Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1918-04-26
K. Or {. BIG WAR
RALLY SUNDAY
Fine Addresses By Judge E. M.
Warner and Rev. William
A. keefe
Bradley Theatre Filled to the Doors.
Large Audience Joins In
Song.

Notwithstanding the downpour Of
IAN Sunday afternoon the Bradley
theatre was crowded to the doors al
ire biz war rally given under the aus
pices Of CargiH Council, Knights eff
columbus. There was music by the
{. A. C. orchestra and the large au-
dience joined heartily in singing pa
trotic airs. Flags were used for the
stage decorations and Patriotism and
Americanism was the keynote of the
exercises
The first speaker was Judge E. NJ.
Warner of Putnam Never was he
heard to better advantage, and the in
tenseIy serious earnestness with
which he delivered his address Great
ed deep impression. Judge War
ner's address was based on the sub
ject, cover the Top" and was as fol
lows:
Friends and Fellow Citizens, Ladies
and Gentlemen, Knights of Column
bus: | feel honored by the invitation
from this splendid organization of
Knights of Columbus to speak at a
Patriotic Rally. Furthermore feel
glad and proud to speak on the same
platform with such an eloquent and
graceful orator, such true hearted,
faithful Catholic Priest as Father
Keefe of Plainfield. May this great
audience composed of citizens of Put
nam and elsewhere, including mem
bers of all churches and parties, ami
mated by one glorious purpose of de-
votion to the best Flag in all the
world, be typical of that noble union
of effort which shall carry this Nation
Over the Top" to win this war.
| want to call your attention to a
practical application of true religion.
4 recent issue of the Hartford Cour-
ant gives this story about Chaplain
Joseph Twichell. One day Chaplain
Flynn came to Mr. Twichelfs quarters
and said 4 am going to ask you
strange, and you may not think that
| have right to do So" GO ahead,
90 ahead. I've heard lots of strange
things" Mr.. Twichell said. Nv ell, ;"
the priest continued, you know when
4 1dtlOlfC bOg IL dA my IL iiC 10 ANY
TO do so, he kisses a crucifix and has
the prayers for the dying read, which
he repeats, if he can These rites of
extreme JUNCTION mean much to the
Catholic boy Would you be willing to
administer these rites to dying
Catholic boy if there was no Catholic
priest near?"
"Of course you know my answer,
Mr. ebaIl sold II Jil not baCir a q
a moment TO assent.
The finest type of devotional ser
vice which the war has brought forth
Is the mobolizing of the religious for
ces of a community, regardless of
creed, to the end that they may ar
ticulate more emphaticallv the inn
portance of religion in winning the
war Word of such a service in
which both ProteStants and Roman
Catholics shared an Faster service
comes from Scarsdale, New York,
IN the Old Dutch country not far from
the banks of the Hudson. The mem
bers Of five communities attended it,
representing every element of the
church-going cOmmunity-one Pres
byte rian church, one Congregational,
two Dutch reformed, one Episcopali- Z
an and one Roman Catholic The min
listers who spoke were Catholic, Epis-
copalian and Congregational, and it
was the good priest who pronounced
the benediction.
When the war is over and the F
great blessings are sorted from the +
great sorrows, perhaps we may find |
among the joys new assurance that |
after all when it comes to worShiping |
God-it's a long, long way we can go I
together
Let me speak a word of caution in
connection with Chaplain Twichell. |
'One of the worst things thar the
Chaplains have to fight" he said, zone
of the hardest duties, the thing that |
causes US and the officers more trou-
BILE than anything else, the hardest
thing that the enlisted man has to
bear are those letters from nome.
Mothers, sweethearts and sisters
write to their boys at camp and tell
them how sorry they are that they
cannot be home. They write disgrace
full letters. which depress the men
greatly They tell the soldier now
much they miss him, and how they
grieve that he is not with the family I
At home"
At this point Mr.. Warner alluded
to a lecture of Russell Conwell in
which he described the Japanese Lee
gend of the jolly Earthquake. The I
story goes that the earthquake re-
leased certain gases and caused all I
the people to laugh. And when the I
earthquake subsidized the Island of /
Oshima was enlarged by the upheav-
al of sand and earth. and all the peo
people were everlastingly happy. The I
lesson to be inculcated is that every I
event even EARTHQUAKES IS to be taken +
bravely, cheerfully, and even with |
laughter.
This phrase "Over the Top IS the t
order given to charge the German |
lines, and it means the putting forth |
of the very last ounce of strength IN |
any contest. Connecticut in every |
crisis has done this This war has |
forced the states and the United /
States to examine its title deeds as |
70 rights, privileges and duties. Man |
kind has during all the ages been &C.
ing "over the top" in the fights for I
Liberty. History is made up OF the /
story of these wars.
The history of Connecticut is very !
instructive. We have the first VIII !
ten Constitution and in the early
years of the Colonies Connecticut led
the way in forming safe, secure, Con-