The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-08-10
CATHOLIC cHAPLA,Ns VS.. ELLIS, THE RELIGIOUS
RAMBLER

Isl,
RAMBLER
In the interests of truth, religion and sense,
some one in authority ought to hand his passports to
America to Rev. William Ellis the Religious Ram
BIER who has undertaken to describe for syndicate of
American newspapers the religious
at the front. MI Ellis speciality is the Y NJ. G. A.
welfare work. but he does hesitate allow his
prolific to rambe entire field the welfare
activities "over there He is evidently intoxicated with
the eXuberance of his verbos and the emanations
Of his overlooking fountain pen we'll calculated to
do serious injury to the which he processes adj
vance-the of religion
According to this efervescent and bubbesome chron
icler the American boys have completely metamo
phosed in spiritual since they have come into
tive warfare. They have entirely off their former
igon beliefs and in state of spiritual fux ready
to be moulded into new faiths and practices after the
termination of hosties. Listen to this graphic and
melodramatc phropecy from the wandering
There clear signs pointing that way. For these
articles have already made clear really startling radical
ism pervades the thinking of the armies and of the chap
lans and Of Young Mems Christian Association workers
who have been long with the troops Conventions have
lost their grip Nobody cootie for orthodoxy
such. Old and old creeds to have succunbed
to the U-boats, other force the way over"
This should prove highly edfying prospect to the
splendid working forces of the NJ c. "A positive and
cocksure admonton to them that they will have their
hands the reconversion of the soldiers in the postbelum
days.
If ones knowledge of the religious activities at the
front derived solely from the folderol communca
lions of Reverend Ellis this conclusion would be newt
able. But happily have abundant testimony which
fatty negatives the sensational and ud forebodngs of
the neurasthenic rambler"
1t took the Reverend Ellis about six months discover
that there other than NJ c. A. welfare actvi
ties being carried the trench fronts But he finally
evidences of the great work of the Knights
of Columbus which has the official status that
the Y M c. A. In his grandoquen and sweeping general
tiles he has included these of subsidiary part
the work of the organization of which his mind
! completely obsessed of proprety might
think would suggest that should publicity
the activities of religious work outside of his fel
to those who familiar with them and com
to appraise them he does not hest
tate to offer his testimony and conclusions regarding
| as we'll the others.
The Catholic soldiers at the front easily comprise
third of the fighting forces and it is quite important ir
the interest of truth we'll religion that they should
be excluded from the blazing generalization of this
fetal observer and meodramatic writer. In flat contra
dction to his lurd portrayas set the calm
careful reports of dozens of Catholic Chapains These
tend to show that the Catholic soldiers least continue
to practice their faith and it's discipline with greater
regularity than ever result of the uncertainty Of what
the coming hour day have in store for them
statements of the Chapains definite and specific
conrasted with those of Ellis who is evidently
ious to create sensation than portray
| of affairs
At rate it is presumptuous and unwarranted his
part to that Catholics in the losing
herence to their old faith and practices The Catholic
Chaains tell us the exact oppositeha the soldiers
to observe all that is proposed their sprua
welfare and discipline
It is not difficult that the Y. NJ c. A. itself will
shortly to realizing of the fact that the
sensational correspondent is working harm and mischie
to its excellent organization.