Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-06-28
INASMUCH.

last few days 10 ma large HuInDei
of private letters which have come
from different parts of the battlefields
of France to American friends. Most
of them were written by ministers and
missionaries. The story of destruction
and of the suffering which they tell
fully confirms all that we have been
hearing in this country about the raw
lagos of the German army, about the
utter ruin which has been left in their
wake, and the sufferings of the people.
No one can read these letters and the
reports which come from Belgium
from Armenia and elsewhere without
having his soul so burdened with pity
and sympathy as to make him feel that
no sacrifice which can be made by
American people will be great enough
to alleviate the horrors OF the situation
and save the millions of women and
children and aged men, who in rags,
are literally dying of starvation.
No one can look upon the pictures
which are sent from these scenes of
sadness without being stirred to the
deepest emotion of his nature. But
emotions will not help. Sympathy is
! good in its place, but sympathy which
does not reach deep enough to affect
the pocketbook is yalueless. Indeed,
the sympathy which does not go deep
enough to literally compel one to
lessen personal expenditures or fam
lily expenses to sacrifice till it is felt,
in order to save that he may give, will
count for naught.
We are being called upon as no peo-
pie on the face of the earth ever were
70 give not only out of our abundance.
but to give out of sacrifice and close
pinching of our own expenses in order
that we may save the dying ere it is too
Hate. We have lived so long in our
accustomed way, far from the scenes
Of war, that we have grow somewhat
callous as to the calls which come for
help. We have looked to other people
to carry on the work of the Red Cross
and to furnish the money with which
to feed the starving people of Belgium
and Serbia and Armenia and of the
Ioyerrun sections of France which have
been redeemed from the curse and
pollution of Germany's army Our
hearts have been somewhat touched as
I'VE have heard of the suffering of the
French and Belgians, of the Christians
in Armenia, of the dying women and
children in Serbia, and of the agony OF
those who without food or shelter
: stretch out their bony hands and ask
us to help, but how much has anyone
OF us done to help save the perishing?
If we do not give, and give as nc
other nation on earth ever gave, we
shall deserve, as no other nation ever
; deserved, except it be Germany. the
punishment of the Almighty.
If We fail to hear the cry of the
starving and the dying women ant
E children, if We fail to sacrifice in order
that we may save and give, we shall BIZ
4 utterly unworthy as individuals and a.
: a nation even to have the privilege o.
thanking God for his blessings to us
: and asking that he continue to bless
4 our nation These poor and helpless.
ones are just as much our neighbor,
as though they lived next door. We car
hear the cry of the starving baby ant
o. the mother in her agony who cal
I find no food with which to nourish it
| 1t is the cry of the helpless; the CT!
$ OF humanity to live; the cry of. tn,
2 starving for bread-even crust, ant
yet we go on living, our accustome,
: lives, sacrificing little or nothing il
q order that we may help others w
I are wasting where we should be say
ing, and by closer economy AM
: self-sacriice we could give enough t,
+ save millions. But our hearts hav