The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-08-08
A LETTER FROM n. z. TAYLOR


July 2, 1918.
Mr.. J. W. Herndon,
Berea, Ky, U. S. A.
My Dear Friend
When making my way stealthily
back to headquarters by train to
night. creeping along in the dark
ness -. and darkness IL was, for
train coaches here are not lighted,
excepting by a sickly taper in one
corner, and that camouflaged with
blue glass; suddenly discovered
that | had time 10 think. NV no
ments Of home reflection are always
in the wake Of certain dear soul,
somewhere in America" with whom
I have ambled arm in arm for
twenty years, but as we consumed
about eight hours in travelling less
than three hundred kilometers, IA
bilomcter is u Of a mile, I had a
few minutes for continued renec-
ton, and who should pop into my
mind but you
always use the word "kilometer,"
as IL sounds much farther than a
mile and seems 10 obviate the ne
cessity Of apology for slowness Of
travel, but caution is a good motto
for countries at war.-It seems i'm
possible that only three months
have passed since | landed on this
war-stricken continent, as I have
lived the experiences Of several
life-times during this brief period.
have not become so hardened 10
suffering, Sadness and misfortune. as
TO yet preclude my occasionally turn
ing aside. and weep alone, and |
trust | never shall. Some Of the
scenes are nerve-racking, but such
is war.
am engrossed in the executive
end Of an enormous piece Of goth
century Christian machinery, and
while see many imperfections. just
as anyone might in any great organi-
zation. still ! see so much that is
praiseworthy and commendatOry in
the actual work accomplished, that
feel richly rewarded for the strug-
gle and sacrifice in breaking home
ties and giving a years service n
so noble an undertaking. can't
conceive Of any organization, reli-
gious or otherwise, which would
have accomplished what the YM.C.A.
has in So short a time. Were il
not for these encouragements along
the way, should be tempted oc-
casionally 10 be overwhelmed by
the gloom which one instinctively
feels and has the right 10 expect,
but which, strangely enough, is
kept in the background.
These French are a wonderfully
brave people and when they meet
us Americans here. who have come
Ia help in their great struggle, their
favorite expression is: Nous SOM
mes amis.' I'VE are friends.
| stood at one of our landing ports
a few days ago. as ten thousand OF
our husky, red-blooded American
boys came marching Off the old
~Seaworthy," which had landed
them on schedule time. They were
whistling over There and | thot
Of these lines of Milton:
Heaven from all men hides the
book Of fate
All but the page prescribed
their present state"
for a picture came before me, Of
only a week before, when three
train loads of poor suffering manned
humanity, many for life, were de-
posted here at a hospital for such
help as could be given. recall
particularly a poor fellow with both
arms Off close 10 the shoulder, and
one leg of below the knee. OF
course, my sight is fairly good in
both eyes. therefore see much
that is humorous in the extreme,
and hoard up these funny ex-
periences 10 tell the poor burdened
fellows who need the lighter vein,
We have now over three thous-
and secretaries here as ambassadors
Of good cheer and hard work Natur-
ally. we get some rlemons," but
after all, life is a series of readjust-
ments, and that's our job.
We hre being bombed and raided
night and day, but that don't scare
a Presbyterian.
Wish we had your business iudg-
ment over here-we lneed strong
men for this proposition, and, thank
God. some big ones are here.
With much love 10 Mrs. HerndOn,
the boys and Bette, ! am
Very cordially yours.
Howard f.. Taylor.
Personnel Division.