Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-02
DR.. STITT HAS
PRAISE FOR US,
men OVERSEAS
Former Omaha Pastor Says
American Soldiers Are the
Manly Sort and Yeafn
for Church.

Rev. ]. H. Stitt, formerly pastor
of McCabe Methodist church in
Omaha, who is now overseas as
divisional director of social activi-
ties, mas written some wonderful
letters home-letteys which tell of
the American soldier. his likes and
dislikes, his bearing and beliefs, and
which throw much light on his life
abroad.
Here are some extracts from
these letters which will interest
Omaha and Nebraska people:
MY own appointment is in my
estimation particularly happy one
md I am enjoying it immensely. l
have task which | hardly dared
hope would fall to me so soon,
namely divisional director of relig-
lous and social activities. something
ike running a good sized chautau-
qua. with hundreds of good, red
! blooded American soldiers for an
ever ready and appreciative audi
ence. Oh, how love those boys!
They will do anything for you, and
both officers and men show a gen.
tlemanliness which. to say the least,
VS. exceedingly delightful.
rraiss for Yankees.
Really, it would be impossible
for one to speak too highly of the
spirit and manly bearing of our
soldier boys in France. They have
hard work to do every day, whether
Sunday or not, but their demeanor
shows that they like to keep the
Sabbath atmosphere whenever pos
sible. They are actually begging
for preaching services and Bible
classes, and the one thing we have
to guard against is to announce a
religious service and then only pro-
vide lecture. 1t must be the real
thing, with hymns and all, or it
won't CO. So far, | have found
he officers perfectly ready to give
every facility for our work with
their men.
Il am delighted to be able to tell
you that | have failed to find any
evidence of the frightful social dis
order that we all feared would re-
suit from having our army placed
on French soil. The men are liv-
ing good, clean lives and every inch
OF their fine young manhood is
needed for the arduous toll which
is daily the lot of an American
soldier. l am proud of them. and
their officers. God bless them.
France is lovely. Imagine a
broad, sweeping valley, flanked on
either side with now gently sloping
upiands, now quite precipitous hills.
The space. between is irregularly
divided up into fields of varying
shades of green and yellow, accord
ing to the nature of the crops,
stone, walt or low ditch forming
the dividing line. A ribbon-like
river threads the center, and tall
poplars and fragrant pines complete
scene which, to my mind, finds
its counterpart only in good old
England.
"A few days ago l met two Ne
braska university boys who belong
to the hospital unit here. One of
them was Walter Rudersdorf of
South Omaha. He is brother of
Mrs. Doane Powell. | was waiting
outside the Y tent at the hospital
ready to introduce my opera people,
out something went wrong with the
works and they did not arrive, SO
Mr.. Rudersdorf and employed thet
time very pleasantly finding, out
that each came from good old
Omaha-which is wonderful tonic
TO the men in these strange STIFF
roundings.
"My work brings me in touch with
the boys of the 36th, division of
the A. E. F. We have splendid
talent among the men. | have
really fine quartet who made some
tours before enlisting They sang
the Rosary" this morning-how's
that for a preaching service?
last Sunday night the central hut
was full of men listening so eagerly
and quietly as | preached to them
on Jesus of Nazareth Passeth By,
my own soul greatly moved by the
immense opportunity. AT the close
it was, You sure did your duty to-
night, sir, | enjoyed that the best
kind. This here's bin the first ser
mon I've heard since come to
France and others in the same
strain. 1t isn't the compliment that
! one enjoys, but the glad feeling of
being able to help them.
"At the close of the sermon about
20 of the boys formed Bible class
to meet every Wednesday nigh.
We have given them the books to
study on the Manhood of the Mas
ter, by Fosdick. The Y. M. c. A!
is certainly supplying tools that are
excellent to work with. You may
tell all the folk for me that money
given to the support of the 'Y' is
certainly given to the right cause"