Revs. E. L. Watson and T. Tattersall 289 



him. He was a man and practised what he preached ; he was 

 a sportsman and played the game. We said if rehgion made 

 men hke that we would be religious too. He had the heart of a 

 lion, the arm of a pugilist, and the gentle smile and voice of a 

 woman." 



The first Free Church Military chaplain to be appointed was 

 the Rev, E. L. Watson, a man who appealed to all with whom 

 he came in contact. He was massively built, with the jaw of 

 determination and iron will, and possessed of a fine voice. He 

 could sing a song, preach a sermon, tell a good story, or carry 

 on a soothing conversation by a sick man's bed. 



Being an Australian, his rough early life had made a man of 

 him. He could turn his hand to anything — ride, shoot, fell 

 trees, forage for his food and cook it. Australians are broad- 

 minded, independent, and free from conventionality ; they also 

 have a shrewd understanding of human nature. 



From being at one time a collier, Mr, Watson became a local 

 preacher, and as so often happens while trying to convince other 

 people, he became firmly convinced himself and entered the 

 Victoria Baptist College. After completing a graduate's 

 course he became the Pastor of a Melbourne church, in 

 combination with which he worked as chaplain to the Common- 

 wealth Forces. 



Coming to England, he became chaplain in connection with 

 the Guards, and when war broke out volunteered for field-work, 

 ready, like many another, to throw himself into any sort of work 

 helpful to the soldiers. 



It has already been shown that preaching is by no means 

 the chief part of a chaplain's business ; to be of any use he has 

 to be a factotum. 



In Mr. Spurr's booklet, to which I have already referred, he 

 gives some interesting stories of their chaplains' routine, and 

 some touching stories of soldiers' sayings and doings. Soldiers 

 are naturally optimistic and fond of music. Mr. Spurr remarks 

 on this and on the amount of natural talent there is amongst 

 the men. The chaplains help the men to get up evening 

 sing-songs and entertainments in which Jews' harps, mouth- 

 organs, nigger-minstrels, dancing and singing all take part. 

 Mr. Spurr gives the following account of one of these cheery 

 evenings : 



u 



