Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-11
C0RHAM PASTOR WRITES
WORK AMONG TONNES

| Gorham. Me. July 1o.-(SpeCiaD .-Prin-
cipal W. E. Russell, of the Gorham
State Normal school, has received an in
tensely interesting letter from Rev. Hen
/ ry II. Crane, pastor of the Method st
church in Gorham, who is doing religious
work for six months for the Y u. c. A.
| among the military camps in England.
The letter touches on different side OF
army life than is covered in the daily d.s-
, patches from the front. With Mr.. Crane
is Rev. Walter John Sherman of Win
throp, Mass, who is also known in Maine
because of revival work he has done Eere.
The German air raids over England
cause extreme terror, Mr.. Crane says,
, even among the soldiers He arrived at
one camp just half an hour after there
had been a raid and the men were still so
frightened that evening that it was use
less to attempt to hold the usual meeting.
Many Of the soldiers actually shook with
fear.
Bomb Effects
Wherever a bomb strikes it wipes life
and property right out of existence, the
ruin being more than can be imagined I'M
less one has seen 1t. He also makes
humorous reference to the army rations.
While writing before breakfast. he said
he had a very big appetite Il have had
my breakfast but still have the appetite"
he wrote after the morning meal. But he
does not believe Germany will ever be
able to starve England
In his letter Mr.. Crane says In part:
Its a marvellous series of experiences I
b,1, ~,
sense Of the word. The meetings with
the men have been better than we ever
dared anticipate. We carry on''-as the
English say-every night in the week ex-
cept Friday, and sometimes we speak
twice or even thrice day. Fortunately
we do not have to prepare new dscourses
for each meeting for we speak to a diff
ferent group Of men practically every
night More and more, however. the men
at headquarters are arranging our sched-
ule so that we may get to speak to the
same men at least twice or three times.
Everything is quite different from
what l had anticipated: better, for the
most part, so far as we personally are
concerned, 1. e. with regard to the COM
parative ease with which we get splendid
hearings. with regard to the response of
the men, with regard to conditions in
which we live; but infinitely worse than
ever had been able to anticipate in re-
spect to army conditions. the irremedia-
BILE results of this unnatural life, the sod
den sordidness Of the dull. draining, de-
moralizing daily drudgery. 1t takes one
grand gigantic leap of faith to see the
ultimate victory Of righteousness when
surrounded on every side by the blackness
of this damnable war business The devil
is certainly having his innings these
days, and as Is the habit of his majesty.
he's making the very most of his oppor
tunity.
Attitude Of Men
THE attitude Of the men, war-wearv
and well-nigh callous to misery from ex
cess Of agony. has been a veritable eve
opener to me. When l want to strength
en- my hope I talk for a while with the
Tommies-strange as that might seem.
when find myself filled with a sickening
despair, 1t Is just after have talked with
some clergyman, some chaplain, some So
called ordained religious leader-for al
most without exception these men are
filled with bitterness and a hatred that
is terrible to see voicing anathemas
against the accused Hun has become
with them, 1t seems, such a necessary and
deiectable thing as to have become a re-
iigious obligation involving much merit
in its performance
To come in vital contact with all these
Inherent types Of men, coming from all
walks Of life. thinking along lines pre-
determined by previous environment
and trainng-to live with these man .na
come to know them as it has been NV
privilege to do is to have an experience
OF inestimable value
I'm in a hut now looking on, IN
dusty. baking-hot drill field. The dav e.