Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-15
HAS WORDS
Of PRAISE FOR "
BOYSAT THE FRONT
REV. CHeSSMAN CALLS UPON
FLOCK TO HELP GREAT WORK
NOW BEING CARRIED ON IN
BATTLE CAMPS OF EUROPE.

Lust HiSnl 1T Inc bdpllSl thul'n
Rev. &. W Chessman spoke on The
Red Triangle on the Firing Line
lie said in part
I'm Joshua Ill we read And it
came to pass. when all the people
were passed over, that the ark OF tht
Lord passed over This relates to
the children of Israel. in battle array
led by General Joshua. crossing the
Jordan to take the Promised Land.
The ark was Gods presence with
Israel. II was the spiritual arm OF
Israel following the military arm.
We might say today that the spir-
itual arm of our nation is proceeding
the military arm The Y. NJ. C. A.
which is the church at the front, had
its associational huts' in preparation
for the Sammies when Pershinss
troops landed in France The "
was ready for business at each of the
environments when our lads were gath
cred there from all over the union
We have 356 standard association
huts in the United States The boys
writing back home have only praise
for these splendid ministers to the
mind and spirit. They provide re-
creation and a number of comforts
much appreciated by the boys.
in France and Flanders there are
AS branches of the Y NJ. c. A.. most
of which are in the actual war zone
In these huts unarmed secretaries are
doing the work OF real soldiers and
have won the admiration and respect
Of the Tommies and the poilu. Steph
en- Proctor. writing in The Outlook
tells how on one occasion while visit
INK the front, a terrific explosion oc.
Cured just a little way ahead The
shell struck Il hut and demolished it,,
leaving "A tangled mass Of debris In
little while men emerged ana were
brushing the dust from their eyes
and clothes, Mr. Proctor said to his
companion. Narrow escape for those
officers
Not officers, monsieur; Y. NJ. G..
a. men,. was the reply.
q Are they at The front?' asked Mr..
Proctor.
Yes they are everywhere giving
help Those men have no fear
"A shell demolished IA Y hut dur.
ing hot fire and the men crawled
out, one OF rlem fishing the red tri-
angle from the ruins and lacking it up
again on the ruins. A passing sol
der remarked 10 the y man. / would
nj stay here for thousand dollars
asday Neither would |, said the
heroic ~ worker as he resumed his
work of getting the hut repaired for
business
THE Y makes a hit with the tired,
wet men on their way from long
stay in the front trenches Hot coffee
and other little comforts are dis
penscd and it is common for the men,
In recognition OF the service, to give
the Y men rOusing cheers. When the
army advances the ~ advances II
is there on the job If Il soldier wants
a testament he may have it for the
asking. A battalion. on The way to
the first line trenches after partak-
ing Of hot coffee asked the " men
for a bit Of prayer They all kneeled
there in the mud while the secretary
lifted his voice to God in petition.
The Y. NJ. G. a was the agency
that brought Harry Lauder into
France to sing and speak to the boys.
He tells them how the loss of his
boy John at the front was the means
Of leading him to God He urges the
boys to do the right thing in fighting
enemies without and within; to quit
themselves like men.
The demonstrated usefulness of
the ~ at the front has made neccs-
sary an enlargement The allies ask
Tor secretaries and equipment. Rus
STA asks for three hundred secretaries
to work among her sixteen million
soldiers. Last April three million
dollars was deemed sufficient for the
work and now thrty-hve million is
the necessary amount to keep the
work going until July, 1918 Here is
a chance to do our bit in addition 10
subscribing to he second Liberty
Loan"
Christ Church.
Liberty Bond Sunday was OBJ.
served yesterday at Christ Episcopal
church. Judge f. Eldredge spoke at
the morning service urging the PEG.
pie Of the parish to buy bonds The
sermon was preached by Rev. W. T.
Sims. rector of the La Sale Episcoal
church, who exchanged p,lpits with
Rev, G. w. Farrar One of the most
notable features Of the morning serv.
ice was the solo sung by Miss Gladys
Elliott, La Salles talented young
vocalist. Miss Elliott will be the
so1oist again next Sunday morning
First Methodist Church.
Sunday was most satisfactory day
att the First NJ II, church for the be.
ghning of the third year of The paste.
ratc Of the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, Jr
The usual splendid morning congrcga
ton greeted the new minister" and