ELSEWHERE in these records will be found the personal witness of many who listened to the voice of the Ever Living One, and were imprisoned or even sentenced to death for following in His steps.

My mournful privilege is to witness concerning one who became a victim, 'even unto death,' of what Prof. Peake (himself a supporter of the late war) described as 'the Satanic ingenuity of the machine for dealing with conscientious objectors.'

Our Bro. Arthur Wilson, of the Church of Christ at Hamilton St., Blackburn, along with three other brothers in the same family, refused absolutely to assist in any way the machinery of Moloch, for the massacre of mankind, devised by the rulers of this present evil age. And the consequence was he was called upon to endure two years and four months hard labour in various prisons before disease, seizing upon a body enfeebled by hard labour, under nourishment, and damp cells, hurried him into the embrace of death.

Prison! hard labour! disease! death! As Emerson says, 'It is said all martyrdoms looked mean when they were suffered.' And yet, generation after generation,

'Their blood is shed
In confirmation of the noblest claim, -
Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,
To walk with God, to be divinely free,

To soar, and to anticipate the skies.
Yet few remember them. They lived unknown
Till persecution dragged them into fame,
And chased them up to heaven.'

'TESTIMONY FROM THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.'

There never was any question as to the sincerity of Arthur Wilson's convictions. The military representative said in open court, to Arthur's father, who was a witness, 'We are all convinced of the sincerity of your son.'

The Chairman of the Tribunal said, in giving their verdict, 'The Tribunal are of the opinion that you have established conscientious objections, and they will put the matter before the Central Tribunal.'

This decision was reported in the press, along with Arthur's declaration that 'He denied the right of any Government to make slaughter a bounden duty.'

Nevertheless, Arthur Wilson went to prison in due course, and ultimately to death, because he was unable to accept conditionally that to which the law gave him a right absolutely. 'The Satanic ingenuity of the machine' sent him back, again and again, to the rigours of the most cruel and vicious form of prison life, a form of life so terrible in its effects on the vitality of the prisoner, that the law forbids the vilest criminal to be sentenced to more than two years hard labour.

For two years and four months the savage machine of a brutal and debasing militarism slowly ground out the life of one of God's saints, and during this time he was winning the affection of scores of fellow-prisoners, of all creeds and of no creed, by his quiet, stedfast, inoffensive manifestation of Christian character. So that when his brother 'Jack' came from Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, to the funeral, he was able to bring the following message, which he received from a large body of fellow-prisoners there:

'Give the deep sympathy of us all to your father and mother. Try to go forward with a good courage. Your dear brother was, and is still, a great and noble soul, and his faithful life shines brighter above the dark sorrow which his death has caused us all. We shall draw near with you to the common Father of us all, and ask that you may be comforted and sustained.'

The following extracts from his letters speak for themselves, and testify most eloquently on behalf of him who wrote them. They were not written by Arthur Wilson with any idea of publication, of course, but they reveal his character and belief much more clearly than anything I could write about him. Hence their inclusion here. Replying to a letter seeking advice, he wrote, after giving such advice as he could re the Tribunals.

'I have no further advice to give, except that you should continue to repose your whole trust in Him whom we call Master, for all things work together for good to them that love God.'

Attached to the same letter, as a postscript, was the following:

'We may be persecuted!
We have been scoffed at!
We have been and are held in contempt!
We may be spit upon!
We may be buffeted!
We may be put to death! -
So was the Master!

Writing to the Central Tribunal he says:-

'I am resolved at all costs not to render any service contributory to the prosecution of war. Believing my action to be in accordance with the law of Christ.'

And again:-

'Whatever be the decision, I am prepared to suffer for my deep faith, of long standing, in the cause I have at heart, namely the cross of Christ and its purpose, for in Him I repose my trust, and I will not betray my loyalty by calling a truce to my Christian career when its influence is most needed.'

The foregoing statements were all made previous to arrest and imprisonment. Lack of space forbids too many details, but two or three extracts may be given to show that persecution and suffering never caused him to falter in his determination to serve the Prince of Peace.

At his first court-martial, he said:

'Believing that the principles of Jesus Christ are the best means of bringing Peace, I am compelled to refuse military service.'

After eighteen months hard labour in prison, at his fourth court-martial [for the one alleged offence], he said:-

'It is generally admitted that a return to Christianity as practised in the early days would make war impossible. I believe this! Therefore, it is incumbent upon me to do all in my power to attain this end.'

Six months later he writes to his sister and her husband.

'I can say after two years of imprisonment, that I would rather rot away for another ten than compromise my faith, and my only regret would be that I would be separated from loved and loving ones.'

I have said my writing of this article was a mournful privilege. I may add that it is also a source of pride, and joy, and comfort. As one who knew Arthur Wilson from the time when he was just a wee boy, and helped, in some small measure, to form his convictions and his character, in the Lord's-day school, the church, and in the friendly intercourse of home life, it was, and is, a matter of joy and pride to find that, when the time of trial came, his convictions stood the test, his character developed, and his stedfast faith clung to the things eternal. He was 'faithful unto death.' And when the end came:-

'I wondered not to hear so brave an end,
Because I knew who made it could contend
With death, and conquer, and in open chase
Would spit defiance in his conquered face -
And did! Dauntless he trod him underneath
To show the weakness of unarmed death.'

He died in Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, on December 11th, 1918, at the age of 27, and his body was interred on the 17th at Livesey, Blackburn. To myself, at the urgent request of the family, fell the sad duty of conducting the funeral service, and the services held in memory on the following Lord's day, and I can testify that the comfort of his father and mother, his brothers and sisters, and of us all who were present, was that he had died for the Faith; for the cause of Peace and Goodwill; for Liberty, for Conscience and for Christ.

And now, how does his death affect us? Dr. Guthrie tells a story of martyrdom some two hundred or more years ago, when Margaret Wilson and a companion were tied to stakes on the shore of Solway Firth, to be drowned by the incoming tide. As her companion, who was much nearer the advancing wave of death, succumbed, their murderers said to Margaret, 'What see you yonder?' And while the waters rose cold on her own limbs, she replied, 'I see Christ suffering in one of His own members.' Brave and glorious words, born of a living faith.

So may our faith see in Arthur Wilson the sufferings of Christ, and in the multiplication of such as he was the hope of the world for deliverance from the folly and insanity of militarism and the reign of brute force.

'BLESSED ARE THE DEAD THAT DIE IN THE LORD.'

'Captain and Saviour of the host
Of Christian chivalry,
We bless Thee for our comrade true,
Now called away by Thee.
We bless Thee for his every step
In faithful following Thee,
And for his good fight, fought so well,
And crowned with victory.'


LIBERTY AND WAR.

I Hate that noisy drum; it is the sound
That Tells of war, of bondage; and I blush
That Liberty had ever cause to rush
Into a warrior's arms; that Right e'er found
Asylum in the furious field. Not so
The holy crowns of genuine glory grow.
XI. Alternative Service.

BY R.B. SCOTT.

AMONG objectors to war, it is a much-debated question as to whether alternative service should be taken or not - some believing that acceptance involves a surrender of principle. We cannot go into the question here, however, but consider that the problem is such a difficult one that we should all agree to allow liberty of thought and action. The attitude of the C.O. taking alternative service may be briefly stated as follows: 'I cannot fight, because the law of Christ forbids it. I am willing to suffer whatever penalty the law of the country imposes on me for obedience to Christ in this respect. If, however, the State offers work, unconnected with the slaughter as an alternative, I am willing to do it.'

Alternative service was allowed quite frequently by the more enlightened of the Tribunals. They offered work of national importance to men whom they thought to be genuine, and whom they knew would not accept any military service. The work they offered generally entailed considerable inconvenience upon the man concerned, and in a great many cases a severe change of occupation and hardship.

Some are inclined to look upon those who obtained conditional exemption as the most fortunate class of C.O., but we should remember that one of the hardest things which we had to put up with was the persecution of our fellow-workmen. The 'alternativist' was more exposed than others in this respect, as a rule. We have no idea of talking of inequality or equality of sacrifice. Anything we may suffer is trifling in comparison with what our Lord suffered for us, and should be cause for rejoicing, but never for boasting.

With regard to the technical details of alternative service, men given the opportunity of this were usually referred to the Committee set up by the Government under the chairmanship of the Hon. T.W.H. Pelham, C.B. This committee, generally known as the Pelham Committee, was intended primarily to be of assistance to the Tribunals in the selection of suitable work. Naturally it was also of service to the C.O. himself. A list of occupations regarded as of national importance was drawn up by the Committee in conjunction with the Board of Trade, and this gave the puzzled seeker for work some idea as to what he should look for. Later on, still further help was given through a list of likely employers.

Like most Government concerns, the Pelham Committee was rather slow in action. Many questions had to be answered by the applicant before anything could be done, and an interview had often to be suffered in addition. When the man's capabilities had been considered he was usually advised to take up farm work or something equally laborious. Also the condition was generally imposed that the C.O. should be not less than 20 or 50 miles from home - the limit seeming to vary a bit. Reports were required from the employer to the Committee or the Tribunal about once in every three months, and the man was on no account to leave or change his job without permission from one or both of these authorities, who of course consulted the employer beforehand. This placed the C.O. very much at the mercy of his employer, and some took the opportunity of doing well out of it. To be just, however, it must be said that employers behaved fairly well as a rule, and in some cases the most cordial relations were established.

It might be wondered at that men could be found willing to take on objectors at such a time. In addition to the feelings of bitterness and contempt, most of the men concerned were quite new to manual labour and were physically unfitted for it. Quite a number of employers were found who were quite sympathetic, and some who were absolutely indifferent. Others were driven by the shortage of labour to swallow any feelings they had for the sake of their own prosperity. There were those, of course, who refused to have anything to do with us, and some feeble attempts were made at boycott. Some undoubtedly took advantage of their victims by paying them very low wages. Men previously employed as clerks found themselves much reduced in circumstances, the pay being only sufficient sometimes to pay for lodgings, and making the support of dependents an impossibility. My own experience has perhaps been rather fortunate, but it leads me to think that the conscientious industry and honesty of the C.O. - discovered by the employer, to some extent at least, to be part of his character - changed the attitude and eased the situation.

Of all forms of alternative service, I should think farm-work was the most common, and I therefore venture to give some personal impressions and experiences.

After serving for some time under the Home Office Scheme, I was able to take up farm-work under the same control. I packed up and removed from the Casual Ward, where His Majesty's Government had lodged me, and took up my humble lodgings in the country town near to which the farm was situated. Here I was well fed and looked after, and was quite free from the neighbours' taunts and ill-treatment, which so many in similar positions suffered. I put this down to the fact that the hours of labour (ten per day) made my time at home so short.

I then entered upon the new experience of getting up at 5 a. m. and starting work at 6. For the first time, perhaps, I learned to appreciate the beauty of the morning. This was not always a comfortable thing, for though the dew is much praised by the poet, it makes quite a different impression upon the farm-labourer, especially when he is gathering vegetables before breakfast.

There are some things which have made a deep impression. One certainly is the contempt of the 'country bumpkin' for the 'novice.' The old foreman - 75 summers - never seemed to forgive me for being new to the job. Whether I planted, hoed, digged or reaped, I inevitably won his disapproval. A month or two served to harden me to this, and my body to the hard labour of my new way of life. It was very strenuous work in comparison with clerking, and my back objected strongly to the extra strain put upon it.

The great compensation of farm-work is that it is in the open air. Thinking of it now in the 'durance vile' of indoor clerical work, makes me long for the sunshine, wind, and rain of my brief spell on the land; and I feel I should like to be back on it again. It is far from a holiday, and it would be foolish to neglect the seamy side. A few weeks of wet, chaff-cutting, the mud and cold of winter, some twelve-hour days of harvesting, and other trials of this kind, are by no means pleasant. At the harvest-time, when we were reaping the blown corn with reap-hooks, life just consisted of eating, sleeping, and working.

I found my fellow C.O.'s on the farm very pleasant mates. We were generally put to work together, and our tongues and brains had plenty of work, when the opportunity offered. Moreover, they were quite old hands by the time I joined them, and they could not have been more considerate than they were to the new-comer. I think permanent friendships have been formed in this way, and our mental and spiritual outlooks have been widened by the helpful discussions which ensue when people of widely different outlooks meet. We always had the one thing in common - the hatred of warfare and the determination to have nothing to do with it. This bond united us in a happy comradeship.

We had companions of widely different character. The staff was divided roughly into three equal parties - old men, soldiers, and C.O.s. The soldiers were certainly the more friendly, and seemed to feel very little bitterness against us. Some of the old men growled and cursed a bit, but we had very little real unfriendliness. Needless to say, some outbursts occurred, and one cannot be surprised at that - nay, we should expect it when we consider the position of comparative safety in which we were placed. The natural feeling is one of jealousy, and persecution is bound to take place under the circumstances.

Release of the alternative service men did not take place immediately upon the termination of the war in 1918, but the closing of the Tribunals made it impossible for the Committee to keep the men for long on the land. A circular was issued to the effect that those who left the work appointed them would do so at their own risk, but in a few months the Committee itself was dissolved and so the whole scheme gradually 'petered out.' The bolder a man was, the sooner he got back to his ordinary occupation. The lapse of the Military Service Acts brought final release and so ended a period of our lives which cannot be forgotten. We sometimes feel that calmer days of peace encourage a certain laxity, and have to recognise that many things which we do not like at the time are beneficial to our spiritual welfare. We may reasonably regard alternative service in this light, and he thankful for it.

In concluding, I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Bro. J. Shephard, of Hornsey, who supplied much useful information for this chapter.

WILL NATIONS LEARN? Peace - shall the world, out-wearied, ever see Its universal reign? Will states, will kings, Put down these murderous and unholy things, Which fill the earth with blood and misery? Will nations learn that love, not enmity, Is heaven's first lesson; which, beneath the wings Of mercy, brooding over land and sea, Fills earth with joy by its soft ministerings? 'Twere a sad prospect - 'twere a vista dark As midnight - could this wearied, mortal eye, Through the dim mists that veil futurity, Discern not that heaven-bright, though distant, spark, Lighted by prophecy, whose ray sublime Sheds a soft gleam of hope o'er the full path of time.

SIR JOHN BOWRING.

ONE feels honoured to contribute to the pages of this little book, and glad to find a place amongst those who, from the conception of the mind of Christ, are constrained at all times to follow the path of non-resistance and to refrain in all circumstances from taking the lives of their fellow men.

From the previous chapters, the reader will have gained a knowledge of the course of events, and of the experiences of objectors to military service prior to and during the term or terms of imprisonment which they served, so that explanation of prior events is unnecessary here in dealing with one's experiences subsequent to release from prison in order to engage in work of National Importance.

When a man serving a term of imprisonment undertook, before the Central Tribunal, to perform work of National Importance he came under the control of the 'Home Office Committee for the employment of Conscientious Objectors.'

Except in a few instances, he was sent in company with others of his comrades who had given a similar undertaking to one of the Work Centres described elsewhere. In the few excepted instances, men were sent direct from prison to the place where they were to perform the work of National Importance.

The Work Centres, which were first commenced about October, 1916, and at which the ordinary prison duties and tasks were performed, may have been regarded from different points of view. By some, they may have been regarded as a sort of convalescent home where, after the weakening effects of prison life, the men might recuperate before going out to more strenuous labour under private employment; by others as a kind of purgatory where the men might expiate their 'crime' or 'crimes' of having worn the prison garb, whence at the expiration of this intermediate period they would be allowed to mingle once more, to an extent, with their fellows. Whether or not either of these was the official point of view, it was the official intention with regard to the practical working of the scheme, that the men should stay but temporarily at these Centres, while private employment was being found for them outside with individuals and firms, or at a Camp (where the number warranted the step) formed by the Home Office Committee, and of which an agent or agents were appointed to take control. It is the fact, however, that a large amount of the men's time was spent at the Centres, and a good number were there without having been sent at all to work outside.

Men were sent to 'outside' employment at places in all parts of Great Britain, and where the larger numbers were employed an agent was, or agents were, appointed to supervise the work, as at the Camps. Where only a small number was employed, a Home Office agent paid visits of enquiry and inspection. The number of men employed at any particular place varied from time to time; the conditions also under which the men lived and worked at the different places varied considerably, being very bad indeed in some instances. The larger Camps were those engaged on quarrying, timber cutting and hauling, building, roadmaking, waterworks schemes, etc. Whether at Dyce (Aberdeenshire), Llangadock (S. Wales), Ditton Priors (Salop), Sunk Island, nr. Hull (Yorks), Ballachulish (Argyllshire), or elsewhere in comparatively small numbers, these Camps had something in common, and that was an absence of the monotony and gloom inseparable from a prison building and institution. Too much space would be required to give a description of all the Camps which were formed or to tabulate the Scheme, if one were able. It must, therefore, suffice to describe one's own experiences in Camp, under this 'outside' employment section of the Scheme.

Leaving the ancient cathedral city in Yorkshire, where, from the time of the commencement of the Work Centres, five months had been spent, in company with about forty comrades, one journeyed by rail to a destination far North, up into the Highlands of Scotland. One remembers, just before leaving the Centre, casting a surreptitious glance at a Scotch comrade's baggage, to see how the spell correctly the name of one's destination! It was at the end of March, and as the journey continued through the night, probably one's first real glimpses of 'Bonnie Scotland' were had as the train proceeded somewhere in the vicinity of Callander in Perthshire. These first glimpses from the carriage window leave now upon the mind a picture of God's handiwork, untrammelled and unmarred; of fine, tall trees in dense profusion, and in the background, standing out against a sky of blue, the snow-covered peak of some lofty and majestic mountain. The journey from here to Ballachulish, a small village at the entrance to Loch Leven, has largely passed from memory, but leaving the village (which is the railway terminus) we proceeded up the Loch by steamer. As the atmosphere was cold and damp, and the bare mountain ranges on either side were half enveloped in cloud, we were glad when the boat slowed down and came to a halt at a newly constructed landing stage. Seeing comrades on land (the Camp having been formed some months previously), one knew that 'H.M. Road Board Camp' had at last been reached. Coalasnacon, the scene of the Camp, consisted of one home-stead only, and was situated midway between Ballachulish, with its slate quarries, and Kinlochleven, the small town situated farther on at the head of the Loch.

The work in hand at the Camp here was the construction of a roadway the whole length of Loch Leven, from Ballachulish to Kinlockleven, and, as has already been indicated, the Loch is hemmed in on either side by mountains, some close at hand and some more distant from the water's edge. The reader will thus readily see that as the road was to be constructed on one side of the Loch, between it and the mountains, a great deal of hard work was necessary to make it level, on account of the very uneven nature of the ground. Rising early and washing in ice-cold water, one went to breakfast at 7 a.m. At 7.30, the head ganger (a man who had reached the allotted span, yet who was straight as a rod and could swing the hammer with anyone) blew his whistle, and with pick and shovel one made off towards the road with one's comrades. Some were engaged with pick or mattock, clearing away heather, grass and soil, some with picks were breaking away rocks and stones, and others were filling wheelbarrows with the soil and stones. Others were wheeling the barrows away over planks laid down as far as the road was built and tipping the refuse over at the end. So the roadway was gradually built up and extended, to meet another section being similarly constructed by another party of men from the opposite direction.

The level of the road could, of course, only be maintained by either digging out or filling in, and so one either wielded pick or mattock, hammer or crowbar, or contrived (at the start) to wheel the barrows down the narrow planks. Sometimes large boulders blocked the progress of the work, and this necessitated the boring of holes in the rock and the insertion of dynamite so that the obstacle might be removed. Fuses were inserted in the holes, and on hearing a cry of 'Fire!' all in the vicinity would cease work and, seeing the retreating figure of the head ganger, would scramble away to a safe distance. When the fragments of rock had returned to earth, work was resumed and in course of time all signs of the offending boulder were removed. All this may not have been accomplished before lunch time, but it constituted the daily routine, except for a few men such as the camp orderlies, cook's assistants, tailor, carpenters, blacksmith, etc. Lunch was partaken of at 12.30, and during the hour's interval letters were eagerly looked for. The day's work closed at 5.30, and dinner was ready soon afterwards. There were eight or nine huts for the men, in addition to the dining room, reading room, stores, carpenter's shop, cook-house, hospital, and living accommodation for the agent and sub-agent.

During the earlier days of one's stay here, the weather was intensely cold, and heavy snowstorms were not infrequent, so that on some days no work was done at all on the road. Later on, work was suspended on account of heavy and continuous rain, but during the latter period of our stay the weather was ideal. We were very fortunate in seeing this part of the country both in winter garb and in all the beauty of spring array, and before we left the summer season had arrived. One cannot attempt to portray the great beauties of nature seen here during the different seasons, but they were such that one had little or no conception of previously, and they made a lasting impression on the mind. It is not within the purview of these pages to tell of visits to Oban, Fort William, and an ascent of Ben Nevis, in company with Bro. T.H. Haynes.

With faces deeply tanned by wind and sun, we returned, at the end of the following June, to the Centre at Wakefield. There we resumed our position in the stoker's squad. While at Wakefield, about the commencement of 1918, the Home Office Committee made it known that men who had been employed under them for twelve months and whose conduct during that period had been satisfactory might take up 'exceptional employment.' This was to be found by the Committee or approved by them if found by the men themselves. The work permitted to be taken up under this new provision was (with very few exceptions) of a manual character only, and was to be not less than 20 miles from a man's home. He was entitled to receive the full wages paid by his employer in respect of his labour, instead of the 4s.8d. per week as heretofore, and if for any reason the employment ceased, the man was to hold himself at the disposal of the Committee. Men found it very difficult to find work under this new scheme, and it was many months before some were able to do so. At the beginning of 1919, a circular letter was issued by the Committee stating that a man might take up employment mentioned in a schedule attached thereto, without previously consulting the Committee, but he should notify them immediately after taking up such employment. This seemed to be an indication that the Committee was probably about to cease its operations, which was in fact the case, for in a short time the remaining Work Centre was closed and the men were disbanded.

ETERNAL JUSTICE

The man is thought a knave or fool,
Or bigot plotting crime,
Who, for the advancement of his kind,
Is wiser than his time.

For him the hemlock shall distil -
For him the axe be bared -
For him the gibbet shall be built,
For him the stake prepared!

Him shall the scorn and wrath of man
Pursue with deadly aim,
And malice, envy, spite and lies
Shall desecrate his name:

But truth shall conquer at the last,
As round and round we run -
The right shall yet come uppermost,
And justice shall be done.

Pace through thy cell, old Socrates,
Cheerily to and fro;
Trust to the impulse of thy soul,
And let the poison flow.

They may shatter to earth the lamp of clay
That holds a light divine,
But they cannot quench the fire of thought
By any such deadly wine.

They cannot blot thy spoken words
From the memory of man
By all the poison ever was brew'd,
Since time its course began.

Today abhorr'd, tomorrow adored,
So round and round we run;
And ever the truth comes uppermost,
And ever is justice done.

Plod in thy cave, gray anchorite;
Be wiser than thy peers;
Augment the range of human power,
And trust to coming years.

They may call thee wizard, and monk accursed,
And load thee with dispraise;
Thou wert born five hundred years too soon
For the comfort of thy days;

But not too soon for humankind,
Time hath reward in store;
And the demons of our sires become
The saints that we adore.

The blind can see, the salve is lord,
So round and round we run;
And ever the wrong is proved to be wrong
And ever is justice done.

Keep, Galileo, to thy thought,
And nerve thy soul to bear:
They may gloat o'er the senseless words they wring
From the pangs of thy despair;

They may veil their eyes, but they cannot hide
The sun's meridian glow;
The heel of a priest may tread thee down,
And a tyrant work thee woe;

But never a truth has been destroy'd;
They may curse it and call it a crime;
Pervert and betray, or slander and slay
Its teacher for a time;

But the sunshine aye shall light the sky,
As round and round we run;
And the truth shall ever come uppermost,
And justice shall be done.

And live there now such men as these -
With thoughts like the great of old?
Many have died in their misery,
And left their thoughts untold;

And many live, and are rank'd as mad,
And placed in the cold world's ban,
For sending their bright far-seeing souls
Three centuries in the van,

They toil in penury and grief;
Unknown, if not malign'd;
Forlorn, forlorn, hearing the scorn
Of the meanest of mankind!

But yet the world goes round and round
And the genial seasons run;
And ever the truth comes uppermost,
And ever is justice done.

MACKAY.

ON the morning of 8th November, 1917, the door of cell A4/72, at Wormwood Scrubbs prison was thrown open and its occupant ordered by the warder in charge to accompany him down to the basement. Having delivered up books, brush and comb, etc., he was marched with other eighteen prisoners, garbed in grey with the white broad arrow, to the reception cells, there to change into the fit-out provided for men accepting the Home Office scheme. Coarse tweed coat and vest, corduroy trousers, hob-nailed boots - which dragged very heavily after the light (odd) shoes worn in prison - cloth cap, and muffler.

Thus arrayed in our new glory, we were paraded before the deputy governor, and after receiving various instructions, written and verbal, the great gate of the prison was opened to us, and we were driven in war-time conveyances to Euston Station. Having said goodbye to the warder, who had accompanied us from 'Scrubbs,' we entrained for Knutsford, Cheshire, the county gaol there having been converted into a work-centre for C.O.s.

The special carriage reserved for us attracted much attention, both before we left London station, and on the journey North, for on the windows, printed in the blackest of ink, was the very interesting information:- 'Nineteen Prisoners'!

The journey was much enjoyed by the men, who for varying periods had been used to the drab of prison, and our partial freedom from the restraint of the past months was deeply appreciated. The sun shone brilliantly as we sped along, and nature in her autumnal dress compensated somewhat for the dreariness of gaol and its surroundings.

Reaching Knutsford, about 8 p.m., we were welcomed to our new home by the 'advance guard' - men who had preceded us to prepare the place. We were soon safely within the gloomy walls of the prison; our names called, like so many schoolboys; and each billeted to his own room, an ordinary cell, but with wood floor instead of the waxed composition floor of 'Scrubbs.'

For six months this was to be our residence, partial freedom being allowed, with unbarred doors at night, and the privilege of leaving the prison betwixt the hour of 5.30 and 9.30 p.m., Saturdays at 12 noon, and Sundays during the day. Every man, however, had to be in by 9.30 p.m. prompt or, in default, receive punishment by way of fine, out of his 8d. per day allowance.

Bro. Herbert Harrington, of Ilford, London (whom we had learned to love in the Lord while at 'Scrubbs'), had arrived in an earlier batch. We were very soon enjoying each other's company and fellowship, in a larger degree than had been possible at the latter place, where we had met weekly for a brief half-hour at the little meeting of members of Churches of Christ, conducted by Bro. W. Mander, Evangelist, of Twynholm.

For quite a while the chief work at Knutsford centre was that of general cleaning. The place was in a dirty condition, and day after day we were to be seen scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing. Apart from the office, kitchen and postal staffs, all men had their allotted tasks, some washing the cell walls and floors, others the floors of halls and offices, while a few did good service with the whitewash brush. The writer, having served a good apprenticeship 'on his knees' while at 'Scrubbs' was able to get through a decent share of work at Knutsford with the floor cloth and scrubbing brush.

This went on until the prison assumed a fairly respectable appearance, and then new work was given out to us, the chief occupation being mail-bag making. Imagine a group of men in one of the disused hospital wards, busy with needle and canvas, turning out a specified number of bags per day. Not all adept, by any means, at sewing, and any who could not turn out the number had rather an uncomfortable time. Uniformed warders, mostly ex-soldiers, superintended the work, calling us to task if our stitches were too big, and keeping a general guard over us.

The group with which the writer found himself was made up as follows:- The majority Socialists, some of the revolutionary type - a young Baptist Minister, a Theosophist, a Swedenborgian, a Plymouth Brother, and two of us members of Churches of Christ. Each day was occupied with work, of course, but also with debate and argument, and if an accurate account could be written of the proceedings, during the months spent in that dilapidated hospital ward, it would make both amusing, educative, and sometimes tragic reading. Lack of space forbids the introduction of such matter.

Meals were served in the hall of the prison by the kitchen staff, the communal system being in operation. Life within the Centre was varied. For those who preferred staying in after work, there was a reading and writing room provided, and, in one of the outer buildings, meetings and socials were occasionally held. As the weeks passed, the little group of Disciples grew, eventually about ten of us being in residence. We kept in close touch with each other, and enjoyed that communion which only those in the Lord can understand and appreciate. We held a very helpful meeting for the reading and study of the Scriptures during the week, and for eleven consecutive Friday evenings we met with a group of Anglican friends in Bro. Harrington's cell to discuss matters of faith and practice. Generally, the discussion was carried on in a very good spirit, although at times some of our friends, finding themselves in tight corners when considering the subject of Baptism, momentarily lost control. Howbeit, we always parted as comrades. We hope that the seed sown took root in some hearts at least.

We had not been at Knutsford many days before we introduced ourselves to the little church there, and from that time, on Lord's Days and Wednesday evenings, we enjoyed Christian fellowship and social intercourse with those of 'like precious faith.' We would make special mention of Brother and Sister Turner, also Brother and Sister Fryer, who showed us great kindness, at a time when friendliness to men who had taken our attitude towards war was liable to bring criticism, and even persecution, upon them. However, we look back with gratitude to those days, and thank God for the joy and blessing that came to us in these Christian homes, and for the spiritual help and stimulus received from the gatherings of the Church. If, in a small measure, we were enabled to give help in the meetings, we render praise to Him in whose strength we served. It might be of interest to state that more than once we wended our way to Bro. Turner's home, where some of the meetings were held, followed by youths - and stones or sods. However, we came through unharmed.

Shortly after the riot at Knutsford, for which hooliganism was responsible, the writer was transferred, with a batch of 50 men, to Wakefield, where under similar circumstances about three months were spent. With the exception of the first few days of the period spent here, we were interned, owing to the riot which took place on Whit Monday, 1918. At Wakefield, we found a few Brethren with whom much helpful fellowship was enjoyed. Not being allowed out, we met each Lord's Day for a time to 'break bread' and to strengthen ourselves in the Faith. Here, the work of the Centre was more varied. Besides mail-bag making, there were weaving, and cocoa mat making. After the first week, the writer was transferred to the kitchen staff, and was thus engaged in attending the needs of the outer man. Much more satisfaction was felt in this capacity than was experienced when using the needle; at any rate the service seemed more real and useful. During the period spent here, one could only leave the centre with special permission from the manager. Attempts were made by the interned men through their committee to have this restriction removed, but the gates remained closed and locked. In the evenings, Saturday afternoons and Sundays, however, between the outer and inner gates of the gaol, friends were allowed to visit the men for a certain period, but the inconvenience can be imagined, especially when a good number of visitors were present together. However, this was better than nothing, and many a pleasant half-hour was spent with dear ones, and Brethren in the Lord.

Eventually the Government - probably under pressure from the local authorities, who felt it an indignity to have men of such character in their midst! - decided to remove us in batches to Princetown, where Dartmoor convict prison is situate. The writer went with the second batch. We left Wakefield on 13th August, at 9.30 p.m., and arrived at our destination, after an interesting though somewhat tiring journey of 15 hours. One had read and heard much of this 'dreadful place,' with its moors and mists. In boyhood's days, one was filled with awe at the mere mention of Dartmoor. However, though the prison and its surroundings when actually seen did not lessen the feeling of repugnance, one has many pleasant memories of the four months spent there. What has been written of Knutsford and Wakefield, regarding the life within, could also serve when writing of Dartmoor, only the facilities for meetings and recreation were better than at the former places. One soon came across Brethren here also, and as the weeks passed our fellowship was increasingly precious. We came into closer contact also with other believers, and endeavoured to use our influence in leading them into 'the more excellent way.' In one case, our efforts were rewarded. A young Scotchman who had long loved his Lord decided to obey Him, and was immersed in one of the prison baths, 'the same hour of the night.' At 11 o'clock, a little group was present to hear the good confession, and to witness the act of obedience. The latest news of this Brother informs us that he is still rejoicing in his Lord.

It will be of interest to state that, previous to this event, Leslie Copleston, the son of Bro. Copleston, of Sheffield, 'put on the Lord' in one of the Dartmoor streams.

Brief reference to the places where the Work Centres were situated must close this account. Knutsford is 15 miles from Manchester, and is the residence of many Manchester business men. They are wise, for Knutsford itself is a lovely place. Why a gloomy gaol has been dumped down here, however, one has often wondered. It seems to be the one blot on the place. With its old-world thatched houses, of which there any many, its heath, its beautiful houses, gardens, woods, roads and meres, it presents a picture of loveliness to those who are fortunate enough to visit it in spring, summer or autumn, while winter's mantle of snow adds to its beauty.

Wakefield is a Cathedral city, about eight miles from Leeds. There is no beauty about it. Its interest lies in its being an old historical city. Its chancel on the bridge, under which flows the river Calder, is quaint and ancient. Near this place during the Wars of the Roses, a royal prince was murdered. Here, a Church of New Testament Order has been in existence about sixty years.

Princetown, 15 miles from Plymouth, is supposed to be the highest town in England, it being about 1,400 feet above sea level. It is situated right on the moor. It has won repute for the rare and healthful qualities of its air. C.O.'s while in residence here, could only go within a three-mile limit, but even with this restriction, they were able to see much beauty. The views gained from the tors are magnificent. Hill and dale, and moorland heath, and in the far distance - but on a clear day seen quite distinctly - the waters of the English Channel.

The original prison was built for the Army of Frenchmen captured in 1806, while later it was used for the incarceration of American prisoners taken during the war of 1812-14. The French and American burial grounds, with their monuments to the dead soldiers of these countries who passed away during their imprisonment, are adjacent to the prison. At the suggestion of the Prince Consort, the old prison was afterwards used for convicts. These men worked on the farm and in the quarry on the extensive grounds, while the sanitary work of Princetown itself is also done by them. With the exception of business people, the warders are about the only residents. The prison has been rebuilt, but 'ugliness' is the only appropriate term to apply to it even now.

In winter time especially, to be imprisoned within its walls, either with cell door barred or unbarred, is far from pleasant. One is often filled with pity for life-sentence men who have to languish there. While the C.O.'s were at Princetown, they did the ordinary work of the convicts on the farms and in the fields. Some of the men were engaged in reclamation work.

In writing of the Work Centres one has tried to dwell upon the best side of our life. Much could be written on the other side, but we forbear. It is so much better to remember and to tell the happier things.

The writer left Princetown in the afternoon of 24th December, 1918, and arrived home the following morning just in time to spend Christmas amongst dear ones. The rest of the men, with the exception of those who, like myself, had been granted the new scheme, remained until about the following Easter when they were disbanded.


XIV. 'In Prison and Ye Visited Me.'

BY J. SCOULLER.

IN prison! - what a vile institution! What a hateful place; yet how many of the Saints of God have been incarcerated there - Peter, James, John, Paul, Bunyan, and a host of others! Loyalty to the Master led them there; yet what an influence has issued from that 'durance vile' they had to undergo.

One had come to imagine that such conditions were the result of the heathenism and barbarism of the early and the darker ages, and could not under any conceivable circumstances be repeated amid the enlightenment and civilisation of the Twentieth Century. Yet the unexpected - the unthinkable - has occurred - not only so, but has been endorsed and applauded by the great majority of professing Christians, and the people of this freedom- loving land, during the years 1916-17-18.

The forbidding aspect of these gloomy piles of stone produces a shiver of apprehension as one rings the bell at the gate. Presently a warder appears with his keys. Our mission is stated and card of admission produced and inspected. We are ushered into a gloomy waiting-room furnished only with bare wooden forms. A young woman is already there with a toddling baby at her feet, and in her hand a pathetic-looking small bunch of flowers, which she asks may be given to her husband, whom she may not see, as visits are only permitted once in three months. The warder goes off to ask whether the husband may be permitted to have them, but returns with a curt and chilly refusal, and she goes out from the dismal chamber with a sob in her throat. Why might he not be permitted a glimpse of the flowers with which God has brightened the world, and which the love of a lonely little woman had brought? Why, what evil had he done? He is a conscientious objector to slaughter of his fellow-men. His treatment, which might surely for a political offence have been more lenient, is that of the ordinary criminal. He has no right to see the beauties of God's creation; and the little woman turns away with a heavy heart and dull despair in her breast.

Those privileged to see prisoners are ushered into a whitewashed room, lit only from the ceiling, divided into different stalls, while up the centre (longitudinally) runs a barrier of wood about three feet high, surmounted by a double guard of wire gauze of so close a mesh and so placed that it is impossible to push a pin through to the prisoner's side, much less to pass food, sweets, flowers or anything else. Over the head of the prisoner is a board which darkens down the portion of the stall in which he stands, and his face cannot be distinctly seen. There for the space of thirty minutes one may talk through this screen, while a warder paces up and down at the back. Our hearts burn with shame and indignation against a Government and system which permits the indignities and starvation these men have to undergo; yet amid all the hardships of having to herd with the vilest criminals, of threatenings and, in some instances, of evil entreatings, one found Conscientious Objectors without any bitterness in their hearts either against the Government, their jailors, or even the system that had sent them there. Many experienced, and told of, the keen sense of the nearness of God; of the quiet time for contemplation and prayer, which was theirs in the cell where no sights and few sounds were around to distract their thoughts and meditations. Amid such surroundings many of them warmed up, strange though it may seem, to an enthusiasm for God and the extension of His Kingdom, that subsequently found vent in energetic Gospel and preaching services, though they had formerly not been inspired with the vision of usefulness in the Master's service.

An unforgettable experience was ours on returning from the Leicester Annual Meeting of 1917. With the relaxation then of the hardships they had formerly to endure, we were privileged to visit the boys in Wakefield Prison. We had the pleasure with two of our Scottish brethren to have tea in the prison cell occupied by one of them. Towards this little prison tea-party, contributions of seats, table cover, etc., etc., had been levied from the cells of other brethren who were also undergoing imprisonment. It was an experience that can never fade from our memories, and the eagerness of all to have news of what had passed at the Annual Meeting was indicative of their keen interest in the affairs of a Church which had shown them in their hours of trial little sympathy, and afforded them, and their dependents, less support. One could not help but be impressed with the deep spirituality of these lads; and it would have been a profitable time, for anyone, even if opposed to their whole outlook, to converse with them and hear them relate their experiences.

They hold a high place in our esteem; and, though we have seen few of them since, they will always live in our memory as those who endured hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ; whose faith and stedfastness will count for righteousness in the great battle that must yet be fought for the overthrow of all war.

WHAT IS THE SERVICE?

What is the service the benignant Father
Requireth at His earthly children's hands?
Not the poor offerings of vain rites, but rather
The simple duty man from man demands.

For he whom Jesus loved hath truly spoken:
The holier worship which he deigns to bless
Restores the lost, and binds the spirit broken,
And feeds the widow and the fatherless.

O, brother man! fold to thy heart thy brother,
Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there;
To worship rightly is to love each other,
Each smile a hymn, each kindly deed a prayer.

Follow with reverent steps the great example
Of Him whose holy work was 'doing good,'
So shall the wide earth seem our Father's temple,
Each loving life a psalm of gratitude.

Then shall all shackles fall: the stormy clangour
Of wild war music o'er the earth shall cease;
Love shall tread out the baleful fire of anger,
And in its ashes plant the tree of peace.

J.G. WHITTIER.

THIS article only covers what was known as the 'Central Fund,' which was brought into being to deal with cases out of touch with groups of Churches or in cases of isolation.

The kind of response by many to the regular appeals for the above fund reminds one of the old saying: 'Sympathy without relief is like mustard without beef,' and also James ii. 15-16: 'If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?'

The financial side of a movement is generally considered a good indication of its popularity. Apply this rule to the C.O. movement within the community known as 'Churches of Christ' in Great Britain and Ireland, and it was certainly very unpopular.

The amount received in all for this 'Fund' was £154 9s. 11d., and it may be tabulated as follows:-

                            £. s. d.

From Individuals ... ... 115- 17 -11
From Groups ... ...  ...  17-  1 - 6
The Church at B. ... ...   1-  0 - 0
The Church at P. ... ...   8-  0 - 0
The Church at K. ... ...   7- 10 - 0
The Church at H. ... ...   4- 10 - 0
TOTAL ...  ...  ...  ...£154-  9 -11

An analysis of the contributions for the dependents of those brethren who refused 'Military Service' was a painful surprise, and reflected the spirit that prevailed amongst the Churches of Christ.

One would have thought, in view of the fact that the fund was not for the benefit of the brethren who refused to 'bear arms,' but for their dependents, that there would have been a ready and liberal response. Instead, there was a time when very real distress prevailed, even to the extent of being destitute of the bare necessities of life.

In looking over the list of subscribers, one is painfully aware that there were very few outside of those who allied themselves with the C.O. movement, but we must gladly acknowledge that there were a few who contributed, though not agreeing with the attitude some of our brethren had taken. It is a greater pleasure to record that several Churches, though not unanimous in their attitude towards the war, sent on several substantial amounts.

It will be of interest to some to know that several sums were sent representing the contributions taken at the Lord's table in one of 'His Majesty's Penal Settlements' of this country. A Church meeting in a house has been immortalised by being recorded on the page of 'Holy Writ.' The Church in a prison, mentioned above, in its act of worship in giving to such a fund will, without doubt, have been registered in Heaven.

There were times of anxiety in the work, when needs were pressing and had to be met, but it had its compensations, for it has been counted an honour by the writer to have been associated with the movement in any way whatever.

N.B. - The first paragraph of this article needs to be kept very clearly in mind when considering the financial figures presented. Very much more was done, of course, for the dependents of our brethren who resisted militarism, by the various groups, in their own districts, than is here recorded. The above was additional to the work of groups and individuals locally.

O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my wearied soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee,
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

G. MATHESON.

  XVI. Correspondence.

BY JACK LUCK.

MY official correspondence with the members of Churches of Christ who were suffering for conscience' sake commenced as a result of the request of the Peace Conference held in Annual Meeting week, 1917, at Leicester. With a certain amount of hesitancy I responded to this request knowing that others might have been chosen who would have discharged this responsibility far better. Looking back today, however conscious of failure, one can unhesitatingly say that the labour which was thus spent has been more than repaid by the contribution made to one's life by this pen-friendship, welded in the fires of the world conflagration.

That you may realise how fierce those fires burned and yet how there emerged a new conception of the practicalness of the Christian ethic, exemplified in the conduct of these men, I will stand aside that they may tell in their inimitable way of the problems and the passions which stormed their hearts.

First let them tell of their resolute

FAITH IN JEHOVAH as the deliverer of His people.

'Sufficient is Thine arm alone
And our defence is sure!'

The following confident note comes from the guard-room at G--- P---:

'We are all standing solid as a rock. I feel very strong and confident, putting all my trust in the Omnipotent. Our message to you is: "Hold fast to that which is good."

This also from the guard-room at F---:

'As for myself, I trust that the Lord will so bless and strengthen me that, like the apostles of old, I may be able to rejoice that I am counted worthy to suffer for His sake.'

At a time of peculiar uncertainty for the C.O. one of them wrote:

'I do not think we need fear the future, as God is the same as He was to the faithful people of old, "the same yesterday, today and for ever," so whom should we fear? Men may be against us but God will be for us.'

Writing from Princetown, after having suffered four months' imprisonment, another thus expresses the realisation of the presence of the Almighty:

'It was always a great comfort to me to feel while I was in prison the continued presence of the Holy Spirit, God's Comforter. I never felt so near to God before, and it has left an impression on me which no power on earth will wipe away.'

As one listens to this recurring melody ringing now sweet and clear above the rhythm of marching feet and the curses of the barrack-square, now richer and fuller, as a trumpet sounding through the miserere of a world, one feels that these men have indeed caught the spirit of the sweet singer who said, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.'

Secondly, let these men tell of the

SOURCE OF THEIR INSPIRATION,

the ever-running spring at which they imbibed the principles which are now being put to the test, and the influence which, under God, kept them stedfast through it all.

'O light that on my way hast shone
Still lead me on, still lead me on!'

While L--- K--- was awaiting escort at M--- police station the burden of his heart was:

'I have been greatly troubled, perhaps nothing has troubled me more, at having to be separated from my aged parents who are both in ill-health. My dear, old mother was especially distressed, me being the last boy left at home, two others having died away from home. I feel deeply grateful to them: to my mother especially for instilling into me, both by precept and example, the great value of an upright life and of being consistent in all things and to my father for restraining me in my youthful impetuosity and for teaching me to manifest the Christian virtues. I am sure we cannot set too high a value on such a legacy.'

Later from the guard-room, writing cheerfully of an improvement which he learns has come about in his parents' health:

'From what my sister says, it has done them good to know that they have been able to instil into me the great principles of life to the extent that I am prepared to die rather than to forego them. I thank God for this most priceless of gifts, the gift of a good father and mother.'

As I re-read these words, my mind goes back to the first week-end I was privileged to spend in this home. I see the poor old father, his body wearied with the burden and the heat of the day, resting against a gate-post that he may regain his breath as he wends his faltering way up to the house of the Lord. Of how, upon a later visit, when the sheaf ripe with years had been gathered to the eternal harvesting, the writer of the above letter, with his young wife, spoke of the father's beneficient influence, left as a subtle presence with them. I see again the wondrous light in their eyes as they speak of the glory of his passing,. Again, these words call up a memory of a curtained bed upon which the bereaved widow lay, wracked with pain, yet looking intently for the summons home. What a trinity of hallowed memories for one who is but an outsider; what a veritable temple of remembrance for the son who, in God's grace, was restored to minister to them before they were called home!

From the father who was called upon to pay the extreme price, when his son Arthur passed away in M--- prison, as a result of the rigour of continued imprisonment, the following gem was received:

'I thank God for the grace given me to so train my lads from childhood to hate militarism that when the time of testing came they were ready to offer their lives rather than participate in the unholy cause. Yea, I bless God for the honour of fatherhood to four such lads. We mourn, indeed, for the loss of Arthur, but there is joy unspeakable in the knowledge that he is amongst that glorious throng, who wavered not in the presence of death in their loyalty to Jesus Christ. Theirs of a surety is the martyr's crown.'

Again my mind goes back to an early autumn night of 1917, when we walked home with the writer of the above, under a glorious sky studded with glittering stars and crescent moon. Again I see him, dignified of mien and deliberate of speech, talking as he goes of the stand which his four sons are taking and of the glory of it.

A mother in one of our great industrial cities, who already had two sons in prison, wrote of another:

'My son Arthur was arrested last Thursday and is awaiting court-martial. He is only eighteen, but has made a fine witness for the teaching of Christ ... I am very anxious; but not a sparrow falls to the ground but our Father knows. He will not forget His children.'

Later:

'He was court-martialled on Friday morning. He expects to go to Wormwood Scrubbs on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have three boys in prison and one in France. These things press us very hard; so few understand, but our Father understands us. We are trying to live up to Christ's teaching. He was the last sent by God to speak to us and that is final.'

Later:

'Arthur's sentence is two years with hard labour ... He has worked hard in the Sunday School and has been a faithful member for six years. I have just received a letter from Jack. He has got two years hard labour also. I have looked in vain for help to save these lads. We have a Father who will not see us tried more than we can bear. Our only hope is in Him.'

[After having served a period in the Non-Combatant Corps in France, 'Jack' withdrew, choosing rather to stand entirely free of the military machine and take his stand with his brothers, with the resultant two year's hard labour].

It was my privilege in May, 1920, to visit the home of the writer of the above letters. As I looked round upon my almost severe surroundings, as I looked at this mother (whose half family of little boys were trooping in from school) upon whose countenance was written indomitable faith and almost stoical endurance, I was not surprised at the tone of her letters. And when the three elder lads came in from their day's toil, one could realise something of the power which would go with them into prison cell and barrack-square, from such a home and such a mother.

Of the influence of the Church, the following must suffice as typical of a whole sheaf of letters. It was written by a member of the Church in M--, acquainting me of the arrest of their secretary:

'Our brother had strong convictions of the righteousness of the cause of Peace for which he is prepared to suffer. When arrested, and since, he has shown a strong faith and trust in God ... It has been a severe blow to his wife, who is left with a couple of little ones to be provided for. Our little meeting is now very small and we suffer a great loss through our brother being taken from us.'

To realise where that determination to suffer for the cause of peace led; to realise how the influence of home and the 'little meeting' buoyed him up under persecution, the following extract from the Labour Leader of that time must be read:

RECRUDESCENCE OF TRIAL BY TORTURE.

During this week the columns of the daily press have revealed yet another case of the brutal and illegal treatment of a conscientious objector. Cecil Foster, of 3, Pickering Street, Moss Side, Manchester, was court-martialled at Cleethorpes on Friday for refusing to obey a military order. In his statement he said that because of his refusal to put on his uniform he had been subjected to gross ill-treatment at Ashton. He was forcibly stripped and dressed in khaki, and much knocked about in the process. His court-martial friend, who examined his arms, reports that they are both badly bruised from well below the elbows right up to the shoulders. He was also made to walk about two miles to the station with a kit bag tied round his neck with a cord that chafed his neck, and nearly choked him.

We have now followed these men through police-station, guard-room, detention cell and court-martial into prison; let them, now tell of their

COMPOSURE UNDER PERSECUTION;

of how the prison cell became not only a Bethel but a Mission Hall!

The man who went through the above, writing from the guard-room, C---, on Sept. 17th, 1817, says:

'I entered into something of the experiences and feelings of David, which he gives expression to in Psalm cxl, 1-6 when I was at A---, but I thank God that as He delivered David, so also has He delivered me from my strong enemy. Are not verses 1, 2, 16 and 18 in Psalm xviii a true expression of what the Lord does for His people to this day? May the Lord Jesus bless these experiences which we are being called upon to undergo in these days, so that we may endure and receive the crown of life which he has promised to them that love Him.'

Speaking for a group of brethren incarcerated at Wakefield, one writes:

'We are not despondent but happy, conscious of the fact that iron bars never made a prison, for the soul can ascend to realms far above the iron gates.'

Not that their path was always easy or their burden light. Sometimes the blinding tears would well up in their eyes, obscuring for a moment the path before them. What more pathetic human document can be found than the following, written after regaining partial freedom?

'It (the experience in prison) brings one into the position of knowing, to some slight extent, the agony of the Saviour when, with the consciousness of the burden of all our sins and iniquities lying upon His innocent head, He perforce must cry: "If it be possible let this cup pass from Me." Yes, we were numbered with the transgressors, pressed in a suit of broad arrows and every indignity heaped upon us, standing among the criminals of the land. The very first time we went into the prison chapel we were asked to sing as our first hymn:

'Through all the changing scenes of life
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still,
My heart and tongue employ.'

Could I sing? No! I felt like the captives in Babylon when they were demanded a song in a strange land. "There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion." I burst into tears as a child, and noticed also W--- and A--- with their faces bowed and the tears streaming from their eyes ... Oh! what an inward struggle it was to bring me into the frame of mind of finishing our Lord's prayer: "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done." However, let me divert the subject into the present and possible future.'

Neither were these men self-seeking martyrs looking everywhere for the inquisitorial chamber. Listen to this lad's joy at freedom:

'Just a few hurried lines to pass on to you the glad news of our release, of which we were informed today. The joy of this day was not even surpassed by the day we left "Scrubbs." Truly the Lord is good!'

Let them now tell of their earnestness for

THE WORK OF THE LORD

even within prison walls, of their hopes and aspirations when they had regained their freedom. Writing from the guard-room at C---, R. P--- says:

'One thing this war will do is to cause men to overhaul their ideas; there must be a general stocktaking. Following this, there will be a redistribution or rather a substitution of this set of principles for that set of principles. And the time was never more opportune than now for the Christian to put forward his system, with all its splendour, while men are looking for fresh ideas and a better and more peaceful way. May God give His children that strength and courage requisite for such an occasion.'

E.C. G---, writing ten months before the armistice was signed, says:

'It does seem that, today, there appears to be a ray of light in the darkness, and oh! that it may prove to be the dawn of Peace, the first glimpse of a new era, in which we shall find abundant joy in the Master's service, in the winning of many souls for Him ... We are all keeping well and busy with our classes, preaching appointments, etc. Two or three of us are attending a Greek class and hope as a result to be able to make ourselves more efficient in the Master's service.'

As David, fleeing from Jesusalem on account of the rebellion of Absalom, looked down from the heights which surrounded the Holy City, and there arose before him the memory of all those spiritual privileges, precious as living waters, which he had enjoyed in the sanctuary, so these men, cut off from the fellowship of the saints, tell of their longing in wistful terms. One lad, labouring on a farm, says:

'One of the things I miss more than any is the fellowship of my brethren, which is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.'

Another, isolated in a seaport town:

'I had long felt the need of a regular place at which to worship, and so last Sunday evening I was received into the fellowship at the Church of Christ here ...'

Others many miles from home:

'We often much regret that circumstances have separated us for so long from a Church, this being our chief concern, but we are fortunate in having Bro. S. T--- from the Church at B--- living with us, and we purpose setting up the table of the Lord for the first time this evening. We are all looking forward with joy to this and expect to be much blessed knowing that where two or three are met together there He will be ...'

'The Home Office has refused us permission to meet with the outside Churches, so we meet in Bro. H---'s cell to break bread every Lord's day. We are spending some happy times together, as we have all things in common.'

Thus, in the twentieth century, we find history repeating itself. We find men, scattered by the wind of persecution, spreading the truth and setting up the Lord's table in the prison cell. Further, the joyful report was received that, following on conversations with the brethren at Princetown, one of the men there was immersed in one of the many rivulets which traverse the moor.

Finally, let the men tell of the

INFLUENCE OF THE STAND

upon themselves; let them speak of the effectiveness or otherwise of that 'way they have in the army'; how that, rather than breaking them and destroying their faith in the principles they held dear, the menace of the iron rod but served to strengthen their assurance of the ultimate triumph of Right and the power of Love.

After working in a mill for twelve hours per day for many months, P. C--- writes:

'Is it not splendid to think that at last all the unprecedented slaughter has come to a close. Reflecting, one is astounded at the positively barren results of all the havoc that has been wrought. Even from a political point of view, which all, including religious people, have been so fond of expounding throughout the war, the gain of so-called victory is nil. We can only hope that the suffering and spiritual blindness of the people of all nations may prove a solid foundation upon which to build up the Church of our Master. I think suffering makes people feel a need of God more than anything else could do, and it is upon that assumption that we, who have stood for what we know to be Truth and Right and the liberty to make Christ's precepts our only authority, must work to inspire all with whom we come in contact with like faith.'

One, working in snow, sleet and rain on a market garden, writes:

'Recently I sank into a deep retrospective meditation of my doings since leaving home and after experiencing joys and sorrows, pleasure and pain, sunshine and storm, I can readily exclaim "Hitherto hath the Lord helped me," "all things have worked for good and we are truly thankful."'

The following expresses the thoughts of Clifford Cartwright, upon whom the death sentence was passed in France:

'It is two years last Friday since I was first arrested, and when one looks back one can agree with the words of the poet when he said:

"Looking back, we praise the way
God has led us day by day."

Certainly our efforts have not been useless, for we have accomplished much. Yes! I am pleased that the Churches of Christ were represented amongst those who went overseas although I think too much praise has already been rendered ...'

The following letter speaks for itself, from the man whom the authorities did all in their power to break, who suffered at their hands for more than two years and eventually obtained his release through hunger-striking. Writing from the guard-room, C---, on 10th May, 1918, he says:

'I am now awaiting the promulgation of my court-martial sentence. This, of course, will be two years at the least. This court-martial constitutes my third. You see I am getting quite used to courts-martial, guard-rooms, lock-ups and prisons. I have been in six police stations, ten guard-rooms, four prisons (one a military prison, Les Attaque) court-martialled three times, two terms of detention, thirteen and a half months actual imprisonment. So you see I'm doing my bit! Now I am going to do, not a bit, but a lump'.

There is one way and only one way of securing a just and lasting peace, that is by a general application of the principles of the Prince of Peace. Christianity is the panacea for all social and moral ills. It is the last weapon to which, when men have found all others too weak to rest upon, they will turn. I have no doubt in my own mind but that seed sown two thousand years ago will one day cover the whole earth. Then that kingdom will absorb all other kingdoms.

Let the following noble utterance be the note upon which this chapter concludes:

'We had to come to the conclusion that the way to deep and abiding joy is just the same as that traversed by the Master, the way of the Cross. And just as He, in order to attain to His glory, had to suffer crucifixion, even so must we be ever ready to crucify ourselves each day; yea, each hour, and ours must be the spirit spoken of by Paul; in reference to Jesus, "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame."'

As one looks at the way in which these men trod this path of suffering, of their cheerful mien under persecution, of their dignified composure under railing and abuse, of their undimmed faith in Jehovah and in the ideals for which they were suffering, and of the joy which they undoubtedly realised, even through pain, the Miltonic commendation instinctively recurs to the mind:

'Servant of God, well done! Well hast thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintained
Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms,

And for the testimony of truth has borne
Universal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care -
To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds
Judged thee perverse.'


THE CONFERENCES.'

Praise for the fellowship that here we find-
The fellowship of heart, and soul, and mind;
Praise for the bonds of love and brotherhood,
Bonds wrought by Thee, who makest all things good.

Here has dull care been banished from our thought,
Here has glad comradeship our spirits caught
To heights undreamt of 'midst the busy maze,
The toil and worry of our working days.

Yet must these come again; for while we wait
High on the mount, in sight of heaven's gate,
Breaks there upon our ears the sound of strife,
The noise and clamour of our daily life.

Lord, make us strong, for Thou alone dost know
How oft we turn our faces from the foe;
How oft, when claimed by dark temptation's hour,
We lose our hold of Thee, and of Thy power.

Go with us, Lord, from hence; we only ask
That Thou be sharer in our daily task;
So, side by side with Thee; shall each one know
The blessedness of Heaven begun below.

W. VAUGHAN JENKINS.

AT the above place on April 22nd, 1916, a Conference of Lancashire brethren associated with Churches of Christ, opposed to rendering military service of any kind, was held. It was resolved to recommend to brethren of like mind in other districts that they organise themselves into local working committees, to gather information concerning brethren who were suffering, or likely to suffer, for their opposition to the Military Service Act; the object being to encourage them spiritually and to assist materially where necessary. It was arranged that the information so collected be sent to Bro. R. Price, Wigan. It was also suggested that representative brethren from each of the committees thus formed be asked to meet at a United Conference, to be held at Wigan, on June 10th, of that same year. Accordingly, a Conference representing those members of the Churches of Christ who were opposed to the European war, on the grounds that all wars are a violation of the spirit of New Testament Christianity, met at Total Abstinence Hall, Greenough Street, Wigan, under the chairmanship of Bro. T.E. Entwistle. The delegates represented upwards of 30 districts and were drawn from a wide area - Glasgow in the North, Swindon, Bristol and Merthyr in the South, and also from Leeds, Birmingham, Leicester, and Nottingham districts. Besides these, the proceedings were watched by three detectives, one of whom stated that the meetings were the best and most level-headed of the kind he had attended.

The following resolutions were passed -

(1) That this Conference of disciples of Jesus Christ, believing that some of our brethren are suffering wrongfully for objecting to take military service, on religious grounds, earnestly calls upon the A.M., assembled at Nottingham, to pass a Resolution requesting the Government to release all those who are confined or being punished because they cannot obey on account of their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord. And also that we suggest that the A.M. advise the Churches in the co-operation to pass similar resolutions, and forward the same to the Government, specifying any known cases of local brethren,

(2) That this Conference expressed its strongest opposition to the saddling of this country with compulsory military service. It especially expresses its utmost abhorrence to the compulsion of those who are objectors to rendering military service on grounds of conscience. It further calls upon the Government to take immediate steps to end this bitter persecution, such treatment being an outrage on the individual conscience, and a menace to the best interests of the nation. That it also records its stoutest opposition to the conscription of immature boys of 18 years of age. It also records its strong protest at the transhipment of conscientious objectors to France or elsewhere, and demands the immediate withdrawal of such and that such transhipment cease. That it further pledges itself to support morally and financially (the latter restricted to members of the Church of Christ, as far as possible) all those who, owing to conscience are obliged to resist the operations of the Military Service Act,

(3) That this meeting petition His Majesty's Government to immediately put into operation the understanding given by the late Lord Kitchener, and established by an Army Order, that a soldier pleading conscientious objection as an excuse for disobeying orders shall upon his sentence being announced be forthwith transferred into the hands of the Civil power.

The Secretary's statement showed that the Churches were affected as follows:- Number of brethren prepared to resist the Military Service Act, 125. Of these 57 were single, and 68 married with a total of 101 children; while 35 stated that they would require financial assistance. Nineteen were already in the hands of the military authorities, and five had been released. The number of Lord's Day School and Church workers was 80 and 86 respectively. The Conference was overflowing with enthusiasm, and the number present far surpassed the most sanguine expectations. At the public meeting in the evening, Brethren W. Crosthwaite and T.E. Entwistle gave inspiring addresses.

The next Conference was held at Victoria Hall, Mill Hill Lane, London Road, Leicester, on August 6th, 1917, the chair being taken by Bro. George Hassell, Leicester. The recording secretary, Bro. Jack Luck, Leicester, read letters of fraternal greeting, etc. from the following:- Bro. P. Mann, on behalf of the brethren meeting as a Church of Christ in 'The Settlement,' Dartmoor Prison, Princetown; a group of eleven brethren at the Work Centre, Wakefield; Bro. W. Murphy, on behalf of the Church of Christ, Mapplewell; and Bro. C. Foster, on behalf of the Pacifist brethren, Manchester. These communications manifested strong faith in the ultimate triumph of the 'Prince of Peace,' of appreciation for help and sympathy received, and the hope that under the Divine blessing the Conference would further the cause of peace. After the address of welcome from the Chairman to visiting brethren from various parts of the country, Bro. T.E. Entwistle read a much appreciated paper entitled: 'What must be the attitude of Churches of Christ in the future towards those participating in, or condoning, war?' A healthy discussion ensued, and Bro. Entwistle briefly replied to the questions asked. The following are some of the resolutions which were carried unanimously by the Conference:-

'That this meeting of members of Churches of Christ, calls upon the Government to declare definitely for the policy of "no annexations and no indemnities as the result of conquest," and further calls upon them to seek to enter into negotiations at once on this basis.'

'That this meeting of members of Churches of Christ regards with abhorrence the brutal treatment meted out to some of the Conscientious Objectors, and calls upon the Government to release all such, both from military control and from prison, as the only way in which the constant repetition of such brutalities can be avoided. And we further express our dissatisfaction at the manner in which even the Home Office Scheme is being worked in many cases, and suggest that the only satisfactory way in which all these cases can be met is to grant the total exemption the law provides for them.'

'That the foregoing resolutions to the Government also be sent to the Reference Committee asking them to place the same before the annual meeting' (assembled in Leicester).

To the Annual Meeting:-

'That this meeting of members of Churches of Christ strongly resents the action of the Committee responsible for investing money in War Loan as per page 53 of Year Book, and demands the withdrawal of same and the avoidance of any such investment in the future.'

That we endorse the two following resolutions from the Church at Heanor sent to the Annual Meeting:-

(A) 'That this Conference of Churches of Christ of Great Britain and Ireland calls upon the Government to state its war aims in clear and definite terms, and demands that it shall avow its continued adherence to the policy of "no conquest" with which it entered into the war. And, further, in view of the awful slaughter of human life and of the terrible suffering and distress now taking place on the fields of battle and elsewhere, it demands that an immediate attempt be made to enter into negotiations to secure a righteous and durable peace.'

(B) 'That this Conference views with approval the attempt now being made at the instance of the Friends' Yearly Meeting, to convene a Conference of the Christian Churches of Europe and America, to consider the best means of bringing the war to an end, and securing a durable and righteous peace, and that this meeting appoints and instructs representatives to take such steps as the development of events may require.'

'That this Conference, whilst recognising the seriousness of division, realises that there are circumstances justifying that course, and desires to express its warmest sympathy with our Wigan and Manchester pacifist brethren in the stand they have been compelled to take, and trusts that the day is not far distant when the principles of the Prince of Peace, as taught in the New Testament, may permeate the Churches of Christ, so that all may be able to unite on the only real foundation the teaching of the Lord Jesus and His inspired Apostles.'

The following suggestions contained in the letter of greeting from the C.O. brethren at Wakefield Work Centre were read and adopted by the meeting:

(A) 'That some brother be asked to act as secretary on behalf of the "Peace" brethren, so that they might be able to keep in touch with one another and know just how each one is faring. This applies particularly to the brethren employed by the Home Office Committee, and to those engaged on work of National Importance in various parts of the country under the Pelham Committee.'

(B) 'That we communicate with the brethren in other lands who are making a similar stand during this great world conflict.'

'That this Conference sends a message of encouragement to all brethren who are suffering for conscience sake, either in prison or engaged in work under the Home Office Scheme.'

A successful Conference was closed by a sincere vote of thanks to all brethren who had taken part.

The third united Conference took place on the 31st March, 1918, at the Sunday School Memorial Hall, Leicester, with Bro. J.T. Taylor in the chair. After the usual preliminaries Bro. W. Crosthwaite read letters of apology and encouragement from absent brethren, and it was resolved that the secretary reply to the kind sentiments expressed. The chairman welcomes to the conference visiting brethren from Nuncargate, Birmingham, Bristol, Swindon, Dewsbury, Dalton-in-Furness, and Glasgow.

Bro. Jack Luck's report concerning the correspondence with brethren suffering for conscience sake was adopted and he was requested to convey the gratitude of the conference to all brethren concerned for the noble stand they had taken.

A highly appreciated Conference Paper was read by Bro. R.K. Francis, entitled: 'What should be the immediate attitude of the Anti-War brethren to the present Co-operation of Churches of Christ?'

A dozen brethren took part in an animated discussion and Bro. Francis replied to the questions raised.

Included in the resolutions carried unanimously by the Conference were the following, the first of which was sent to the Prime Minister and local Members of Parliament.

'That this meeting of members of Churches of Christ in Great Britain desires to impress upon His Majesty's Government the importance and urgency of entering into Peace negotiations, in the name and cause of humanity and Christianity.'

'That a Peace Conference be held during the Annual Meeting week and that a Committee of four brethren be invested with full powers to arrange for the Conference.

Accordingly, the fourth Conference was held in the Central Hall, Corporation Street, Birmingham, on August 5th, 1918, when Bro. F.J. Gould presided over an interested and enthusiastic gathering. Bro. B.S. Clissold (now residing in Canada) was adopted as recording secretary. Addresses of a vigorous and outspoken character relating to the Church's message and mission for today with regard to: 'The great ideals of Jesus of individual duty and public policy' were delivered by Brethren T.E. Entwistle and W. Crosthwaite. The causes and consequences of war, and the folly and futility of expecting to solve the problems created by any other method than the method of Christ, were faithfully set forth.

The remainder of the time was devoted to consideration of reports from Bro. Jack Luck, as to the work being carried out in the interests of brethren who were steadfastly opposing the spirit of war, and refusing to participate in military service; from Bro. G. Hassell as to the administration of the Central Fund for relief of dependants of C.O.'s; from Bro. A.E. Smith (secretary of the Birmingham Group) concerning the many and varied activities conducted from that centre: and other brethren as to work in various directions, all with the one object in view, namely, the supporting of those who were already making the great sacrifice in endeavouring to overcome the war spirit which possessed both the world and Churches, so that others may be encouraged to fight the good fight in like manner, if, and when called upon.

The principal resolutions which were carried with acclamation were as follows:-

'That the Secretary be asked to write a letter of thanks to Bro. Jack Luck for the valuable help he had rendered by corresponding and keeping in touch with brethren in different parts of the country who were suffering for their loyalty to their Lord in refusing military service.'

The next resolution was sent to the Prime Minister, The Home Secretary, and the Local Members of Parliament:

'That this Conference of Peace brethren associated with the Churches of Christ who have met in Birmingham, calls upon His Majesty's Government to release the men who are serving sentences with hard labour in prison, because of their allegiance to a higher law than that of the State. Many of them are serving their third or fourth sentence because they have remained true to their convictions that all war is wrong. This should be sufficient proof of the sincerity of their conscientious objection and should entitle them to the absolute exemption which the law provides.'

The conference closed with fervent prayers on behalf of our absent brethren in prison and work centre, for the many sufferers in the belligerent countries and for the rulers of the nations that they might be brought to realise their responsibility to the Great Father of mankind so that peace might be restored to this distracted world.

Thus ended the last Conference held under war conditions by those who, not being called upon personally to suffer publicly, tried in those meetings of delegates drawn from groups in various parts of Great Britain to do what they could constitutionally to lighten and shorten the period of persecution for those of our brethren who made the great venture and risked all for 'The Way' they believed right. How far they were successful will never be known but the remembrance of what these Conferences meant to the participants in those terrible times; the loving fellowship with kindred spirits in the midst of so much that was antagonistic to Christian ideals will remain as long as memory lasts.

'For all the blessings life has brought,
For all its sorrowing hours have taught,
For all we mourn, for all we keep,
The hands we clasp, the loved that sleep;
We thank Thee, Father! let Thy grace
Our loving circle still embrace,
Thy mercy shed its heavenly store,
Thy peace be with us evermore!'

THE ARSENAL AT SPRINGFIELD

This is the Arsenal. From floor to ceiling,
Like a huge organ, rise the burnished arms;
But from their silent pipes no anthem pealing
Startles the villagers with strange alarms.

Ah! what a sound will rise, how wild and dreary,
When the death-angel touches those swift keys!
What loud lament and dismal Miserere
Will mingle with their awful symphonies!

I hear even now the infinite fierce chorus -
The cries of agony, the endless groan,
Which through the ages that have gone before us
In long reverberations reach our own.

Is it, O man, with such discordant noises,
With such accursed instruments as these,
Thou drownest Nature's sweet and kindly voices,
And jarrest the celestial harmonies?

Were half the power that fills the world with terror,
Were half the wealth bestowed on camps and courts,
Given to redeem the human mind from error,
There were no need of arsenals nor forts.

The warrior's name would be a name abhorred:
And every nation that should lift again
Its hand against a brother, on its forehead
Would wear for evermore the curse of Cain!

Down the dark future, through long generations,
The echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease;
And like a bell, with solemn, sweet vibrations,
I hear once more the voice of Christ say, 'Peace!'

Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals,
The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies!
But, beautiful as songs of the immortals,
The holy melodies of love arise.

LONGFELLOW.

IT would have been a far easier task upon the declaration of peace, to have written something concerning the future policy of those who adhered to the original and scriptural position once occupied by the Churches of Christ with respect to war. The further we are removed from actual hostilities the more difficult the task.

I have no wish to arouse unnecessary feeling by reviewing the condition of the Churches just prior to and during the days of conscription; but it is necessary to recall certain facts which have a bearing upon the future.

The war had not been waged very long before addresses were delivered from some of our platforms which were little less than recruiting addresses. Anti-war brethren followed on, and thus feeling ran high in the Churches. The climax was reached when conscription came into force, the consequences of which made fellowship almost impossible. It was at this period (as far as a number of Churches were concerned) that both sides could see that something must be done. So, without any formal understanding, a compromise was arrived at and considerable restraint exercised. This, for the time being, was the only solution of the difficulty and the only means of retaining a fellowship worthy of the name. When this understanding was reached, some of the brethren declared, and emphatically too (the writer amongst them), that as soon as the war was over they should have no hesitation in teaching from the platform and in the Lord's Day School the principles of peace as taught in the New Testament. Consequences following upon such action we were willing to take. We declared this as our future policy, because we were conscious that we had neglected our duty, and were pained beyond measure to see the uninstructed and doubting young members of our Churches going forth to shed the blood of their fellows.

We vowed, as far as we were concerned, that we would in the future be guiltless in this matter. As far as the writer is concerned, our present policy of well-nigh silence is a most inconsistent position to occupy, and will, if continued, bring sure condemnation. No doubt, the following question is uppermost in the minds of some who read these lines: 'What reason or reasons have you for not giving effect to your declaration?' The answer, as far as we are concerned, is not far to seek, and we have a shrewd suspicion that others would give similar reasons. We have already stated that during the war fellowship in some Churches was almost impossible. When the armistice was signed, the atmosphere began to clear a little and by the time peace was declared the spirit of the Churches had undergone a change, speaking generally. Just emerging from a state of agony of mind and spirit, the partial return to a better fellowship came as a relief. In this atmosphere, even to mention our avowed intentions was sufficient to arouse the old conflict. Be it said here, that we were not moved to partial silence by any arguments from the other side; they were too weak to be considered. We shall have occasion to refer to them later.

There are times in the history of movements when to remain silent is criminal, and in the light of New Testament teaching, together with the present condition of the Churches of Christ relative to the subject before us, and the effect of our past experiences still upon us, we should be moved to action. To remain silent much longer will indeed be criminal. The writer frankly confesses that a mistake has been made, and it would have been far better to have carried out our good intentions at the time. The arguments for remaining silent advanced by the other side have proved themselves to be wrong. We were solemnly assured that the late war would be the last war. A number of brethren with whom I conversed said that when it was over we should be in complete agreement; therefore there would be no need for some of us to advocate the principles of peace. The fallacy of this position has been proved over and over again, and on the very morning of the writing of these notes, we read in our daily papers of the movements of thousands of troops, and at the same moment human lives are being sacrificed.

Another argument for not teaching peace was to this effect: 'Now that the war is over, and the bitter feeling somewhat abated for the sake of even partial peace and fellowship, it would be wiser and kinder to hold such views in abeyance.' As I have already stated, this argument, so plausible on the face of it, has influenced some, but we are convinced it has been a mistake. A glance at the condition of the Churches may perhaps bring home to us the difficulty of the task before us, but should at the same time urge us to action. It is a painful fact that the attitude of the Churches of Christ towards the late war justified war! At least tacitly! In the event of another war breaking out, involving this country, what would those of our brethren, who supported the last war, have to say? They would have no argument against war as such, all they could do would be either to justify or condemn their country's share in it. The Churches of Christ today have no message for our boys in the Lord's Day Schools. They have been shorn of their strength. They have rendered themselves impotent. Our anxiety for the future is not for those who stood the test. We can trust them for the future should they be called upon. We would as readily again follow them from tribunal to tribunal, on to their court martial and if needs be to prison. Our concern is for those who today are in our Lord's Day Schools but tomorrow may be called upon to give an answer. We have seen the guiding hand is not with those who supported the carnal weapon. The attitude we have taken up places upon us the task of leading the rising generation into the paths of peace. The task is no easy one. I am not overlooking the fact that in a few Churches we have freedom to pursue our course; all honour to such assemblies!

We are reminded in surveying the Churches of Christ as a whole in this matter, and the kind of reception such teaching may expect to receive, of Tyndale's efforts in translation work. Anticipating being granted room in the Palace to execute this noble task, he approached the Bishop of London, but found little sympathy awaiting him. Later, he was in the house of a wealthy cloth merchant, but seeing that, even there, he was not wanted, this conviction was forced upon him: 'not only that there was no room in my Lord of London's Palace to translate the New Testament, but also that there was no place to do it in all England.' In order to accomplish his noble work he perforce had to exile himself.

The conviction is forced upon some of us that there is only a solitary Church here and there in the land where one could find sympathy in one's efforts to teach peace. Thus, if we are to remain faithful to our conviction, there is only one of two courses left to us, either to teach within the Churches or voluntarily to exile ourselves. Far better to adopt the latter course than to prove unfaithful! Loyalty to Christ must be our first concern. God will see to the rest.

Backward look across the ages and the beacon moments see,
That, like peaks of some sunk continent, jut through oblivion's sea;
Not an ear in court or market for the low foreboding cry
Of those crises, God's stern winnowers, from whose feet earth's chaff must fly,
Never shows the choice momentous till the judgment hath passed by.

Careless seems the great Avenger: history's pages but record
One death grapple in the darkness 'twixt old systems and the Word;
Truth for ever on the scaffold, wrong for ever on the throne -
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.

We see dimly in the present what is small and what is great;
Slow of faith how weak an arm may turn the iron helm of fate,
But the soul is still oracular; amid the market's din,
List the ominous stern whisper from the Delphic cave within -
"They enslave their children's children who make compromise with sin."

J .R . LOWELL.