The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-07
HAPPIEST MOMENT
IN A MANS LIFE
(By Wallace Hull Miller of The Vigil
antes.l

tBy Wallace Hull Miller of The Vigil
antes.1
The happiest moment in mans III
should be the moment when he puts OF
United States uniform and offers him
self to his country and to humanity. i
lis at this moment that he feels the great
lest thrill in his life--the thrill of Amer
icanism
These words need very little amplifica
tion. Think moment on their signifi
Icance and the consistent historic truth
represented by them
Can you stand on Plymouth rock or
Bunker Hill without your blood eoursing
faster? Can you read the story of Dan
sIiel Boone and the long list of sturdy
pioneers who drove back the savage
lhordes and pushed forward the horizon
of civilization; e n you recall the stir
ring career of John Paul Jones and the
kalient men of the infant navy who
cleared the seas and made them safe for
the Stars and Stripes can you recall the
dash and daring Of Stephen Decatur and
ibis associates, who broke the power of
Tripoltan pirates and won the way for
the freedom of shipping; can you tell
your children about Washington and his
patriotic armies that gave life and vi
Etality and power to the Declaration of
Independence, without this thrill of
lAmericanism?
This is the wonderful story that runs
Through the whole fabric of our national
life, the story of the persistent, courage
ous, self sacrificing fight, often against
discouraging odds, for human freedom
land the right of the individual to make
the most of himself. We tell of the fear
HUI struggle of the Civil war with its in.
tense heroism, Abraham Lincoln and the
birth of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Can't you see the children thrill as they
listen and their eyes grow bright with
Hhe thought that they, too, are American
citizens?
And all this panorama of splendid
achievement and fighting for right. JUS
Hice and equality is but background of |
the present world struggle in which we
have our part as comrades of the nations |
that are unfolding the things most dear
TO mankind What timid, pitiful figure ,
5s he who shrinks from the sound of the |
fray and hears not the glorious call to
the colors, the summons to do mans |
work in all Americans way!
Thank God, the spirit Of our fathers
still lives exultant, athletic purposeful
and determined
This day | received letter from 4
friend training in Fort Ethan Allen in
Vermont. This friend is youth who
has all that life can give, wealth. edu-
ration, social and business standing, vet
he gladly responded to the call for vol
nnteers and writes this glowing word
after weeks in camp:
This training is already making finer
men of us. We are learning that we
must risk and give of all we have to save
and rebuild men, and instinetively we
are all starting out ourselves, and are
working TO our utmost to so shape our
lives that we can do this work and do it
fearlessly and well when we 60 to France
In short we, are trying to build up a
spirit of living and thinking which is as
far as possible in accord with the ideals
for which we are fighting. The result is
we are building a camp of serious mind y
ed, clean living men of true OPTIMISM !
md we hope of Christians. We are going
into this war not in the spirit of killing
Though killing must be donel, but only :
in the spirit OF service and with the high !
est ideals of giving to Others. | firmly '
believe that any man with the right stuff I
in him who enters this work and will
override the privations and sacrifices he u
must make, will come out far better v
nan than when he enlisted And while e
appreciate what enlistment may mean.
also know that if any man sees it as $
MS duty to his country and his God to $
light for liberty and Christianity he will ?
be the happiest man in the world when h
re puts on United States uniform and b
,ives himself to Uncle Sam" I
Heaven help and pity you if you can a
cad that without feeling the thrill of :
adiant Americanisml c