The chronicle=news., 1915-01-19
ALL BERLIN
OBSERVES HOUR
FOR war PRAYER


C"rr->p"ndc nee OF The Associated Press.
Berlin.--The war prayer hour
has become a feature of the Capitals
daily life. 1t is one of those institu-
tions OF the war whose Inauguration
nobody noticed in the first excite
ment, hut which since then have
forced the attention OF the public by
virtue of being helpful. The war
prayer hour" is at nine every evening
and is held in most OF the churches
of Berlin,
The people who attend the hour"
make a most interesting crowd,
which could not be better described
than was done by one OF the feuille-
tonists of the vossische Zeitung:
"Over the maze of streets hangs a
heavy and wet evening, in whose
mists the street lamps look like so
many dying suns surrounded by
sheafs of red rays Under them
moves a busy crowd and hustling
traffic-not quite SO large as at 9TH
er times. The stream of humanity
on the sidewalk seems indefatisue-
able-inexhaustible. 1t is made up
of business people following theiT
daily habits. OF soldiers who carry
arms in white and black slings, offic-
ers in smart city uniforms. and wo-
men.
over ii all breaks of a sudden
the deep. metallic voice of the church
bells. calling upon man to look from
the things on Earth to those Above
1t is nine-the hour OF the war pray
er.
Through the main portal of the
church the crowd begins to enter
large families mostly and now and
then venerable couple. But thru
the small side doors enter hundreds
of women-thc timid. the lonely.
Dark still reigns in the pompous
church interior. hiding the siisteninc
mossaies and the other stony splen
dor. But the senses establish that
the church Is crowded with those
who seek comfort and consolation.
THE clock strikes ninc-the war
prayer hour has come, OF sudden
the liohts in the vaults above flash
up, filling the interior with light
rs strong as that of dag. And with
this comes the mighty flood of the
organ. kissing and rising until it has
reached a sublime and Overwhelming
in Glory be Unto God on High
Light floods the church and in It
faces and expressions may be studied.
It is surprising, though easily en-
planned. that three-quarters OF those
present are women. There are old
and wrinkled mothers: pale and sal
iris Il II
And each of them brought her own
sorrow, her own troubles to the holy
palace: all of them seek refuge from
some anguish or impending fate IL
his abode Of spiritual elevation ana
sublime unworldliness.
Women. women, nothing but wo-
men Out on the fields OF the enemy
Fights q united people of brothers.
and here within cold walls suffers. so
ft appears. a united people of sis
ters'.
OUT on the street they are ALI
strangers TO one another. Here in
the house of God they stand one an
other near In the silent throne
beat Il thousand pulses. but in the
tempo of a common misery and
common longing Tor consolation and
Il lessening of their burden. There
is the mother who tremblos for her
son. the wife who fears for the life
of her COMPANION and the father. and
the girl who prays for the future
husband.
The man IN the pulpit utters kind
and timely words. and when the or
gan peals forth: We Come Before
Thee with Prayer" they all answer
with resignation and the decision to
accept their fate as a lot cast by the
supreme. When the last tones of the
organ die, it is no longer fear tho
throne senses but reverence and con
ISOLATION"