BY THE REV. EWEN MACQUEEN, KAMES.
DEAR MR. EDITOR,—Seeing you are so anxious that I should let the readers know some of my experiences, during the time spent by me among our soldiers and sailors in England, the first thing I must notice is that my call to go there was as hurried as the soldiers’ own call. I left Glasgow, on Thursday, 8th Oct., at ten o’clock in the morning, and had a pleasant journey. At Euston Station, kind friends met me. On Saturday, I went to Bedford. There I met with many, that I knew very well, from my native Isle, and from all parts of the Highlands. They gave me a warm welcome, and it is unnecessary to say I felt at home at once among them, and soon forgot that I was among soldiers. On Sabbath, I had a good number of them listening to the word of God, and although it was new to me, to have none but khaki-clad sinners as hearers, and a “kiltie” as precentor, soon I forgot the kilt and outward appearance of my hearers, and felt myself addressing those who needed redemption through the Blood of the Lamb, who laid down His life a ransom for many. Whatever their feelings toward me were, as some of them belonged to other denominations in Scotland, to me they were all the same, and to their credit be it said I never felt that they doubted me, although at home other denominations seem to think that Free Presbyterians are men who are fit only for the generations of long ago. As many of the men were billeted in clubs, I used to visit them for worship on Saturday evenings, and, as far as I could understand, none was absent willingly from the worship, and out of 58 only one seemed to have indulged in English beer, which is too strong for the weak heads of men. If I may be allowed to pass the judgment, the greatest curse for our dear soldiers is the free access they have to the public-houses on Sabbath and week days. Why would our rulers allow such in once-favoured England, that strong drink should be sold out on the Lord’s day to men to whom they look for the defence of the nation? Surely they are to blame for so many being confined in the guardroom. They keep the temptation before their faces. Oh to see the day coming upon England when the day of the Lord will be more thought of! We do not wonder although England should be the first place the enemy should attack, for God is put far from them and forgotten. I was attending Bedford for six Sabbaths, and although the soldiers attended well there were many things that pained me. For one thing, the soldiers were called to musketry practice on the Sabbath, which was not at all necessary then; there was no foe invading our coasts, there was no call for soldiers. The men, called to practice, were men who were all their life-time taught to respect the Lord’s day, and many of them felt wounded in their hearts for doing it. Surely we should encourage our men when going out to fight a deadly foe, and should do all in our power to have the King of kings on our side, which we cannot expect to have when we sin willingly against Him. I can say, in truth, that I felt for the men and would have liked to follow them to the last, if called upon to do so. I received great kindness from the Rector of the Modern School, where we kept the meetings. He did everything in his power to make me comfortable. My first preceptor was from Ullapool. By this time he is in a foreign land. May the Lord preserve him, and those who were with him! I shall never forget the day they left Bedford. It was on a Monday, and as I had to leave early for Buckden, where a detachment of the Lovat Scouts was quartered, I was early on the move. On coming to the street, it was clear that something new was happening for all the town seemed alive. Then I heard the bagpipes, which appeals to all Highlanders, but any life which the bagpipes may have stirred up in my Highland nature, soon died away when I saw so many of my dear countrymen on the move for the field of gore. Some of them shook hands with me in passing, and as the last of them passed by, I felt my heart going from me and following the dear men who were willingly marching, some of them to their doom, in defence of their King and Country. For a time I stood staring after them, desiring that the Lord would speed the day, when the nations shall learn war no more, when proud sin shall hide its face for very shame. With a heavy heart I joined the “bus,” which brought me to St. Neot’s, and from there I took a conveyance to Buckden, where I met with kind friends. I spoke there in the evening, in one of the dissenting churches. I met many that I knew, and felt happy and refreshed among them.
On Tuesday after I went to Kimbolton, where some of the Lovat Scouts were quartered, also many from Skye, Uist, and the Western Isles. From Lieut. Morrison in charge there, I received great kindness. The men seemed pleased to have the word of God spoken to them in their native tongue, and I cannot deny but that I felt a hankering after them, and left them desiring their eternal salvation. I also visited Aldershot, where so many of our British soldiers are. I spent a night in the barracks there, and although I could see that war weapons were near, I felt as tranquil in mind as if among the Moatites who are said to have been “at ease from their youth.” I did not speak publicly there, because I knew that there was a Chaplain on the field who came from Scotland who could preach and was preaching Gaelic, and I did not consider it advisable to bring in denominationalism, as I had enough to do apart from that, and we do desire the salvation of all men from all denominations. The Naval Barracks at Portsmouth and Chatham, I visited weekly. There are many naval reserve men in these places from Lewis, Harris, Embo, Fearn, Stoer, and other parts of the Highlands, some of them belonged to our own Church, but as far as attention to the means of grace and kindness to me were concerned, I could see no difference. At Portsmouth I had to stand an examination the first time I went there, which afterwards made me think of the change which all must undergo who will be allowed to enter the gates of the New Jerusalem. On arriving at the gate, two marines with ready muskets confronted me, to whom I disclosed my errand. They pointed to an officer who stood back from them a few paces; he conducted me to another officer who questioned me. Then I was brought before the officer in command, who, when he found out that my message was “good will towards men,” sent to the various parts of the barracks, and called the men to a place of meeting, and before the service was over, in heart I said: “This more than makes up for the former searching examination,” for I felt the mountains of Gilboa in my inward parts refreshed with the dew that descends “on Zion hills.”
Truly, these men seemed to value the message of salvation, and we trust that from among them who listened there to the Gospel of God’s dear Son, many will yet with a sinless tongue sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. And although the congregation would be composed of men of as many denominations as the congregations of the day of Pentecost were of nations, they seemed to have one tongue to sing and one ear to hear the wonderful works of God, and I think if I interpreted their thoughts aright, they were inwardly saying, “Fools that we were that ever we fell in love with German rationalism, that separated us the one from the other.” When the meeting was over, many of them followed me to the gate as far as the law of the place allowed them. From there at 9.30 I made for my home in London, where I arrived at one next morning. Although my journey was long, the company I left behind, and the hope of meeting them again, cheered me on the way.
When I arrived at Waterloo Station, I was always met by one who knew London and its ways and manners well. And as he proved such a good guide and host to me, may the Lord so guide and direct him that he may be at last received among those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!
At Chatham I spoke every Tuesday night. My first visit there was unattended with any difficulty, there being there one who valued the souls of his countrymen, and did everything in his power to see to a suitable place of meeting. Many gathered, not only when I was there, but every night of the week, to call upon the name of the Lord. It was indeed a pleasure to speak to them, for I believe the Lord had access to the hearts of many of them. The greater number were from Lewis. To my soul it seemed like our communion seasons in the West. Everyone seemed so eager to hear, and to understand what was being declared to them; being in circumstances, placed as it were with their lives in their hand, as we say, not knowing the moment they might be called to face their cultured foes, who think so little of the lives of their fellow-creatures. This, I believe, whetted the desire of those brave sailors to have the Redeemer of Israel on their side. Truly they listened for eternity, and I trust and hope that many of the R. N. R. men may, throughout eternity, be where no gallant ship or galley with oars will reach them to their hurt. Oh that men in high places were taught to fear the Lord, as many of these men seem to have been taught. We used to say on the West of Scotland, when one heard a certain person praised, “You did not burn a peat stack with him yet.” I may say about them—the more I knew them, the more I loved them. In stating this, I may say it was because I felt the Lord among them, and the more I spent, the more I would like to be spent with them. And now that I am at home among my family and my own congregation, I may say, without boasting, that daily, on more than one occasion, do I think of our dear soldiers and sailors; and if this, my account of the travels I had among them, should fall into the hands of any of them among whom I went in and out for six weeks, I would desire to address them a few words.
“Dear Friend, do you fear the Lord? Are you prepared to die? Do not for a moment think that the fear of God would incapacitate you from being a good soldier or sailor. Where was there a better soldier than David of long ago, than General Gordon of not so long ago, whom many yet living have seen? Yet they feared the Lord and loved and served Him. His fear makes men bold as a lion. Who would sing, “I will not fear though thousands ten set round about me be,” but those who feared the Lord? The confidence of the Apostle Paul that he would be well received made him say, “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.” I believe you fight in a good and just cause, take heed that you be good and just yourself, for it is only in being so you can have peace with God. However evil you may have been, the gospel comes to you, even as evil, offering you peace through Jesus Christ, who said, “I lay down my life for my sheep.” Seek to be found among them. I know that it is not easy for a soldier or even for a sailor to be on their knees, but God will hear even the silent desire of your heart. It is now near the end of another year of our lives. The end of all things is at hand. Time is short and uncertain at best. Eternity is never-ending. As we enter eternity so we shall always be.”
It is both pleasant and sad to me to be going over my wanderings in England; pleasant because I met there some whom I believe will shine as the stars in the Kingdom of their own Father; sad because I met there many whom I never expect to meet again. Oh! to be prepared to meet where Satan shall never enter, where the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick. The people that are there are freed from their trespasses.
The Lord be with our soldiers and sailors, cause His face to shine on them, and make them good soldiers of Jesus Christ, that they may receive a crown of righteousness that faileth not away.