Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-15
AMERICANS ARE
PIOUS FIGHTERS
Revelations to Former Moline Pas
ter Show Tank as Kind, Broth
erly and GOd-Fearing.

at may seem incomprehensible
to a pacifist OF dogmatic theologue,
but many OF these fighting men are
FtruIy pious and all sincerely believe
! in God" writes H. 8. Willing, for
mer pastor Of the Union Congrega-
tiOnal church Of Moline and now
/ Dung Mems Christian association
worker with the American forces
/ in France. "In an environment
/ where ali the emphasis is laid on
/ Kill. XIII. KILL the only explain
alton IS that these men are gladly
/ Offering their all On what they be-
! liere to be the altar Of eternal
+ right"
| Dir. Willing has been for some
! time on the AIsace-Lorraine and
Italian battle fronts and has made
d detailed study Of the spiritual
/ life OF the men fighting in the al
/ lied forces. The contents Of the
| letter is an Interesting display OF
some OF the more interesting things
which have been revealed to him.
| Over here" he writes, 'herOism
/ is tamely commonplace. Every man
! is either a potential hero, beyond
! the widest range of imagery, or he
! is an uDspOtted yellow dog, and
such are rare-either canine or
/ human. 1t is amazing how the
pressure of war. the life or death
/ grapple, stitulates the latent poten-
7 tialities of apparently mediocre
men"
/ The former Moline pastor de-
/ cLares that he is experiencing the
excitement he dreamed OF and in
addition is having his hearts de-
sire fulfilled as to choice of work.
/ 4 had a slight encounter with a
/ U-bOat on the way over" he says,
a wonderful trip up the Gironde
river to Bordeaux, then a delight
fuI trip to Paris in the funny little
/ French cars. After about two
/ weeks there VIC started for Alsace-
( Lorraine on a fve-ton truck.
I cannot tell you about affairs
{ there, but it was war It gives one
/ a queer sensation to. hear the whine
Of a big explosion overhead and
/ then see another tear a hole il the
I earth as big as q stone quarry. And
not know but what the next one
may hit you square in the ttummy.
J No one sleeps the first As hours IN
der fire.
+ They may not - afraid, may
have no sense of fear, may even be
in q frame Of mind where they do
/ not care-but still they would net
/ sleep.
I Men seem to be haunted by the
PRAYERS and affeCtionate expecta-
tions of their friends over there.
! They are unusually kind and broth
erly. though rough Not only does
/ the fellowship Of suffering manifest
! itself in mutual self-sa cFifice, but
I the strange atmosphere Of war, the
/ proximity Of death. constantly re
minds men Of the beautiful stand
ards once erected before the moral
/ sensibilities were blunted and scar
red by years of neglect.
/ mo one doubts the patriotism Of
/ American soldiers. but find among
I them another sentiment, manifest,
though often cruIaly expressed It
/ transcends patriotism yet it is in
/ perfect accord with it.
"Thev feel that they are fighting
not merely to cover Old Glory with
fresh glory, not only TO maintain
the majesty of our government, not
only to overthrow 9 rein carnateG
/ Butcher Wcyler, Tamerlane and
Nero combined, not even to aid our
struggling allies in a righteous
cause
They feel that civilization is al
stake. They feel, in a vague way,
that it is their duty and privilege
10 usher in a naw and better era,
when no more from want and sor-
row Wen hear the helpless cry, but
strife shall cease and perfect peace
shall flourish by and by"