The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-07-29
Open AIR MASS
Celebrated
WISCONSIN MILlTlAMEN ATTEND
OPEN AIR MASS-MOST I'M
PRESSlvE CEREMONY EVER
HELD ON RESERVATION DE-
CLARE REGULAR ARMY MEN.

Under date of July 18th, the Times,
of Gillette (Wis.), has a very inter
esting and timely article on the first
field mass celebrated by the Wisconsin
militiamen. The article conveys a
spirit of true patriotism, which might
we'll be copied by certain people who
do not hesitate in casting slurs upon
the patriotism of Catholics to the flag;
the article follows:
Camp Douglas, Wis.-Amid the purr
of machine gun fire and the chuck
chuck of motor cycle messengers as
they sped from one end of the res
ervation to the other, there occurred
on Sunday the most unique military
religious service in the history of this
reservation. 1t was the celebration of
the first Catholic Mass. Never has
such an unusual sight presented itself.
Directly under the Stars and Stripes
which floated from the sixty-foot flag
pole at headquarters, the Rev. George
Pollock, Necedah, read Mass, resting
his Mass book on an ordinary table
of pine. About him there knelt 800
Catholic soldiers, many of them in
uniform, many in shirt sleeves, col
larless, many without even an outer
shirt; private and non-commissioned
officers devoutly praying beside COM
missioned officers.
In front of the temporary altar, and
hanging from the limb of tree above,
Old Glory hung so low that when
Father Pollock gave Holy Communion
to about 100 men he had to stoop
under the flag. In a generation, Off
GERS said, no such impressive incident
has occurred on the reservation.
Catholics and non Catholics alike at
tended the service.
Success in battle was wished the
troops by Rev. DIR. Robert b. Condor,
Lacrosse.
I'VE trust. indeed, that war may be
averted" he said, land that we may
not have to unsheathe the sword.
Certainly Mexico may be charged with
SCATTERING souls, with guilt of car
nival of murder. 1t has committed
acts that will burn in the pages OF
history of the world for centuries.
Helpless women have been moved
down, not by the Mexican people, but
by a bandit government Deeds that
will challenge comparison with any
thing ever recorded have been COM
mitted
I'VE trust that you may not have
to go. But ii you go, may the God of
battle be with you and may you, as
our armies before you, plant the Stars
and Stripes on the capitol of the old
Montezumas.
For my part | should not regret
if new consultations should shine in
the blue Of our flag.
If you should not go, but return to
the ordinary walks of life, do not 20
back and think that we should make
sacrifices for our country only in time
OF war or danger. Go back and live
IA life that will keep you able at all
times to defend your country. Look
at the great nations of the ancient
world. What brought them down? 1t
was not in the days Of danger and
war when they failed, but in time of
peace. In the days of peace they al
lowed the laws OF virtue to drop. 1t
caused their destruction.
Here you are, most of you in the
golden days OF youth, and yet you are
called away from business, from rela.
tionship of life, to shed the last drop
of your lfes blood for your country.
Go forth, unfolding the honor of your
country, knowing that God will never
abandon YOU"