i68 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



months the rector saw what was vaster, more terrible and far 

 grimmer than the veterans of Napoleon's army ever dreamed of. 



The Rev, Rupert Inglis was a parson of the traditional kind. 

 He entered theChm-chas the youngest son of Major-GeneralSir 

 John Inglis, K.C.B., the defender of Lucknow during the 

 mutiny, and was neither daringly High Church nor depressingly 

 Low, but a plain orthodox Church of England man. 



His athletic career at Rugby and Oxford had been a good 

 one, for at school he got his colours both for cricket and football, 

 and at Oxford was in the Rugby XV. for three years, and won 

 the Rugby International Cap. He was given his " Blue " as 

 a freshman at Oxford, as he was a fine forward who made the 

 most of his weight in the pack. After leaving Oxford he joined 

 the Blackheath club and played in the three English matches 

 against Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 



In course of time he was ordained, and after a couple of 

 curacies married and settled down to the life of a country 

 parson at Frittenden. He was not a poor man as parsons go in 

 these days, and had heaps of relations among the county 

 families, so that he often had some excellent shooting, and life 

 was pleasant enough. Two little girls and a boy were born to the 

 rector and his wife ; and he grew fond of his parishioners, while 

 they likewise grew fond of him. 



Then came the catastrophe of 1914, and he preached stirring 

 sermons to his villagers, bidding them do their duty like men 

 and join the new armies. Then he disappeared from his parish 

 and his flock heard no more of him until they received the 

 following letter : 



" Dear Parishioners, 



" I think most of you will understand how I come 

 to be writing from France. I have felt that in this great crisis 

 of the nation's history, everyone ought to do what he can to 

 help. I have said this both publicly and privately, but it has 

 been hard to tell people that they ought to leave their homes 

 to go out into strange and new surroundings, to endure dis- 

 comforts and danger, perhaps to face death. It has been hard 

 to tell people that this was their duty and then remain comfort- 

 ably at home myself. So this is why I have left you for an 

 indefinite period. 



