things which fails to put
the whole world for Christ right in
the forefront as the battle-cry OF the
Christian Church. l do not know your
own inmost feelings. / do not know
how keen you are. 1t is because you
gave me the Testament wherein L
found the words OF life that tell you
something Of my rambling thoughts
and Of the great central regret that
fills my Whole soul. My little money
will presently be found devoted to the
cause. But what is that? We can
carry nothing out whittier / go. My
message is that all who are wise
should work in the great service while
while it is day, remembering the
coming nignt."
(Reprinted from The Missionary
Review of the World
Woman's American Baptist Foreign
Mission Society, Ford Bldg, Boston.
$50 East SOtn St, Chicago.