The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06

and assured her when she confessed her kmisdemeanors, that both in the church and the hospital she had done perfectly right
 Another hospital superior. speur Ma rie Rosnet,. is worthy Of special honor for the way in which she stood up f1 the German authorities in Cernont- en-Argonne. and actually succeeded in getting a company Of German sap pers to save the houses which had been set on fire by German soldiers.
 Before the divorce between church and state garrison chaplains bearing duly specified military grades. were part Of the regular equipment of tho army. When tho state refused to ree- ognize them any longer as functions aries, all priests became at once lia. ble with tho rest Of their class ftna laymen. that Is to say of their own Nearb to ordinary military service Constantly in the present war. priests of military age. either as men on the active list, reservists. or territorials are now serving with the colors Some are actually at the front, though IS far as possible they are utilized in less advanced positions
 But, With the war, another class of soldier priest has again come into being. Once moro aumoniers. or mil- tary cliaplains. have been appointed to the troops. Except that they Wear a kepi and cavalry cloak bearing the gallons proper to their rank there k nothing to distinguish them from or oinary clerics. They do not that IS to say wear the uniform of an ordinary soldier, and they are recognized by the state and by the army as constitu- uonal functionaries. as regular military chapiains, liable only for clerical work They are, therefore, a visible and out ward sign of tho partial closing of the breach between church and state which Is part of the great national movement towards real fraternity and libertyA brought about by the war
 Has Had Unfortunate Results
 To certain extent it is possible that even from a military point of view the breach has in the past had unfortunate results. It is freely said, at all events, that the promotion of highly qualified officers has been un1ustly delayed be- cause they were known to have strong religious opinions. IT such cases really exist, the present temper of the nation and the army leads one to believe that they will promptly be put right France wants all the best soldiers that she has, She wants them all she wants them In their proper places. and she knows it. The general relations of church and state after the war are Of course, s much larger question. But tt all events. for the period of the war. as Tar as the question of military chap lains Is concerned the two bodies are Loyalty and happily agreed.
 Those other priests who are serving in the ranks, not in ecciesias astical posi- tions, are, of course, on a different foot ing, but have also in many cases a ded- nite professional usefulness. Officially they are soldiers. unofficially they may and do act in Q higher capacity. Some times, for instance in out of the way places, far away from any church, they celebrate mass for their fellow soldiers md officers as well as for themselves. and the things of that kind that one. sees and hears--for instance a splendid giant of a man In an ordinary prfvates uniform taking part of the service at the funeral of a young officer--are al- ways impressive.
 A private soldier, badly wounded, was lying in one of the hospitals. and. think ing that he was going to die, asked for the service of a priest. At the moment no priest was to be found. The man in the next bed, with his thigh hideously shattered by a she'll was in state of partial coma. Gradually he realized what the doctor and the nurses were talking about. He just managed to make one of them understand that he was himself a priest. and would pronounce the dissolution of his fellow soldier if she would hold up his hand. and then, as he whispered the words that brought to the other the comfort that he wanted he died.