Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-12-06

1.-The altar, erected in the open air 70
the military mass, at which it was es
timated more than $4,000 soldiers ant
many civilians attended.
The altar was most profusely dec
GRATED with cut flowers. Two largt
U. S. flags served as a baek-grcunt
and hundreds of small ones flutterins
in the breeze formed a canopy.
The procession was headed by al
army captain with the guard of hon
OF, composed Of Catholics from ev'
cry regiment Of the division.
Then came the U. S. Colors, carried
BY about 20 soldiers and the Regimen
! tai Colors Of Col. Hoover's Regiment
followed by soldiers carrying the
Knights Of Columbus banner. Then
came the master Of ceremonies a
priest of Fort Worth, preceded by
about 20 altar boys, who carried high
in the air the cross. Then came six
Army Chsplains, followed by Bish-
op Lynch, of Dallas. Before the GER
omonies began, the l44th Inf. Band
Of thirty pieces rendered sacred music
in fine style.
Occupying a place Of honor, in front
Of the great congregation Of 10000
people, was a group of Sisters Of
Charity, whose lives are devoted to the
alienation Of suffering, whether in
peace or war.
The ceremonies Of the military mass
were carried out with majestic solem-
nifty. At the elevation, the guard Of
honor presented arms, the military
band meanwhile rendering subdued
strains of sacred music. At the close
Of the mass, the Bishop delivered a
patriotic address ond among other
things said;
THAT the first act of religious wor-
ship performed on the plains was the
same as that we had just attended
/ that day. In the fall of 1852 the chap
lains Of the Coronado expedition eel
ebrated mass on the banks of the
Canadian river. The first act of re-
ligious worship performed in America
was the celebration of mass, October,
1892, when Columbus landed and to-
day in the sacrifice of the mass, we
are fulfilling the ordinance of Christ,
so this in commemoration of Me-
From the beginning of the world there
has been an altar of sacrifice" he
said, "and when the cold winter blasts
blow and you soldier boys long for the
comforts of homelife, you will realize
then that you are on the altar of sac
rifice, and will wonder often if your
sacrifice is appreciated as much as is
should be-"
In beautiful language he assured
them it was by every Christian heart,
whether they were Jew or Gentle,
Protestant or Catholic, as long as
they were loyal ions of America. He
told them to go in blind obedience to
their officers commands, for order is
Heavens first law, "and l." he said
"anointed for the service Of God, tell
you this from a Christian altar to re-
member during the battle that Christ
himself used the thongs when the in
s%titution Of His Fathers House were
and drove the thieves out
the temple with lashes, not with
prayer and humility. He called them
his dear soldier boys and said that
they were following the example Of
CHRIST, substituting the bayonet for
the thong; that they stood as Christ
against those who would ignore the
institution Of our fathers and that
they would drive the d~esecraters from
the temple Of men. He told them to
pray as If all depended upon God,
and to work as If all depended upon
their labor and they would get results.
He said, too, that the Catholic Church
was with Congress, the President and
the U. S. Army.
1t sure was a grand sermon and put
pep" in many of US. When the Bish-
op concluded his address, the militia
ry band played "The Star Spangled
Banner" and that ended a ceremony
| shall never forget.
Howard Keath has returned to Camp
Funston.
Mr.. Thad Boulware is home from
Fort Riley and says quite a number
of the boys are i'll, but all have the
best of attention.
The Mexico boys who have been
home from Camp Funston on a fur
Tough have returned to duty.
I