Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-29
CAPTAIN HARRY NELSON BAssLEr

Captain Harry Nelson Bassler, for
merly pastor of the Second Reformed
Church. of this city, who has just
been made a senior chaplain of the
Twenty-eighth Division because of his
efficient work overseas, has written
his former congregation here OF a
church service near the front IN
France, as follows:
I'VE had been at the front for some
time when orders were received that
the regiment was to go back few
miles, out of reach of whlzZing puI-
lets and exploding shells, for snort
period of rest. saturday mornlHS
found US entering a small village
which was really only row OF houses
ON either side of the pubic ROAD
These French villages are bulit IN
peculiar way - parlor, bearooIn'
Kitchen and stable all face the street.
In time of peace they. are dlrtii
enough, but at time IKE thls. VIZ VIZ
all the male population gone ana tne
piace swarming with soldiers comihS
and going with each new day. the
filth is beyond description. .-.a
"As we entered the town we Iouhu
the houses silent and empty. Not
rlnss was left in a window ana NOT
sina.Ie door remained. Every roof was
torn by German shells and the walls
irside and out, were riddled with pui-
let's. Inside of these once h9pPS si,r
lie homes one might find broken lur
niture. bits of clothing, PAIR OF
wooden shoes, a baby's picture hang
ing on the wall-all that was leit 10
tell of the day when the Boone oroEe
the inha bitants from their puieI l.t.a iS
town. A glance at the PACK SaII
showed q pathetic little flower bed ana
nogIected garden, overgrown with
weeds and Uttered with rubbish TOT
The one who once cared for IL haa
long ago become a refugee. ,
"Eear the center of the town. STAND
ing a bit back from the roaa. Is ~ ~
village church. Judging from the
stvie of architecture it may have oeeh
huilt about the beginning OF the four
teenth century Around the chureh
are the graves of the sainted dead,
decorated with crosses or WOOD OF
iron, ornamented with photographs or
other mementoes of the deceased: On
every grave are the hideous wire now
ers found in all French graveyards.
Into this old church l gathered my
men one Sunday morning ana tnere
where for many centuries the priests
of Rome had istered-receiylng
the confession of the erring one, enid
ing the evil-doer, speaking words OF
praise to the faithful-we held our
simple service. Protestants and Catno-
lies, French and Americans worship
ping together.
There stood the ancient altar with
faded covering and broken candle
sticks. High over my head were the
images of the Twelve. some battereo
and broken by the enemys nre. ana
all falling into decay. Back of me
hung the white body of Christ on a
wooden cross. Bullets had pierced TINS
image in many places and the black
scars of exploding shells made the
sacrifice of Calvary appear very real:
The oil paintings at the stations OF
the cross. once beautiful. were stained
and fadded, and the worn places in
the brick pavement beneath told OF
the thousands who had lNnelt there in
penitence and prayer.
"As our hearts and voices We're join
ed in worship we seemed to realize as
never before that the tie that binds
men most closely together is our COM
mon relation to our risen Lord. For
centuries great barriers have kept us
from a close and tender companion
ship in the great work of bringing the
world to Christ. but over here where
the air is rent with the shrieking OF
shells and the ground is red with the
blood of the worlds best men. we are
learning to distinguish betYeen essen