Sul,—This letter will reach you rather a long time after
the publication of Sir Henry Bashford's letter, but I find myself so completely in agree- ment with it that I hope the delay will be excused. Our Spectators take quite a time to filter through to us here in the Middle East. My tem- porary profession is soldiering, and we are now receiving young soldiers out from home to take the place of happier mortals who have returned, their duty done. These youngsters make an interesting study. We hear much about the sorry state of morals and grace at home, yet our recruits belie the tale.
They face the prospect of three years overseas service with admirable verve, and they have not the impetus of a war to be won which we all had at any time in the past six years. Yet they are keen,•orderly and well-spirited. Like the young people mentioned by Sir Henry Bashford, they are not afraid to question the future with open minds, and social problems do definitely concern them. They are not ashamed, either, to question religion and from my efforts with the Padre to get our own Service going I am convinced that they believe " in a God or Supreme Mind or Being " and would worship with sincerity and gratitude, if their non-intellectually critical minds did not baulk at forms and phrases which they cannot understand. They have the Faith, the form deters them. DAVID SCOTT DANIELL. M.E.F.
Previous page
