Connecticut western news., 1916-08-24
Mark Twain's War Prayer.

Mark Twain wrote War Prayer many years ago which was published in Albert Bigelow Paine's Mark Twain: A Biography"
 It is significant reading at this time, when the youth of Europe is being slaughtered, the entire male popula. tion of Germany put practically under arms and the last single men in Eng. land, down to the lads IS years old, called to the colors. This is the way Mark Twain put it:
 THE SCENE.
 The final assembly in the church where the minister utters that tremen- dous invocation:
 "God the all.terrible! Thou who or.
 dainest
 Thunder, Thy clarion, and lightning,
 thy sword p'
 and the long prayer for victory to the nations armies.
 The prayer closes. A white .robed stranger enters-moves up the aisle, takes the preachers place; says he has been sent from "On High" with u message that the petition will De ans. wered if the men care to repeat it after understanding its full import. Their prayer, he tells them, asks for more than they seem to realize. Hence he bids them listen while he repeats aloud these unspoken implications of their desire:
 70 Lord, our God help us to tear their soldiers 10 bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their pa. triot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help Us to wiring the hearts of their unotfending widows with un. availing grief; help us to turn them our roofiess with their little children to wander unbefriended, through wastes of their desolated land in the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it-for our sakes, who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with thelr tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet We ask of One who is the Spirit of love and who is the ever faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset, and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Grant our prayer, o Lord. and Thine shall be the praise and honor and glory now and ever. Amen."
 (After pause 'Ye have prayed it; If ye still desire it, speak l-the messenger of the Most High waits.
 A Lucid Moment.
 There is certain minister in this city who is very generous in the matter of taking W hat might be called emer. gency assignments. That is he is for. ever running around to different places conducting services for which he often doesn't even get thank you, just be- cause he believes it is his duty to do all he can to spread the Word.
 A Sunday or two ago he was con ducting services in an institution for the insane, not very far from Hartford and when he was in the very midst of his sermon voice called out:
 "Say, isn't it bad enough that we have to be kept in here? Do we have to listen to that ?"
 The interruption seemed to meet with approving glances from others in the Congregation" and the minister stopped aghast. Turning to warder who was sitting nearby he asked:
 "Shall go on with my sermon ?''
 "Sure! Shoot ahead. That fellow only has a lucid moment once in seven years He won't interrupt again. Hartford Sunday Globe.