Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-08
A Girdle of Mercy
The Y. NJ. q. A.. is Putting 1t
Around the World in This War.

Lord Curson in writing Of the
American entrance into the war speaks
Of the Young Mems Christian %associa-
ton a. "a Girdle of Mercy1
In an editorial appearing In the cur
rent issue OF Association Men," he
writes:
1--WE are fighting for the noblest,
highest, purest Of auses That is
what makes the war tho most moral
Of all wars. That is what has brought
in the United States Of America. What
have they to gain? They r not
coming in to satisfy the aims Of poll
ticians or to win territory. They have
nothing to gain pr the continent OF
Europe. Their one desire. was to wash
their hands Of our squabbles and trou-
in? BECAUSE this is a high cause, and
they realize this 10 q moral wal. That
Il the reason we have to 60 on. There
are many people who say, make
terms Of peace You would be I'M
true to the highest ideals Of human
ity II you listened to any such coun-
sells an that. We have to 81 until
we have secured the objects we are
lighting for-not for tho spoils OF VIC
tory, but for the sake Of generations
yet unborn.
Before the war the =: M; G. a.
1epsslf sod to If ee' sass u a. and ! ala ala
good work in many spheres OF public
life, but with the war 1t has become
transformed. It has developed into
q great national institution. It has
become one Of the most powerful as
sets in this country in prosecuting
certain indispensable sides Of the war.
You can follow its work both at home
and abroad. At home we hear OF
1t in the. munition areas. on the rail-
ever q body. Of persons working in
connection with the war are gathered
"Abroad, you have only to cross the
| channel to any theater OF war to ma
at military bases, or behind the lines
at the front, institutions, tents. huts,
reading rooms and play rooms OF the
association. Nor must we imagine
for n moment that they hide hem IN.
fighting line, in almost immediate
proximity to the trenches, you will
find them.
you will ind tham IL you 80 to
France and Flanders, whore our mon
are lighting valiantly at the present
time; you will fnd them at 6alonica.
where they receive our men a. they
come back from the malarial swamps;
you win find them doing their work
tut that at this moment associa-
ton is instituted at Bagdad, and In
| Palestine, where at this moment our
men are knocking at the gates OF
Casa. We may hear Of them in Jeru-
salem, The Y. M. c. A. has FASH
toned a girdle Of mercy and loving
kindness round the world in this war.
It will be a record that will stand to
their credit as long a. the memory
Of this war exists.
ut Is not merely the philanthropic
work that is performed by the Assoc
citation that must appeal to Us. I
think we may say that their opera
tons cover the spiritual side OF the
warfare in which we are engaged.
| Some Of you may be surprised to hear
me use the word spiritual In connec-
tion with anything so dreadful az war:
War is at any time coarse n
too often in the past, from the pas
sions Of peoples or the ambitions OF
kings. and assuredly no war In his
tory has been in way NOR coarse
and more brutal than this. It has
been so for several reasons; firstly.
because Of the enormous scale on
which 1t Ii being waged; second. be-
cause Of the devilish eneginee that
are now being devoted by the inven-
tons Of science to the prosecution
Of war: and, third, and mainly be-
cause Of the character Of the enemy
With whom we are lighting. War.
as 1t exists In his hands, a. developed
by him, 10 not only coarse and brutal,
but 1t II ungodly and inhuman. Yet.
at the same time. may We not say
that whilst from the point OF view !
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