Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-07-27
aetiseellantuus 8eading.
. A FIGHTER AND A CHRISTIAN.

A FIGHTER AND A CHRISTIAN.
Combination Works Well In the Case of
Captain j. W. Philip.
From the Chicago Times-H erald.
Time was when the roar of battle
was associated, by common under
standing, with more or less profanity
when particularly naval fight could
hardly be thought of without much
expletive expressed in decent prints
by dashes. The idea of Gustavus
Adolphus invoking blessing from above
in front of his regiment before opening
battle, or of the roundheads of the
Cromwellian age, so we'll delineated
by Walter Scott, had always some
thing strange in it. The admonition
to "trust to God" was generally asso-
ciated with the mundane advice, "and
keep your powder dry" as Colonel
Blacker advised "his boys"
In short, fighting, both by sea and
land, has been coupled more with his
santanic majesty than with anybody
else. The "God of battles" usually
came in for His share before the fray
to assure His assistance, or afterward
to express gratitude.
1t is certainly not the least signiti-
can't experience Of the present war
that officers high in command think OF
. the "God of battles" when the fray is
on. No doubt many commander is
a true Christian, but few will have the
true manhood to avow their religious
sentiment while shells are bursting
and bullets are whistling around their
ears.
One of these few is John w. Philip,
commander of the United States bat
tleship Texas, who dem olished Socapa
battery on Santiago bay and who
helped to send Admiral Cervera's fleet
to the bottom on the eve of the 'glor-
ious Fourth"
Nelson, if Southey in his life of the
great British admiral is correct, coup
led his country with victory. Thus,
in the battle off Cape St. Vincent,
when he gave orders for boarding the
San Josef, he exclaimed, "Westmin-
ster Abbey, or victory!" and before
the battle of Trafalgar, where this
ideal British sailor found his death, he
signalled TO his feet that "England
expects every man to do his duty J"
He has found his place in Westmin-
ster Abbey since, among England's
great dead.
John w. Philip now fights the same
nation that Nelson did, and, no doubt
loves his country as dearly as Nelson
did his, but Captain Philip-"Jack"
Philip, as he is affectionately called by
both officers and crew-is not ashamed
to show his strong religious faith in the
midst of carnage as we'll as after hard
won victory.
1t is indeed a strange contrast, the
conduct of Captain "Jack" during and
after the great battle off Santiago, on
Sunday, July 8, and the conduct OF
many "heart of oak" on similar oc-
casions.
Touching as we'll as fine sample of
the American sailor is Captain Philips
remark to his crew when an American
shell exploded the magazine Of the
Oquendo and the boys began to cheer
tremendously:
"Don't cheer, boys, when so many a
braye fellow has been blown into eter-
nity!"
And after the great battle, when
the Texas lay alongside the Crlstobal
Colon after the latter had been beach
ed and surrendered to the American
commander, Captain Philip said to his
officers and men:
~ wish to make confession that /
have implicit faith in the officers and
crew of the Texas, but my faith in
you is secondary only to my faith in
God. We have seen what He has
done for US in allowing us to achieve
so great victory, and I want to ask
you all, or, at least, every man who
has no scruples, to uncover his head
with me and silently offer word Of
thanks to God for His goodness TO-
ward us ALL"
What a strange contrast, indeed,
between this silent prayer and the
customary wild shouts of victory.
Chaplain Harry w. Jones, of the
battleship Texas, furnishes these and