The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-17
\. NJ. c. y. REACHES MEN
Hy Means of Needed Service O,.,,u
zation Gets Close TO So,dicr.

III" mas peen well demonstrated -,
Camp Sheridan Montponer,, \,
"here the Ohio National Guard troor.
are located. During the weeks or oo
tober IA and y when tho r,o.,
the 145th and 146th infantr,.
pald the f secretaries in the bui,d
ing serving these men wrote n,oro
than thirteen thousand dollars wort,
OF money orders. Many of the mon
VINO thus sent their pay back home
where it was needed were not only
encouraged in thrift but were saved
from the temptation Of gambling
The value of this latter service was
schown in this camp by an inciden
which occurred on pay day. A "y,,
secretary was standing near whero
group of soldiers We're shooting Grams
One of the soldiers stepped out of the
crowd and came over to the secretary
Handing the "Y" man his pay. the SOL
dier said: Here, keep this money
Tor me. Last pay day I lost every
cent I had rolling the bones and as
result my wife back home was OBJ
liged to go without the necessities
which she should have had ;,
secretary suggested better plan
Come over to the building and let's
write money order and send this
money home to your wife while YOU
still have it," he suggested and In
soldier willingly complied and thank
ed the secretary for the idea. As
result his wife received twentv-fv.
dollars in the mail next day, the sol
der keeping only five dollars for him.
self out Of his whole months pay.
Any one who would like to see the
lame leaping for joy" interpreted
physically should accompany one of
the ~" secretaries some day to the
base hospital at Camp Sheridan.
Each day n serious attempt is made
to bring wholesome entertainment to
the men who are in the hospital as
result Of accident or illness. Fac!
day the secretary carries to the hos
pital stamps, stationery and other lit
tie things which the men appreciate.
AS a result it is possible to do a grea,
many things for these men that would
otherwise be impossible One soldier
who was in the hospital with a Sc
rious bullet wound and had bee:
given aid on different occasions, ask
ed the "Y" man to pray for him tn.
! right and again be able to reioin his
company. At the conclusion of the
prayer this lad remarked: IF l ever
get out of here you can count on me
to take more active part in your
" dOings." And when this man
finally did recover he made good and
is now one Of the leading workers il
the Bible classes at the "Y."
AT the close of one of the evenin
meetings in this same building :.
Camp Sheridan a big, handsome Obi
boy came up to the desk and asked
for some paper and ink. After h,
had been served he continued t,
hang around as though he had some.
thing he wished to say. The secre-
tary noticed this and engaged him ia
conversation on general subjects
Soon the soldier boy was telling his
story He said he had been a taxi
driver and had lived a rather careies
life but he had decided TO live on
different basis. This is the first re
ligious service 1 ever attended" h.
said, Il just came over here with
some Of the boys to write some letter
and merely happened to he I'm Tin,
building when that man started I,
speak. He was so interesting | HAD
to stay and hear all he said and hr
words certainly went home to me. II
told me things 1 had never though.
OF. / am going to write to my gir
she need not worry any more abou,
my getting into any trouble. She has
been mighty good to me and / shall
try to be worthy OF her. Neither w.
my folks at home need TO be trouble
about my wildness any more" Ht
ended by saying the army had alread!
proven a Blessing to him for in it n
had found the Y. VI. G. A., through
which he had found n great friend
and the way to higher life.
1T Is to continue this sort OF worl;
among the soldiers and sailors a;
home and overseas that the Associa-
ton is conducting Il nation wide cam
paign for funds from November II TO