The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-05
SERGEANT YORK CHRISTIAN
BY H. A. Herrick.

self, his people, his state, and his reli-
gion. His training has been the primi-
tive and lonely doctrine of express
sion without circumlocution. These
mountain folk trust with abiding faith
in each other, love with undying de-
%votion, speak the truth fearlessly and
mean what they say. They are de-
vout in religious matters, increasingly
and unswervingly patriotic. From the
time the news of Americas advent
into the war had spread through the
mountains. even to the most isolated
spots, Old Glory vas bound to make
shift flag poles and never take down.
In many, many cases, / was told by
one who knows, there was silken flags
flown which cost more than the cabins,
and whose purchase meant sacrifices
which most of us cannot realize.
My trip to see Sergeant York was
because Of some newspaper statements
accredited to him as interviews in
which he was alleged to have criti-
cized the overseas work Of the Young
Mems Christian association. knowing
of his frequent trips to association huts
while training in this country and Of
his visits to the huts overseas, 1t was
no surprise to learn from his own lips
that such statements were absolutely
without foundation. Ny companions
on he trip were J. e. Edgerton, a
wooden manufacturer Of Lebanon,
Tenn. a member OF h board of trust
OF Vanderbilt university, leading
churchman Of the state. chairman Ten
nessee United War Work campaign,
and C. J. Jackson, state secretary for
Tennessee of the Y. NJ. c.. A. We
drove more than a hundred miles In
ar automobile to meet Sergeant York.
and all OF us after our hours Of talk
and condolences with this Christian
hero, received an education in Chris.
tan practice that was helpful, bene-
fetal and inspiring.
II neve made such statements"
said Sergeant York after they were
read to him, paragraph at a time.
Whoever wrote 1t twisted things to
hate to make public statements; but
| will make this statement n sign
1t concerning this case"
This Is the statement in his own
language and signed by him.:
Pail Mall. Tenn. June 81. 1919.
1T has been my invariable rule
when questioned concerning the work
OF the army overseas or OF the welfare
societies connected with the army to
and so far as I know personally they
all did their bit the best they knew
how and did 1t well.
II have seen workers OF the Y. NJ.
C. A. bring truck loads OF supplies
to the front under shell fire, after
selling which they retired. / have
visited many times huts OF the Y. NJ.
c. A. in France, England and the
Unhed States, and on these visits made
use Of their writing paper and en-
joyed their entertainments.
1T have SnOkap at diffarppf ffpo as IN
Y. NJ. c. A. huts overseas on reli-
gious subjects, and am willing to
: speak in Y. NJ. c. A. huts or buildings
at any time to the soldiers or the boys
on religious topics.
Il am not a man to criticize any
, person or organization that is trying
to do its part for Christianity, the good
of mankind and to the service Of Cod.
=. ."tsigned) SGT. ALVIN c. YORK..
!, During the talk he supplemented the
: statement by telling of the wonderful
benefit the circulating Libraries in the
Z Y. NJ. c. A. overseas were to the SOL
!. diers, that he knew of goods being
8 given away only by hearsay. and that
s In his sector at the front the associa-
i. ton was h only welfare organization
2 with which he came In contact.
/ One Fighters Ambition.
=, The struggle Of this man to make
the future fruitful with work for
. Christianity against the temptations
!, of money which might commercialize
; his heroism and faith is greater than
one can imagine. He has OF surety
had the world offered to him with the
} Turing bait of a fortune and all II
would mean. He showed me letters
and offers that would turn the head of
I a seasoned worldly man. While l was
there, he was being importuned by an
evangelist. a moving-picture ~organiza-
= tions, vaudeville . propositions. his
, torians. inc scores of other ventures.
1 I stood with him in front of the cabin,
r a two-room typical mountain home,
: whera he was spending his honeymoon,
E and where his mother had spent here
forty-odd years before. facing q
panoramic valley of wonderful rich
do something for Christ and His
I cause" MOI a word about himself,
: just a conservation to God and His
work.
The good people OF Tennessee, from
? the governor to the lowliest. are eager
t to serve York and are watching and
: Praying with him in his trial and the
hour Of his decision. Before him are
the traditions OF the immortal GEN
fabulous salaries although impoverish-
! ed by the war. to commercialize his
reputation made in performance OF his
l own idea of his duty. Also the ex-
ample of General Kirby-Smith. OF
Sewanee, who declined the then fabul-
Gus salary of $4,000 a year offered
, by a life insurance company. to take
. up instead the post of a mathematics
, teacher at $1,000 q, year. The years
I of mountain ideals, tho Unborn patriot
ism and devotion to religious ideals
will winsthe fight for York. In him is
; the spirit which brooks only an I'M
swerving courage OF his own convic-
tions.
On returning we stopped at the farm
OF Pastor r. c. Pile, who has known
York since boyhood, and who prssides
over the Church OF Christ and Chris