South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-14
MANY SOLDIERS
ARE PREPARING
FOR DISCHARGE
Local Minister Gives Views OF
Religious Life at Embark
alton Camps.
BY DR. JAAms .. GARpINER

~ Dh. JANIS O.. hAitDiN fah.
ST AIGNAU France. April z1-
ind myself writing this letter
under two mbarrassments
tirst-A military embarrassment.
This letter. as 10 u.s. written i'm the
vicinity a. T. s. camp must be
read by the military censor There
fore some things 81 which I would
otherwise write. must omit. lest
they might not pass his scrutinizing
eye
Soldiers Homeward Bound.
However. ! snail venture "a few
statements 81 AignaU and ST. Aig-
nau-Noyers are and have been for a
year and half important L.. :. mil
itary centers The camps i'm this To-
caIity accommodate 30. 900 men. and
are considered by most Of the sol
diers who come here as step to-
ward home or civilian life
Thousands OF soldiers are coming
here each week 20 be- discharged or
prepare for some port OF embarka-
sion. But TO quite number OF UNI
fortunate men this place is not CON
sldered with any such degree of
vicinity a couple OF L. s. prison
camps. where for some military Of
Tense the American soldier is some
times detained for a period running
from a few days TO six months.
There is too. near here a camp for
the detention OF German prisoners
VIII Explain Service.
Ny second embarrassment is what
I might call a selc embarra IS uent.
which / feel keeniy Before leaving
South Bend I contracted with the
manager OF The News Times to send
each week TO the readers OF this
paper an account OF the services i
conducted among the American
troops in France Now. if / fulfill
my obligation. il viii be necessary
IN this and i'm future letters TO i'm
trOduce a good deal OF the personal
element. and no preacher. with the
proper sense OF prOpriety. can do
this without Embarrassment. on the
other hand 1 know full we'll that
many readers Of The NeWs-TimeS
are DESTROYS Of knowing something
in regard 70 the reception given by
the men OF the a r.. r. 10 the
Gospel MESA &c. of which the writer
is for the time being but the humble
messenger
With this explanation and with
apologies therefore. for the introduc-
ton tn our letters OF 80 frequent
use Of the personal pronoun, / shall
endeavor 10 keep our agreement with
the manager o. The News Times.
Arrange for Services.
have with me, on this itinerary
as song leader. Rev. f.. NJ. Ritten-
house. a Presbyterian minister. Mr..
Eittenhouse is fine. Christian
gentleman. OF sympathetic spirit.
who knows how 10 get the soldier
men 90 sing the great songs Of the
church. The services in each local
ity are arranged by the religious di-
visional work director. The director
OF the St Aignau division is Rev. II.
= Fudge. a Baptist minister who.
of course. wears the Y. NJ. c. A. uni
form. I have had here also. the
hearty cooperation OF a number of
army chaplains.
Before coming TO France. I had
been told again and again that the
officers and men of the A +. r.
wished 10 be entertained but did not
care To be preached TO or TO take
part IN a religious service. / am
glad 10 report that my experience
mas proven that this is not true.
Men Are Interested
Nv week night services have been
without exception largely attended
and not once have / drawn the
Gospel bar at n venture" without re-
sults-not once have / made the
Gospel appeal without many men
Immediately responding 10 the same
and expressing i'm some way their
desire 10 lead "a Cody life
Last week Wednesday evening
witnessed what might be considered