The Irish standard., 1918-10-26
father WALLACE GAVE up
HIS LIFE FOR COUNTRY

Rev. Edward ]. Wallace, of Brook
Ign, who died in France recently, was
the first priest in the United States to
give his life for his country and pos
sibly the first clergyman. Father Wal
lace died Of the effects of gassing sus-
tanned While ministering to the dying
on the battlefield. Father Wallace
was commissioned a First Lieutenant
on September 81, 1917, and sailed for
France last May. lie was son of
Mrs. Mary Wallace, of 1868 Dean
street, Brooklyn, and served as chap
lain at Fort Hamilton, N. Y, for a
while after his ordination. He spoke
eight languages fluently and was
skilled musician and composer. Father
Wallace was thirty-three years old
and seemed to have a premonition of
his death, the following letter to his
mother and sister, Mary, being sent
to Rev. John H. Long, of st. Johns
College, to be delivered in the event
of his death:
"In the name of the Father, and
of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
My Dearest Mother and Sister, Mary:
AS l write these lines I am under
orders to go into the danger zone,
and l want you to know that my
thoughts and feelings are of you and
that dearest spot on earth called home
have commended myself to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, which has been
my greatest comfort and consolation
all through life. Next to God, l owe
you, dearest mother and sister, all
that l am. Your good and holy life
was model which strove to initiate
Your love and teachings led me to
Gods altar, and in my own way l
have tried to follow your holy coun-
sci. God has been exceeding kind to
me in giving me first such a mother
and sister and choosing me to be one
of his disciples. l have tried to full
fiji my duties as priest of God to the
best of my ability. Realizing my
many shortcomings and defects, /
humbly ask Gods pardon if l have
offended Him in any way. l have
found a refuge of consolation in his
Divine Heart in life, and l have the
same hope that He will grant me an
eternal refuge in the Sacred Heart
in Heaven.
"If God so will, dearest mother and
Mary, that l should be called home
to Him, do not grieve for me nor muir
muir against His holy will. Remember
He gave me to you and has an alb
solute right to call me when and
where it may please Him. One could
not all in more BEAUTIFUL cause than
to die for my God and my country
AS l write can hear and see the
glare of the cannon. Yet have no
fear since God is my protector. have
always remembered you, dearest
mother, and Mary every day at the
altar. The happiest hour of the day
was at holy mass, and oh, what a
comfort and consolation my priest
hood has been. can never sufficiently
thank God for his kindness to me in
giving me vocation to the priest
hood. He has blessed me with many
kind friends, and want to convey my
sincerest thanks to them ALL If
have ever grieved you, dearest mother
and sister, know you have long since
forgiven me. The same forgiveness
hereby ask of any whom I have Of
Tended. Should l be called to God
ask their prayers. | ask that you in
form the priests to have three masses
said for my soul.
Dearest mother and sister, have
already told you of my love for my
regiment and my work among my sol
der boys. They have been a comfort
and consolation to me. I can't tell
you too much of what splendid fel
| lows they are, and ! know they will
be credit to their church and coun
! try. These are my thoughts, dearest
| mother, and 1 have requested Father
Long to deliver this note to you in
case am called home. With fondest
love and affection 1 commend you
dearest mother, sister, to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus.
Lovingly, your son and brother,
FIR. Ed"
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