...."Mr J. W. Moodie, the soldier evangelist, who is at present conducting services nightly in a tent on the South Inch, Perth, has just published a small volume entitled "Seventy Days with the Troops from Southampton to London." The writer, an old soldier, who has seen service both in Afghanistan and Egypt and the holder of three medals, left this country on the 20th January last with the view of evangelising among the troops of the Highland Brigade in the South African campaign. Although he had the necessary permission from Lord Wolseley and Lord Lansdowne, Lord Methuen did not allow Mr Moodie to accompany the Brigade. He served for some time in the hospitals in the suburbs of Cape Town, and states that all the arrangements for our sick and wounded there reflect great credit on the medical staff. Mr Moodie tells his story simply and naturally, so that the religious interest is preserved from the beginning of the volume to the end. After describing several incidents connected with his work in Maitland and Greenpoint Camps and preaching to the refugees, Mr Moodie gives an account of his voyage to Durban, where they heard of the relief of Ladysmith. From Durban he and several companions went to Mooi River, where he found four camps and a large hospital, with 1000 men from tho Tugela and Latlysmith districts. Like the other hospitals, he saw it was well equipped, and there were separate tin huts for Rontgen rays work and surgical operations. There was an excellent staff of nurses and doctors. Here Sir William M'Cormac spent a fortnight, and reported that the arrangements of the hospital were admirable, and that excellent work was being done under Surgeon-Colonel Cleary. The doctors, Mr Moodie said, had a terribly trying time of it, working incessantly day and night. One could not speak too highly of the nursing staff, attending to their duties amidst all this bloodshed and suffering with the same zeal and care that they are so well known to display in our home hospitals. Mr Moodie afterwards describes his journey from the Mooi River to Ladysmith, and the work he was engaged in while on the way. He reached Ladysmith on 26th March, but a short time afterwards he was stricken down with illness, and being the development of a disease which he had contracted at Colenso, he was compelled to abandon further work among the men in South Africa. The volume may be procured from Mr Lundie, bookseller, Reform Street, Dundee.
The Evening Telegraph [Dundee]. Friday 7th September 1900
