The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-29
PRIESTS HEROES
 ON MANY FRONTS
 IN EUROPE'S WAR
Campaign Against Clergy Serves to Bring Out His
 tory of Chaplains.

Paris, May 29.-A campaign by the extreme anti-clerica1 elements of the Radical and Socialist parties against the presence of priests at the battle fronts in daily contact with soldiers has brought sharply into public no ttce the work which these priests have done and are doing at the front.
 It required a special intervention to produce for priests even the priv nege" of going to the front. Prior to May, 1913, no chaplains were pro vided for the army. The Minister of War at that time provided in decree that in case of war two Catholic priests, a protestant pastor and a Rabbi should be attached to each corps, and two Cath o1ic chapIains to each division which had no stretcher- bearers.
 Thus about 100 priests and half as many protestants and Israelites we're authorized to accompany the army. When war began, Count Albert de Nun, since deceased, obtained from the Minister of War authorization for priests to enlist as chaplains with the approval of their Bishops up to the number of 25O in addition. Count Paul Pourtles obtained the same favor for so more Protestant pastors, while sixteen additional Rabbis were named.
 The number of priests who have given their lives on the field of battle has not yet been counted, for besides the chapIains there are several thou sand priests Incorporated in the aux Hilary services, or who volunteered for active service. A great many deaths however, have been reported among the chaplains under heroic circurn- stances. The Rabbi, Abraham Bloch, was fatally wounded at Saint-Die by 8 fragment of shell at the moment when he tended crucifix o a wounded soldier who had taken him for a Catholic priest The Abbe Vi1- Her, chaplain of the civil Hospital of Arras, was killed by a shell while seeking to save his Ratients during a bombardment of Arras. Chaplain DubureuiI died at the treme point of positions conquered by the zouaves with whom he went to the assault.
 Three chapIains gave up their lives during the battle of Champagne; the Abbe Thinot struck by a shell while digging out men buried by the ex- plosion of a mine; the Abbe perrot and the Abbe Pouch, who fell, the for mer while looking after a fallen sol dier and the latter while giving first aid to a general of brigade wounded on the field of battle. M
 A chaplain from the region of Yer dun gives the following graphic re- citaI of an experiences ssWe celebrated Easter under the shrapnel. within 300 yards of the German trenches, and the Credo was saluted by a fusilade. Our trenches had been converted into green bowers with flowers and ivy gar1ands. On Good Friday fourteen stations had been marked with crosses in the communicating trench for the solemn procession. At half past two, just as I had confessed my last peni- tent, bullet hit him in the neck. The blood spurted out just as the last words of dissolution were uttered. I gave him first aid, and then he turned his brave eyes toward me and mur- mured 'ou have cared for the body, now look after the soul offered up a prayer that went with his departing soul, while the blood flowed upon my cross and cassock. It was in that con dition that a proceeded on the road to the cross. and at the twelfth sta ton I offered the pure vermillion Christ and with all my y[heart said: Our Lord, that blood was generously she'd"
 Bishop Ruch, as chaplain of a sec ton of stretcher-bearers of the tn corps, was decorated with the Legion of Honor and the-war cross on the field of battle, and cited in orders as fo11ows:S Charles Ruch, Bishop, eff faced himself in spite of his eminent dignity and gave proofs in a modest post of untiring activity and devotion, notably in the latest conbats, visiting
 
 wounded on the line of fire, and watching at night in exposed field hospitals. His calm courage has ac- quired for him the affection of every one.'
 In a, little sector taken from the Germans, where there was a church riddled by shells, the chaplain of the victorious regiment decided to say mass while shells were screeching to right and left. A projecti1e crashed through the only window remaining intach smashed the altar and threw the cha plain and his assistants to the floor. Fragments of the shell struck the priest in the head, while another broke his right arm at the elbow and another at the wrist.
 For the chaplain as well as for the combatant, heroism is the small change of every day existence at the front. His place is wherever there is fighting He often falls under the shells and bullets, and frequently reaps the same reward for gallant conduct as that of the fighting soldier. The lAbbe Henrocque, simple priest at the beginning of the war, is now a knight of the Legion of Honor. He lifted men as they fell under a heavy smelling, with suffocating gas projec- tiles, dressed their wounds and car ried them to shelter. He was wounded exploded three yards away; he stop ped only to wipe the blood from his eyes; an instant later a heavy projec- tile upheaved a section Of the French trenches and buried two officers and six men; Abbe HenrocqUe, while cry ing for help, dug until he had saved one officer and four of the soldiers.
 WEDDING RINGS