The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-19

CSUCy anu V"S'SsS''SS''.
Young Americans Impresses New.
coner-Mothers Would 30 Proud
Of Them. E:,.'.' "a.
BY MAMMALIAN FOSTER. :
A churchgoer OF the ordinary. old
fashioned kind would be bit puz-
zled, no doubt, If he were to see the
way the American army in France
observes the Sabbath day: Sundays
over here are not the same sort one
is accustomed to at home. Even the
most religious among our fighting men
have widened their views regarding
the Sabbath. (, ~, 49,"
Understand now, this does not
mean that our boys have grown un-
godly. 1t is the very opposite. rath-
er. The first thing that impresses
the newcomer, in spite Of what he
may have heard at home, Is the strik-
ing decency and wholesomeness OF
this host of young Americans. France,
In fact, has marveled at our soldiers
'self-restraint; for no matter what HIS
tory has to say of other great bod
les of armed men, our boys have con-
Quoted themselves in q way to make
their mothers proud. So, even
though It be said that their attitude
toward Sunday has altered, this does
not mean-far from it, indeed-that
it has altered for the worse. 1t
means merely that among them Sum
day is not devoted entirely to re-
ligious observances. Here, If you
like, is a picture of one Sabbath in
France. "rys $751;
The place is up in the Luneville
sector. That Sunday the sun was
shining. glowing down with a dazzling
radiance on The Towering fields and
hills behind the lines Out in front,
q bare three kilometers away, was
the ugly, scared zigzag of the 'front.'
line trenches, the one blemish on the
landscape as far as the eye could
see. .'r|.>. q. ...
Insurance Man Leads.
Near by, the little town, hardly
more than a village. and now bat
tered by the Huns bombs and shells,
lay peaceable and quiet In the morn.
ing air. Presently one heard a
burst Of song, that good old hymn,
"Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me-" It
rose on the quiet air, propelled from
hundred or more sturdy lungs. The
source of 1t was a Y. NJ. G. A. field
hut, now tenanting what once had
been a blowsy drinking place. In
side morning services were going on.
The leader Of the services was
former Buffalo IN. ~ real estate
and insurance man. He was not
preacher, he never had been one, but
the war had imposed on him this
new duty. The services were brief.
but they were earnest.
After they had finished it the ex.
tempore pastor gave them little talk.
There was, nothing SNUG about it,
nothing mealy-mouthed. It was just
bingbang sort Of an allocution such
as might have been heard In an ath-
letic field dressing room between the
two halves Of varsity football
match. sz-....- .,yxs ..-....,...
After*ard the amateur pastor gave
them his benedictfon, sort Of
Heres luck, fellows" valedictory. A
moment later one saw the insurance
man, relieved from his spiritual du.
ties, dispensing chocolate, chewing
gum and cigarettes at the other end
of the hut.
These were the mornings religious
services. At one o'clock the insur-
ance man was ut It again. ,.
His chapel now had moved from
the former buvette to a bigger, more
cOmmodious temple world
of out-of-doors. The insurance mans
talk was homely bit about the
Holy Writ. But the boys-there
were SO of them now-listened with
silent interest. ,''Get. it," inquired
the insurance man. Yes; they got it.
The ut" was something about an
other preacher who went upon a
mountain, and what he said to q mul.
titude. ".4... -. 49,.
Just Innocent Fun.
At two o'clock the ~" man was
back in his hut. The hut. by then,
had begun to I'll. Presently the ''Y''
man, with a grin, called the place to
order. ,,...s = g.. ....
"The first event on the program"
he announced, Twill be four-round
bout, Spike Anderson versus Bat
ting Biz Roberts. Shake hands,
First round! Timer l,..,
A trio Of buck and wing dancers
followed, after which there was a
song, very topical one. Then a
recitation, "Oh 1ronsides at Anchor
Lay" The hit, Of the occasion,
though, was a real, simon.pure glass.
eater, young private from neigh.
boring unit.
So, for three hours passed the Sun
day afternoon. A queer Sabbath
some will say; vet what Of it? One
was certain Of its innocence.
That night, when the writer was
"a his way back through the town.
there rose from within a ~" hut A
rOusinp chorus az voires T,hov