The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-07-26
Army Nurses in Soldiers, Homes.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / am prompt
ed to tell to your readers, with your permission,
a thought which came to me- one which the
more considered seems the more practical, viz,
that competent and well-recommended army
nurses who may be dependent might for
tunately be placed one in each of the United
States and State Soldiers Homes and Hospitals
in this country, even though place as Assist
ant Chaplain be created for them:
The need and blessing Of such holy, womanly
ministries, especially TO the sick and dying COM
rades in these institutions was suggested to me
while on visit to the Michigan Soldiers Home
at Grand Rapids. where l was invited to adj
dress the inmates one afternoon. Many had
gathered in the rotunda to hear me- and could
not leave without paying visit to such as
could not come to me, and though l had but a
moment more of time | fastened TO the hos
pital There were about 40 patients All looked
happily surprised that had remembered them,
but glance told me one aged veteran, con-
sumptive, was dying, and unattended. l
stepped to his cot. He was too low to speak to
me- but the expression which lit up his face
bid me welcome. ! laid my hand tenderly on
his death damp brow the nurses paused in
their evening round of duties; every voice was
hushed a holy stiffness reigned-a woman had
entered l said to him softly, "You are very
Ill, and as you go down to the dark river
trust the peace of God is in your SOUL and that
there is light beyond" His peaceful face in
dictated to me that it was well with his soul.
repeated to him the 23d Psalm The Lord is
my shepherd Yea, though | walk
through the valley of the shadow Of death,
will fear no evil and | shall dwell in the
house of the Lord forever" Then singing a
verse, Nearer, My God, to Thee" and COM
mending his soul to Heaven, / left him, feeling
the visit and this impressive service had hal
lowed the place and mellowed all hearts.
The next morning when | read Of his death,
and knew that he had passed away almost as
had left him. thanked the Father that He
had thus permitted me to honor the memory OF
my fallen hero brother by this service Of love
! to his dying comrade.
realized woman's power as perhaps never
! before; that while Chaplains may do their
whole duty, and male nurses be most faithful,
| such institutions cannot be homes" without
! the presence and ministration of consecrated
! womanhood The man of God F" cannot
smooth the dying pillow as woman can. Then
| why may not speedily some of these women
/ of God, who were army nurses and now need
| ing homes and consideration for such loyal
| services rendered in hours of national need
! be installed as " mother" in these institutions
with only the single duty of spiritually min.
| istering TO the souls Of the inmates for which
invaluable service both Nation and State might
only too gladly give honor, home living and q
competence TO make them independent o.
charity during their lives?
/ have counseled with Gov. Luce, of Michi
gan, and he assures me he would consider such
a proposition and any recommendation / may
make for the Michigan Soldiers Home favor
ably. / am only awaiting to come into knowl
edge of the proper person to so recommend il
Michigan or elsewhere.
Will your readers kindly consider this sug
gestion and cast about for competent women Il
fill such situations, and report them and thei
recommendations to me at an early day P
EUDoCIA S. MoFFAT, Assistant Superintendent
w. G. II. Union.
In connection with the above article, tn
name of Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer is suggeste
as proper person to fill one of these places
The writer knew her during the war, and
better woman never liYed-one who could fl
such place as is proposed by Mrs. Moffatt
We do not know how Mrs. Wittenmyer wOu
regard our suggestion, but we do know that til
Home which would receive her valuable serv
ices would be blessed, indeed-ED. NATIoNA
TRIBUNE.