sir—Jesus.”

“Well,” I said, “I want every man that is anxious to take Jesus with him
into the trench to stand.”

Instantly and quietly every man in that hut stood up. And we prayed as men
can pray only under those conditions. We sang together, “For ever with the
Lord.” I shall never sing that hymn again without a lump in my throat. My
mind will always go back to those dear boys.

We shook hands and I watched them go, and then on my way to the little
cottage where I was billeted I heard feet coming behind me, and presently
felt a hand laid upon my shoulder. Two grand handsome fellows stood beside
me. One of them said,

“We didn’t manage to get into the hut, but we stood at the window to your
right. We heard all you said. We want you to pray for us. We are going
into the trenches, too. We can’t go until it is settled.”

We prayed together, and then I shook hands with them and bade them
good-bye. They did not come back. Some of their comrades came—those two,
with others, were left behind. But they had settled it—_they had settled
it_.

* * * * *

Two or three days after that I was in a hospital when one was brought in
who was at that service. I thought he was unconscious, and I said to the
Sister beside me, “Sister, how battered and bruised his poor head is!”