The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-13
ENGLAND LIKELY
TO TURN TOPAGAN
RELIGIOUS FORMS
Bishop Of Winchester De-
CIareS Great War Has
Brought to Island Many
Strange Ideas.
~ X. WALTER.
10y Reciprocal News ssrvies.)

LONDON, Oct. 13-Chesterton wrote
a fine book about England turning 10
Islam land prohibitionl some years ago;
II may yet be included among the pro-
phetic books. Pussyfoot Johnson Is
attacking the English faith in beer;
the Christian faith is In much more
immediate danger, according TO the re-
suit of an investigation conducted by
a Scotch divine and Endorsed by the
bishop of Winchester. The investiga-
ton was made In connection with the
problem Of the returned soldier and
Is a step toward a great Christian re-
viVal In this country.
Every man who volunteered or was
drafted into the army had to declare
his religion; If you showed any doubt
YOU were put down as Church OF Eng
land, usually being told that this was
done for purposes OF burial But the
investigators went far beyond any such
cheerful formalities, Army ~chaplains
sent in reports or the attitude OF their
men toward religious matters and scores
Of witnesses intimately acquainted with
the men were examined. The lack Of
distinctive Christianity is remarked by
all.
Turning to Islam.
What was sim more unexpected Is
the large measure Of agreement among
he witnesses on the prevalence OF q
Moslem atmosphere to an extent that
might suggest that England is turning
to Islam, II took the form of a fatal
ism common to Eastern religions, but
it had u distinguishing Moslem char
acter In its conception Of salvation by
death on the field of battle, Further
evidence Of Moslem influences Is at
tributed to the extraordinary increase
of bigamous marriages which IL now
coming TO light In the courts. Chris
tian ministers are alarmed by these con-
ditions because everyone agrees that
when England's five million soldiers
are reabsorbed into the population their
influence In social, political and re-
ligious matters will predominant.
Omar khayyam Is denounced by q
number of witnesses as the propaganda
list chiefly responsible for this new re-
ligious %orientation, The Rubayat was
the troops, More men went into bat
tie with omar in their pockets than
with the Bible. Not even the savage
old Psalms that inspired Crpmwelrs
fighting men had as much appeal for
the English soldier in this crusade Of
popular enough. The chaplains found
their work easy in that respect--or
rather scarcely easy ir measured by
the demand made Vol them by the
willingness of the men to attend d.
vine service but the majority were,
~ al bHntSlAHN GitaplalH-k pun ~,
Lost to the church at the ase Of
adolescence"
Note Of Alarm Sincere.
The note OF alarm is no less sincere,
though not so obvious, in the conclu-
sion of DR.. Cairns, who writes the re-
port that these men could scarcely
have been greater models Of patriot
ism and vaior II they had been 100
per cent Christian. we are confront
ed today with the plain fact that. along
with much mortal frailty. these men
are in the mass displa wing, however
unconsciously, great Christian qualities
that put mSSt of US to shame" he
| writes,
The most important recommendation
DR.. Cairns puts forward for lettering
this state of affairs Is to continue the
great work conducted by the Y. NJ. c,
A. during the war. In this united en-
terprise OF the ohuEches, properly sup
ported but Invested Of ali charitable
appearance, and extended to the SER
vice and fellowship OF men Of all ranks
OF life, DIR. Cairns sees the chief hope
of battling Islam and making the west
ern world safe for Christianity.