The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-11-29


wall of bomb proof behind the first
line trenches, speaking Its gospel to
the haggard boys who are holding their
tryst with death; that gospel of purity
which defies the destruction of hostile
shells and rises Respondent even out of
the debris of shattered bomb. proof.
The Red Triangle tent is God-send
to US all. Think of bringing New York
productions end setting them down to
&hat was only cut over piece of tim
berland just three short months ago.
or six straight nights last week liter
ally thousands of soldiers sat under the
spell of Gilbert & Sullivan's operate
triumph. The week before that it was
war play, The White Feather" The
actors are sacrificing their salaries in
order that the admission fee may be
ten cents to all. which, barely covers
overhead expenses.
Last Friday evening, in Building l.
Lieutenant Cheadle told US about the
dreaded typhus which devastated little
Serbia. He was there when the Aus
trian invasion swept that poor little
people off their feet and TUNED the
land intosa wilderness. He went into
details to the scourge, its cause, its
remedy, and how to avoid its coatrac-
ton. Not man left the building who
was not possessed of any information
which may some day save his life.
The other evening we served tea for
group of Alexandria people who are
the real friends of the Y. M. C. A. 1t
was after the building was empty.
They had been spending several hours
inspecting the camp life, and in par
ticular the Y. M. C. A. One of the
gentlemen, whose home is in Cincln-
natl, and who has been exceedingly
sceptical as to the practical value of
! this work, made the statement after
ward that he was going home to put in
his bit for the Y. He knew what they
were doing now, and any time or
money he could give would go right
there | myself never had the faintest
conception before of the possibilities of
this work. 1t simply grips man.
Lest you have the idea that we are
ministering to the material comforts
only of the man, let me say word
about the more lasting work. A de-
tachment of Arkansas Field Hospital
came IN last Thursday. One of the men
Stopped at the desk and said. 1--WE got
the liveliest Bible Class in our company
that they had at Camp Bike. Come on
oyer and see u.s." | went over and dug
out the man who was leading it. He
was High-Private Joe Bateman, Just
rookie, but he was leading twenty four
men every w dnesday night in a dis
cusslon of the book adapted to the needs
and thought of the soldier. The class
was organized by secretary up at
Pike but it held together. They are
just as keen for it down here. 1t goes
with the company over the water. Some
day they may carry Joe Bateman and
drop him in an unmarked grave over
there, but he kept twenty-fOur men to
gether once in every week for dis
cusson of real things, much punctuated
with slang and filled with crude sayings
but genuine to the core. They may
never put CorporaPs cheyrons on his
arm; the King of Glory will place a
crown upon his forehead. And the
generations of the remnant of that
twenty-four will rise up to call him
blessed.
A Rible Class in every company of
men is our simple programme. We are
working at 1t every day. OF course,
it's not wrought in "a little time this
idea we have, but its ultimate realiza-
ton IS far from an impossibility. We
are not going to tell you about the diff
ficulties. That's part of our little job
in the game. We are not depending on
human strength to put this programme
over. Every morning the group of
secretaries gather to kneel before the
throne of Him who is the Captain of the
Host. There we work out our plans
for the day. and get little taste from
the spring of life. The Captain has
never failed US. There is neither boast
nor arrogance in the secretary's heart
as he plunges into the daily routine, but
the quiet confidence of the man who has
asked His Father to help him do his
job that day and received that Fathers
81 will "
There goes the first notes of Assem-
bly,. The men are turning out. A
chill November day ls saying goodbye
to the warm southern sun. A long line
of men stand at attention down the
company street. The bugler sounds the
Retreat. Thousands of right arms 20
up in salute. A flag comes reverently
down. The Star Spangled Banner"
comes over the twilight air to the Sec
rotary as he sits in his little room. The
pen poises over the linss of ink. Oh, it