Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved.
A number of obvious typographical errors have been corrected in this text.
For a complete list, please see the end of this document.
This little record bears the impress of the character of itswriter—simple, manly, open-hearted towards man, and devout towards God.
I have read a great part of it with keen interest. Written withoutstrain, from fresh personal experience, and with great sympathy for theofficers and men of our Army, it gives a very lively picture of achaplain's work at the Front, and the scenes and conditions under whichit is done.
Mr. Kennedy's commanding stature, and fine physical manhood, gave himadvantages which his fine character and genial nature used, by God'sgrace, to the best effect.
Having known him, and admired him from the time when I admitted him to[vi]Priest's Orders in South London, down to the day when at my request headdressed our Diocesan Conference upon the challenge given to the Churchby the war, and the claims and needs of the men of our Army returningfrom the Front,—a subject on which he glowed with eagerness,—it is ahappiness to me to bespeak for his words an attention which willcertainly be its own reward.
I trust the book may do a little to lessen the loss which (to humanvision) the best interests of our country and her people have sufferedby his early and unexpected death.
EDW. WINTON.
Farnham Castle,
November, 1915.
Chaplain Major E.J. Kennedy, the writer of this little book, returned tohis parish of St. John the Evangelist, Boscombe, in September 1915,having completed his year's service with the Expeditionary Force. Firedwith a deep sense of the need of rousing the Home Church and Land to aclearer realization of the spiritual needs of 'Our Men' and armed withthe approval of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the approval andconsent of his Diocesan, he determined to spend a certain amount of histime in the strenuous work of lecturing up and down the country, inaddition to his many parochial duties. Immediately on his return heplunged into this work, without taking any rest after his arduouslabours at the Front. On Tuesday, October 19, he was lecturing inLiverpool and Birkenhead. On Wednesday he was taken ill, and on Thursdayhe returned home. On the following Monday he succumbed to the diseasewhich doubtless he contracted at the Front.<