The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-11
Do NgII NHIHE
N LETTERS 10
BOYS N CAMP
DIR. Broomfeld breaches of
Impressions Gained While
With Soldiers
IS CLOSER TO GOD
Says Folks Back Home Must
Also Gain in Their
Faith.

Let the letters to the boys in camp
bristle with optimism said Rev. J. c.
Bloomfield. D. D. in addressing 200
poole in the Methodist Protestant
Temple on Sunday morning. and do
not let one sentence cause them any
anxiety. If homeioiks write TO them
when things go wrong the result is
that II they cannot get furioUgE
they take French leave and a coUrE
martial follows"
In the way OF introduction D..
Bloomfield said that he was free 10
admit that his morning congregation
was not always as large as it was on
Sunday and he concluded from that
he was addressing the people Of Fair
mont and many who have loved ones
IL the cautonments. His address OF
Sheridan was based on three fuuda-
mental points: "The Dangers Con-
fronting the Church. The Reality
OF Cod ard "The Realty of Sin and
the Efficacy OF The Old Gospel 10
Solve the Question" IN his humble
judgment after the var the church
OF Christ would face It's greatest cri-
sis but he does not fear that GOD
will work out his plan. The speaker
was more afraid for the indiridual;
u thought l knew God intimately.
hat God mesns more TO me today han
he ever did before II l have done
no good in the camp have done one
thing for myself and that IS 10 know
Cos as I never knew Him before.
Why was God more real to me!
AWAY from the comforts OF nome
anG from mans loved ones a sot-
der inclined IN the right direction
has no one else 10 dean on SO God
is his refuge.
Letters from the mothers. sisters
and swee;hearts go to show that Coo
is more inc.ea sngi= real than ever
before. God is more real TO the folks
back home than He ever was before
because they are now living in me
OF anxiety. Frequently soldier boys
come to me and show me their let
tiers. being careful to hold their ha1dT
over the top and bottom. The isse
sentence always deals with God and
the necessity OF lifting up prayers 20
God. While making my rounds IN
the base hospital. where the tubercu
lar patients are located. came across
a hoy inflicted with the white plague
He vas passed by the draft ooara'
b11t the rainy season of the SoutA
had so broken down his heaitn ina t
he was sent down to the base hos
pital. As I entered. the room l no
ticed he had red covered book I'M
der his pillow and'I added. you re
reading the right book" Later he
drew from his pillow a double sheet
OF letter paper. which was sent to
him by his young bride. On this let
ter was written the 121 Psalm. y VIII
life uo mine eyes to the hills. etc
God is increasingly more real. The
young man smiled as he informed me
that he would soon leave for his
home in Columbus, o. These Incl
dents are numerous. Another soldier
boy had a pair Of blankets sent by
his mother. who stated in a letter
that before she had Forwarded then,
that she had put her arms around
them and had prayed that God might
protect her boy.
Touching on the reality, OF sin Dr.
Bloomfield continued: Since have
been in the camp life learned 50
many new varieties OF sin. which IS
due to the fact that there are no NO,
men or children there or the norma
restraint OF society with the result
that they are careless in their habits.
I sometimes feel as IL had been