STEPPING STONES TO HIGHER THINGS, By Captain Seton Churchill. PUBLISHED BY ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.' Suited for Clergymen and Laymen engaged in Mission Services or Evangelistic work of any kind. Also for Candidates for Confirmation, Sunday School Teachers, and District Visitors, or for Parents who want to give their grown-up children an attractive-looking book, which will help them to a right understanding of the simple plan of salvation. Contents. INTRODUCTORY-DIVINE STANDARD OF RIGHT AND WRONG-SINNO DIFFERENCE IN GOD'S SIGHT-PENALTY OF SIN-NOT OF WORKS -FAITH-CAUSES OF DELAY-SUBSTITUTION-GIFT OF GOD-REDEMPTION-CONVERSION-ASSURANCE--FINAL PERSEVERANCE, BACKSLIDING- THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - MEANS OF GRACE - CHRISTIAN ACTIVITY. Opinions of the Press. CHURCHMAN.-"This work is designed, under the Divine blessing, to help some who now mind earthly things to seek those things which are above. None can fail to perceive the deep earnestness and spirituality of tone; but the shrewdness, common-sense, and practical way of putting things may be of special service as regards many readers. . . . . Many of his doctrinal definitions, we note with pleasure, are hewn from that Evangelical quarry too little thought of by some Mission preachers, the prayer-book.' RECORD." It is a great comfort to find a distinctly evangelistic book sound on the nature of sin, sound on substitution, sound on holiness, sound on regeneration, sound on conversion, sound on the means of grace. We believe that Captain Churchill's Stepping Stones' may be very useful to many, and we are glad to know of a book like this to put into the hands of those who are seeking the way of the tree of life.'" ROCK.-"The doctrine is scriptural and so clearly and graphically explained that it is impossible not to know what the author means. Had these addresses been anonymously published, they would have commanded the praise of the reader as the production of a well-trained and skilful labourer in the Lord's vineyard." CHURCH STANDARD.—“ A thoughtful earnest book dealing with the main topics of Christian truth. The illustrative style of the author will prove very helpful to the general reader. Clear and scriptural distinctiveness of doctrine is admirably combined with practical evangelical exhortations." CHRISTIAN.-"This book has been written specially for the purpose of bringing home the gospel to those who are unsaved. We trust that it may be circulated among educated people, for which class it is more especially suited. It is sound in its teaching, and is written in a colloquial style, such as suits the taste of the present day." THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRONICLE.-"We think this book is likely to be useful." CHURCH ADVOCATE.-"Well adapted to the awakening of careless souls, the conversion of sinners, and to the leading of the children of God to the perceptive realization and enjoyment of their high calling and privileges in Christ Jesus. We have read the book with great interest and profit, and can strongly and confidently commend it as a most valuable work, well adapted for placing in the hands of those seeking salvation, or longing to be led into the full enjoyment of Christian light, life, and privilege." LAY WORK IN THE ARMY. HERE are many good people who hold the opinion that Christian work the army is a subject altogether too remote to be of interest to them, as they have no connection with military affairs. They attach no more importance to what is being done to promote the moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social welfare of our soldiers, than to any other good work which they approve of, but which does not personally affect them. I believe, however, that it is hardly possible to exaggerate the importance of paying attention to work done among soldiers, and for the following reasons. In the first place there will, if the short-service system exists long enough, be upwards of one million1 men scattered all over the country, who have passed six years, more or less, of training as soldiers. It cannot be a matter of indifference to anyone who desires the welfare of his country, whether that training shall have a tendency to develop dissolute, lawless, drunken habits on the one hand, or to cultivate orderly, sober, industrious habits on the other. In the one case, the country would suffer considerably from the effects of the introduction of the new system of short service; in the other, it would be a considerable gainer. This will be all the more apparent when it is remembered that these young men will, in their turn, become husbands and heads of families. Out of the 30,000,000 inhabitants of England, when half are deducted for the female sex, and a large number are deducted for children and old people, the men who have passed through the army will form no inconsiderable percentage of the manhood of the nation. In the second place, when we consider that upwards of 80,000 men are serving in countries abroad, subject to the careful scrutiny of Hindoos, Buddhists, Mohammedans, Parsees, and Fetish-worshippers, it must, I think, be admitted that the influence of soldiers for good or for evil, as a body who "profess and call themselves Christians," must be very considerable. The two great missionary societies of our Church, and all the Nonconformist societies put together, 1 Roughly speaking, 30,000 men enlist annually, and as the army does not increase, that number, after deducting a small percentage for deaths, passes into the Reserve, and from thence into civil life. If the majority enlist at twenty years of age, and leave the army at twenty-six, according to the scale of the probabilities of life they will have thirty-five years to live. 30,000 multiplied by thirty-five makes a little over a million, not one of whom would be over sixty-one years of age. 4 Lay Work in the Army. are unable to maintain more than 800 missionaries, a small number when compared with the 80,000 soldiers. It must be very obvious, therefore, that one solitary missionary will have very uphill work, if, while he is delivering his message to the heathen, a hundred men, who call themselves by the same sacred name, practise something very different. It is useless for people at home to say that soldiers, beyond merely bearing the name, are the last to wish to be thought Christians, and that as a body they make no profession of religion. The Hindoos, Buddhists, and Mohammedans by whom they are surrounded make no fine distinctions of this kind. It is enough for them that our soldiers are called Christians. Every young officer who has been to India knows the time-honoured story of the cringing native who wanted a situation as servant, and, by way of self-recommendation, said, " Me Christian; me eat beef, pork, drink, and get drunk same like master." They very naturally judge of Christianity by its professors, and consequently often consider our national failings to be the result of the teachings of our religion. The The natives of a conquered country are extremely observant of the habits of their conquerors. I remember hearing, during the last war in South Africa, an officer say that one day, when the troops were all at Divine worship in the open air, a Kaffir came up to him, and, in broken English, asked what all the regiments were about, making such a noise? The officer replied that they were worshipping God. The Kaffir then asked why they worshipped God? To which the officer replied, "I suppose they want to go to heaven.” The next question the Kaffir asked was, Where is heaven?" officer pointed upwards. He was then asked if it was a good place? On his replying in the affirmative, the Kaffir laughed and said, "Then why English not annex it?" His idea-no doubt a common one among many-was that the minent characteristic of Christian Englishmen is to annex everything good that comes in their way. The sale of opium in China, the annexation mania, the traffic in intoxicating drinks, are all more or less associated, in the minds of the heathen, with the teaching of Christianity! pro Having attempted to show that the army, in addition to being a mere fighting machine, has an influence for good or for evil at home and abroad, I shall now proceed to give a brief account of some of the voluntary agencies that are at work among our soldiers. In doing so I shall confine myself to the voluntary agencies only, in contradistinction to the paid Government officials, such as the chaplains, who are the recognised State instructors of religion in their respective Churches and denominations. The divisions which seem naturally to suggest themselves are: 1. Army Scripture-Readers. Lay Work in the Army. 2. Soldiers' Homes. 3. Temperance work. 4. Soldiers' meetings. པ་ I am afraid space will forbid my going into details on other branches of work, such as soldiers' gardens, reading and recreation rooms, cricket, and games of all sorts, coffee-shops, mothers' meetings, Sunday schools, penny readings, and many other influences which must have a civilizing and ameliorating effect on the men, and, to a certain extent, must combine to prove a counter-attraction to the public-houses, low music-halls, and dancing-saloons. 1. The Army Scripture-Readers' Society.-During the Crimean War two societies were formed for the good of the soldier. The one had his temporal, and the other his spiritual welfare at heart. These two societies afterwards united under the name of the Army Scripture-Readers' and Soldiers' Friend Society. Its object is to spread a saving knowledge of Christ among our soldiers, both at home and abroad. It employs about ninety-four agents, almost all of whom are old soldiers. The Scripture-readers are directed not only to aim at bringing souls to Christ, but also to try to gain an influence over the men, and thus to become their true friends. They carry on their work by visiting the men in their barrack-rooms, in hospitals, in the prison-cells, in the married men's quarters, and wherever they find that they can gain admittance. These men thus occupy a most important position in the carrying out of Christian work in the army. The chaplain and the officer, from their social position and rank, often find it difficult to get at men. The Army Scripture-readers, however, have no social difficulties to overcome. As a rule they are old non-commissioned officers, and thus understand the ways of the men in their barrack-rooms, and can sit down for a quiet chat on a bedcot, or go out for a walk, without any special attention being called to the fact. Yet, as they are rather better educated than the men, they can hold their own in conversation, and in conducting meetings and Bible-readings. The Bishop of Madras, who is, I believe, the oldest bishop in Asia, and one who has for a long time had soldiers under his episcopal care, made use of the following words in his Charge to his chaplains at Madras : But where the number of soldiers is large, you should not fail to secure the assistance of a Scripture-reader. Such an agent is now indispensable in a military cantonment. He can be useful at seasons and under circumstances when the clergyman cannot. He can ascertain more exactly the character and feelings of individual soldiers. He can greatly assist in bringing religion into their homes and hearts. And wherever there is a considerable number of troops, I strongly recommend that application be made to the Army Scripture-Readers' Society for a reader. |