El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-11-15

The heroic fighters OF France? There are
about 100000 French troops, and there
are som 5000 camps where the Young
Mems Christian association would be heart
lily welcomed by prominent officials. They
ask the association to send over at least
500 thoroughly capable American secre-
taries.s Some have already sailed. Others
about a hundred c~enters, with the nope
that 1t will be extended to at least q
thu sand.
No wonder, too, that a seasoned fighter
like General Hugh Scott, late chief of staff,
and a member OF the Root commission
TO Russia, says Of the proposed Young
MEMS Christian association work 10 that
country: 1T appeals to me as an Amer.
.cln. as a soldier, and as a Christian. 1t
will help the Russians and it will also
heir u.s." Siuce the war began Russia has
cal!eu to the colors over 5000, 0OJ men.
About half that number are now serving.
III lew Of the unsettled conditions in I,us
Ella. re intrctu ton Of the Young Mems
Christian ASSOCIATION should mako both
for an Immediately greater working nil
tary efficiency and a more triumphant
sbA@ NaAoh6 sht oOidiCib do . Cd ludhO
for future fruitage. Leading officials in
state. church and the army welcome the
work already started at several points to
TO which American leaders are being sent.
Italy, where the work has already a
foothold, now sends a special call. For,
with Germans now on Italian soil, Italy
needs %heartening. Mr.. Francis Bowes
Sayre, President Wilson's so~nin-law, has
iricf rofr,rnada from !tn1u uvhara ba bao toa,,
influential in starting and maintaining the
work at many points. Leaders recognized
by the military authorities are urging the
sending of some 200 more secretaries.
Finally, there is the work among the
100000 or more prisoners of wal through
out the warrng countries. Think what it
means to them, concentrated in confined
areas, to be distracted from that confine-
ment-to be organized for athletics or
games or classes, to get clothes and books
and writing material, a chance at some
musical instrument, and particularly to
find help towards the consultations OF
their own religions.
The emphasis put upon entertainment
may nave led a few to doubt whether
1.-THE Young Mems Christian association is
really doing much aggressive religious
work in the camps. OF course. welfare
work. will be done. But the religious
problem is just as much a case of close
grips-of fearlessly naming the things that
ruin, of surely naming the power that
helps.
There is no time to lose. Conventional
ways of evangelism may be inapplicable,
for the very reason that war has swept
away conventions and has left only realt-
ties. In soldier audiences" says the
National War Work council of the Young
Mems Christian associations, where all
alike have made some tremendous sacri.
flee, it no longer sounds foolish for men
to be talking of One who made it his
supreme business to sacrifice" Direct re-
ligious influence, however, is more effect
lively exerted among soldiers by personal
contact and in Bible classes than in
public meetings.
1t should be added that through these
classes the distribution of the million
Testaments which the American Bible So
ciety supplies free to the Young Mems
Christian association is chiefly managed.
The plan of scattering Testaments indis-
criminately through tents and barracks is
a mistaken zeal. The story about the
soldier who possessed a collection of seven
Testaments, presented to him by differ.
ent societies, is probably no baseless ru-
NOR, any more than is that of the hanks
of another for the extra-good cigarette
paper afforded by the Testament pages.
Hence the association gives Testaments
only where there is a serious wish to have
them.
There is such desire. There is plenty
of it. AS a private said the other day:
There's nothing like this soldering bust
ness to make a fellow think about God"
Never has such an opportunity come
to keep men straight in the service to
which they have committed their lives.
Last spring the Young Mems Christian
association began it's war work by rails.
ing several million dollars for necessary
expenses. But the work has grown by
leaps and bounds. For the work among
the army and navy men in this country
to July l., 1918, a dozen millions will be
needed, and more for our army and navy
men overseas. The work in Russia will
demand over $4,000 0 that in France
over $2,0 100000, that in Italy over $1,000
900, and that in the prisoner-of-war camps
at least 81, OOO,0 0 There will also inevi-
tably be expansions not now taken into
account. IA
The cost of other phases of the war to
our government, 1t is estimated, exceeds
$780, 100000 a day. Is it, then, too much
to ask that for the Young Mems Christian
war work of the greater part
of a year we should contribute the neces-
sary sS5, 900 900? In the eight days from
IL to November IS, inclusive.
the association is planning to raise thig
great sum.
1t Will mean sacrifice on the part or
givevs. But is not the sacrifice