twenty-four dozen new-laid eggs for the men to have for breakfast! Such
Christian kindness as this appeals powerfully to Mr. Thomas Atkins, as
it does to most men, and he deserved all that South Africa could give
him.


=The Soldiers' Christian Association in South Africa.=

At Capetown the Soldiers' Christian Association was specially active.
This enterprising and successful Association was inaugurated seven years
ago as the direct result of a series of recommendations submitted to the
National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations. It has its
branches in most military centres and is exceedingly popular with the
men. In connection with this war the S.C.A., as it is familiarly called,
has taken an entirely new departure. It has taken a leaf, and a very
valuable leaf, out of the book of the American Young Men's Christian
Association. That enterprising Association did a great deal of tent work
during the late war with Spain, and such work proving of the greatest
value, the S.C.A. has followed the same course during the war in South
Africa. At first there was considerable difficulty in getting permission
from headquarters; but at last it came, and on Saturday, Nov. 11, 1899,
Messrs. Hinde and Fleming sailed. A further band of seven workers
accompanied Mr. A.H. Wheeler, the General Secretary of the Association a
fortnight later, and on their arrival they found that a general order
had been issued to the following effect--'Permission has been given to
the Soldiers' Christian Association to send out tents and
writing-material for the troops. Facilities are to be accorded to the
Association to put up tents at fixed stations, as far as military
requirements will permit.'