And the prayers of Christian England were with them night and day.  What wonder that through the army went a wave of Christian influence such as had never been felt before.

And then from the Colonies they came.  Australia and Canada sent their choicest and their best.  From the dusky sons of the British Empire in India came representatives also.  South Africa itself had its own goodly tribute to offer.  And with them all came Christian workers—­chaplains from Australia and Canada; missionaries by the score in South Africa, ready to do everything in their power for the soldiers of the Queen.

And so it came to pass that the whole British Empire was represented on the South African veldt.  And the prayers, not only of Christian Britain, but of the whole Empire, ascended to Heaven as the prayer of one man for our soldier lads across the sea.  Never has the sentiment of Tennyson’s beautiful poem been so translated into fact before, for in very deed the whole round world was every way

    ‘Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.’

The months that witnessed the welding of the British Empire into one great family witnessed also one great effort for her soldiers, and one glorious chain of prayer for their conversion.  What wonder that hundreds, if not thousands, turned to God!

[Illustration:  PARADE SERVICE ON THE TUGELA.]

Chapter IV

TO THE FRONT

The two most important ports of disembarkation A were Capetown and Durban.  East London and Port Elizabeth necessarily came in for their share of the troops, but that share was only small.

It was therefore at Capetown and Durban that Christian workers specially prepared to receive our soldiers and do all that was possible for their comfort ere they departed for the front.  These towns had already thousands of refugees from the Transvaal upon their hands.  Many of them were absolutely destitute.  They had left the Transvaal at almost a moment’s notice, and large numbers had only the clothes they were wearing.  But the generosity of the colonists knew no bounds, and gladly they gave of their abundance and often of their poverty to help their poor distressed brethren.  Daily relief was granted where needed, and all things possible were done for their comfort.

=South African Generosity.=

And now the coming of the army gave fresh opportunity for the display of generosity.  Not only were the soldiers received with hearty cheers, but lavish gifts were showered upon them.  Flowers, fruits, tobacco, dainties of all kinds were handed to them as they departed to the front, and in many cases sent up after them.

A gentleman from ‘up country’ wrote to Capetown to ask when any troops would be going through a certain railway station, and he would undertake to supply with fruit all troops passing for the next two months.