The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-06
PRAYING SOLDIERS.
4 Glance Over History showing Whnt Sol.
diers ofThis Type Have Done.

hfDHs u 4 Ms - PC hhft hShSs
From the St Louis Globe-Deuocrat.
Before a recent battle In Natal The
Beers are reported to have stood on their
kOpies with barred heads singing The
hymns that all in the Transyaal know
from earliest childhood. These religious
songs. handed down for generations are
ruggeily strong and simple Beyond
almost any other branch Of the white
race the South African burEhers are
openly devOut. Their prayers are not
secret nor their psalms chanted apart
from their daily vocstions. An English
writer refers TO them as saturated with
the Bible" Their remarkable Old Presi-
dent Is endeared to them because he
often goes into the pulpit 10 deliver
sermon, and one replste with living iD-
terest as were the discOurses Of Spur.
geOn. In the scenes of war, as at home,
the Boers are a praying people, sturdy
and sternly pious, 10 matter If some
would call them narrow. They are tenn
perate. truthful. and not unkindly. Have
the British people fully estimated the
military strength Of 5000 or 5000 mea
of this moral fiber, fighting with their
homes at their backs? II not then a
glance over the history Of what soldiers
of the religious type have done Will clear
away some OF the illusions as 10 tAa
seriousness Of the task.
In the sacred book with which me
Beers are said 10 be extraordinarily "a
miliar, the people in the foreground are
a praying and fighting race. people VINO
passed through every phase Of batte,
siege, enslaved captivity, and migration
for the sake Of opinion. Even the Womea
had the warlike spirit and, ike Miriam,
sang the feTyent songs Of triumph ana
deliyerance. Time has proved that sul'
a strain Of blood, founded on stable IT,
ligiOus ground cannot be eXtsrmihaisl'
but holds its place In the affairs al inc
world While not a nation. II is part
Of all nations. and its theology ana morn
code tinge the most advanced cl'ii@d'''.
The crusades Of The Middle Ages iuih.
Fllrope into a religious camp ana ihf
DrodiciOus marches and battles OF i-'-
era we're marked by constant prayer ''.l
religious song. Modern RECORDS pi7a'..-
the same uFFuomeua. The praying s"'-
der is a mighty man In the caFlH M
mails CromwcITs R0undhesds c0u'1 nov
be shaken in defense nor ftsihleI III a.
tack. They. too. sang hymns on 'hr b4.'
tIe-feld and were brought up on 'll.'
ture. New EnglaLd's Pilgrims earn.
HYMN book In one hand and Tihe 10 lH'
other. Penn was q man Of peace gAy s..
ally. but with a militant spirit m ...
ethics that must not be disparage1 20 ITO
government and development Of mAHh'"I'
Gustavus Ad0lphus was religious mon
itor as well a great and victOriOl. gen
ersl His soldiers prayed openly a. the'
fought their way through third Of -.
rope. Our own age has produced m.LiAt
leaders Ike HavelOck and StoneWal! Ja.N-
son. imbued with religious zeal ana p,
soldiers Of the ablsst type. Nor must ~
snimating purpose Of fighting Df.'h-.-
races BE- forgotten when tnis subject .
reckoned with. The hosts Of Monamhs,
we're checked at last on the plains %
France Not many years ago ta' -'l
wishes. armed with knives and laa''S
fling themselves on British squares an.
repeating rifles. No antag0nis; is mos
gtuDborn or reckless Of danger than ~
Turk OF today Before his fr"Si'
chants the Greek army recently me.l'I
away IN panic. defeated even before l-'
battle was Joined WIKI the Of.eH-a.s r.
Ilgi1a may be a fAtaIiatic faf ai..l-'ii. ~
With the Beers Il - a pfeia-ta ~ -
uTlnciple He accepts X az az clemens y
BE- frankly declared In has ever cay
tons In the army as vel ar ih h.a ~,
community and home. he Is no oi.'-@'5
foenan. TO yangulsn 0@1 EVeA i.-. -
their Own rocky fassueezes ia ar s--@''
taking OF unknown masnIt-ae.