The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-10-22
Nor PopuH.
THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR
ALL GERMAN-AMERICNS,


Editor Pensacola Journal.
Just before the Revolutionary pc.
Rod there was large and prosper
Gus settlement of Germans IN Vlr-
ginia, the main body of which was
located at Woodstock. Their leader
in all things, spiritual as well as tenn
poral, was the capable and beloved
and influential pastor, Muehlenberg.
Muehlenberg had been a soldier IN
the German army and had been I'D
orally educated. He ard the mem
bers of his congregation had MI
grated to America to escape the un-
satisfactory conditions of Germany
The battle of Lexington had been
fought, and then the battle OF Bunker
Hill. During the month of May the
settlers were thunderstruck and
dunbfounded when a courier passed
through the settlement announcing
that Pastor Muehlenberg was TO
leave them and for all of his parish
toner's to foregather on the next Sab
bath at the main church house for
his farewell service.
The service began. Muehlenberg
spoke touchingly of the past-the
long and dangerous journey across
the Atlantic and the privations of
the first years of settlement. He
also spoke of the prosperity that had
crowned their efforts. He spoke of
the prayers of the past. Then he
told them the time of prayer had
passed away and that the time to
fight had come; and, so saying, he
took off his ecclesiastical vestments
and stood there before them, grand,
tall and handsome, in the uniform
of a Virginia colonel He led his
congregation out into the church
yard. The recruiting drum was beat
Toner Joined for the fight of free
dom. Within two months .Muehlen-
berg led a whole regiment to Boston
and rendered his services to Wash
ington. Muehlenberg and his Ger
mans stood by Washington.
The great test period of the Revo-
luton came. THE patriotic cause
seemed hopeless. 1t seemed they
would be crushed. Many patriots
weakened by hunger and privations
and the apathy of the general public
in not supporting the army, aban-
doned Washington. On the march to
the winters quarters at Valley Forge,
many of the soldiers feet were then
clothed only in rags and they left
their bloody foot prints on the frozen
ground. One day, Muehlenberg, him.
self sore and troubled. walked down
to the creek. He heard a voice in
clump of bushes, and, following it up,
he saw George Washington. the
Father of Our Country, kneeling in
the snow and with tears streaming
down his cheeks praying that the
Great Giver Of Liberty should not
forsake the American cause. VAST
ington and Muehlenberg had always
been most intimate friends, and no
doubt Muehlenberg n1inistered: solace
to the aching heart of the Matchless
Leader of the Americans.
After the war, Muehlenberg entered
politics, and upon him rests the honor
of having been the first speaker. of
our National House of Representa-
tives.
have visited the national ceme-
teries on many battlefields and have
there found in large percentage the
names of German origin: Some. no
doubt, the lineal sons of those heroes
of the Revolution. During our war
between the states the Germans of
the north were true to their country,
and the same is also true of the Ger
mans settled in large numbers from
Dallas and Fort Worth, Tex, south
ward to the Gulf. They were also
true to their cause.
But the German-Americans need
no eulogiuna, for the bones of their
brave sons lie whitening on every
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