Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-29
THE Y" In THE
ARMY CAMP
Fills Place That No Other Or
ganization Can---ln Charge of
Practical Men Who Under.
stand Human Nature.

a Tazcwell boy in one of the army
cnntonmcnts gives his impressions Of
tho Y. NJ. c. A. in the following:
But ! can always speak II word in
behalf Of the Y. NJ. G. A. in camp. it's
tremendous scope, it's remarkable
powers. and its respect-domandinp
attitude Mt all times. As for the
Protestant ministry in camp, l can't
say, because l hive never seen any,
except our Chaplain. And as for the
Catholic organization, the Knights
or Columbus society, have observ-
cd lts work very casually, and know
little of it. But the Y. M. C. A
you will find II "Y." man everywhere.
His business is "bcnE OIL the Job"
whether it is to camp alongside II
hungry and tired regiment Off on II
foot-sore hike into the hills. feeding
them sandwiches and coirce and to-
bncco or spinning yarns, or Chew
IN the rag" to keep their spirits up;
whether he he there, or coaching
baseball team or teaching them
French, or helping them learn use
fnl book sennc," or if he be closcted
with nome waywnrd fellow. showing
him IN manly, aoldicrly, brothorly
wny that the wages of sin are use
lesS-hc ia right on the job. He de-
livcra the goods. And he does it in
such splendid way. | very much
doubt that the average minister IN
qualified to preach the Gospel in an
American army camp. or course my
,pIl III fIgut ippu a uit bn ttI.s ~
seat IN such n matter are, M you
well know, very limited. hut this is
my opinion. And The reason Is, thnt
! don't believe the average minister
has trained himself in way that
will allow his nature to rcnch the
men. Soldiers don't want to be
preached at. They are not no bad
They nrc very humnnn lot of them
nre just boys, very lonesome and
homesic't, and, often, considerably be-
wlldcred. They want cigarettes and
sandwiches and moving pictures with
their religion. They need men who
can understand the logical process OF
formation of such expressions ns
"dnm" when the days aro long and
hot and II fellow is "down and out"
Such mn expression mny not be smil-
ed upon, and is, in itself, unneccs-
sary, but :, merely Illustrates my
point. Men, situated as we arc,
where every man is ain his own"
need kind rugged, trough and
rend" companionship that the "Y."
men are in business for. We don't
need theology now-I mean 10 say,
we hnvn't time for il, because the
drill schedule is too well filled with
extra duty.
"Every camp is near II large town,
where the best of churches, presid-
cd over by the best of ministers,
hold their doors open galdly, and ur-
gently to all soldiers. Then, our
chaplains, paid by the government,
hold regular services in each rcgi-
mcnt. At the "Y" regular services
are very frequent--much too frequent
for any man to hope to attend all Of
them. True, the Y. M. c. A. is non
scctarian, but it isn't Catholic, and
surely il will hold Protestant faith
in tact. And 1 shouldn't think that
there should be such unusual pnins to
keep separate in the army the various
groups Of MethodiBts, Baptists, and
Presbyterians and others, 30 long as
they keep the faith and adhere to the
teachings they adhered to before the
war. For my part, feel that the
Y. M. C. A. il filling the bill, and fill
ing it in Il way that was never dream
ed of by even the "Y." men th0m-
sclvc. This is my opinion. l have
talked the matter over with several
of my fellows-they think with me.
don't believe it is necessary to
spend great deal of money to send
missionaries to camp. Send tho boys
good letters, good cheer, letters that
say you believe in them, believe they
will live cleanly and well, and will
soon return safe and better. Believe
they are good and they won't fail
you. Trust thcm--ask them to keep
straight--tell them to flight like
hell" and to do it strongly. Make
them proud to 20 10 war. Believe in
them and leave the rest to the Y. M.
C. A. They'll take care of the boys"