calms our fears saying: "When thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they
shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt
not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." With such
promises as these, what would one not go through.

'That night, after the enemy had retired, I had to lead my company
across a ford in the Modder River. It was very dark, and I was not sure
of the way; I had crossed the river by the same ford early in the
afternoon, but it was in the thick of the battle, so I was too busy with
something else to take any notice of the road. I was cut off from my
company, and got rather anxious about it. Looking with the aid of a
match, at my text-book I found these words: "Commit thy way unto the
Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass." I was not slow
to follow this blessed advice, and within half an hour I was with my
company again, wet through and tired out. Yet, with these uncomfortable
things about me, I was able to thank God for His loving care, and now I
can write "tried and proved" against that text.'

And yet, though the fight was so terrible, the number of casualties was
singularly few, considering the character of the encounter. Lord
Methuen, however, was slightly wounded, and Colonel Stopford, of the
Coldstream Guards, was shot dead.

One of the Boer batteries was planted close to the native Wesleyan
Church, which was riddled with shot and shell from British guns intent
upon dominating the Boer position.

That night, so far as possible, the chaplains gathered their men round
them on the field, and many a homely evensong was held.

Then followed a period of quiet. There, frowning in front of them, was
the Boers' natural fortress of Magersfontein, rendered impregnable by a
wonderful series of trenches, at the extent and perfection of which they
could only guess. They knew that there must be at least one desperate
attempt to take them, if not more. But three great battles in one week
had exhausted officers and men, and it was absolutely necessary to rest.

=Fellowship and Work at the Modder.=

This was the opportunity for the Christian workers. On the march or in
the battle all that they could do was to speak a word of cheer as often
as possible. Christian soldiers could not meet for fellowship; all that
they could do was occasionally to have a hearty hand-grip or shout
'494,' as a comrade passed by. With th