THE KING’S BUSINESS
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who are deprived of all relations with our dear families, without news of them, with nothing but the rude, life of the trenches and perpetual combat, all isolated from our old existence and without hope of - any thing that the future holds for us. Around us all is destructon and decay, and we have the knowledge that our homes are ravaged and our families dispersed. Therefore again a thousand thanks from myself and from my comrades for the help that you have given us in the’se dear Books.” One of our Belgian-soldier friends and workers for Christ is an aviator. He addresses us with the familiar terms of the family, and writes thus: “Dear Father and dear little Mother: On all my journeys, and, above all, when I fly very high up—when I am all alone—I think of our Lord and I say to myself that He will never abandon me, and that He is always with me every moment.” Many are the letters we receive from men who are searching for the truth as it is in Christ—who have doubts to overcome, or difficulties, the result of erroneous teach ings. What joy it is to us to respond to a letter such as this: “I' have received the Testament as well as the letter that you have had the kind ness to send to me. I promise you to read in it every day, to search for God in His Word. Oh, that I will be happy if I find him at last—this God whom I have searched for in vain for so long. How many combats have I already had in my soul, from which I have come out tremb ling, unhappy, and not convinced! Oh, to live with one ideal—one only ideal—God! Oh, why have I not this ardent faith which the martyrs of old have had? My eyes sometimes are filled with tears which come burning from my heart—tears of despair, tears of envy to see a man who simply, ardently, prays. I have wished to pray also, but I do not know the words of faith —that faith divine I lack. Monsieur, Madame, I terminate these lines, arid I regret that my pen is not able to write the sentiments that agitate my spirit and put my heart in tumult.” A touching letter comes from a Belgian soldier interned in Holland, a prisoner of war. Wonderfully has he come to love the Lord Jesus, and he writes thus: “I am happy to tell you that I am always loving the Holy Word, ,which is for me a force and my proper nourishment. How
happy I am, dear brother, to have found the dear Saviour in this country of exile. Oh, he has searched for me already in Bel gium, and I avoided Him constantly. Oh, let us be proud and rejoice ever in thinking of this beloved Jesus, who has given His life for us.” One of our workers at the Front writes: “I have my duty always to gain new friends to read the New Testament, that they may become acqainted with the Word of God, because the danger is very great, and there are many evil books on our front in these times.” A man, who, having recently received his Testament, writes as follows-: . ' “I am very happy to be in possession of this Book. I propose to read in it and to meditate in it each day that passes. I will do also all in my power to make my friends acqainted with it—who would be also happy and interested in reading these Holy Scriptures, which are able to develop the ideals, to lead the hearts to better sen timents, and to make u s . remember the Words of our Lord, who wishes to show the good path for life.” Another worker, overcome with joy fit what he is seeing accomplished around him, writes us in quaint English: “I have given all the Bool?s -for my friends, who are very glad. I see all the Belgian soldiers at evening with the Evan- gile in their hands. That gives me much pleasure.” Still another soldier writes: “In that which concerns me, I will be happy not alone to read the Bible, but to study it in all the time that is given to me. That will give me force, and encourage me much—above all, in these sad times when I have no news from my dear family who remain in invaded Belgium since the beginning of the war. I take courage from God and for my country.” Another dear worker writes u s: “All the little Holy Scrpitures are found now in the hands of my comrades, and I am not able to tell you how they love to ’ study these Books. New soldiers are always coming asking for them, and each time I receive some, I am not able to fur nish everybody who desires them,” No, His Word will .never return to Him void, and we can.only praise Him for His faithfulness, and for that which He is daily accomplishing in the ranks of the Belgian Army.
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