Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1919-03-07
FRIDAY. MARCH 2. 1919
IMPRESSIONS in FRANCS
AT THE WARS CLOSE


from The Lutheran Young
People," DR.. Charles ]. Smith
aud Mrs. Smith are both natives
of Shenandoah County, where
they have many friends. DIR.
Smiths home was in Strasbure,
while Mrs. Smiths (nee Miss
Mary PRICE, home town was,
New Market, Va:
"The Rev. DR.. Charles J.
Smith, pastor OF the Lutheran
Church of the Holy Trinity,
Sixty-6ftl Street and Central
Park West. New York City, has
just returned from three
n pnths' trip to France. DR..
Smith went abroad i'll behalf OF
The National Lutheran Commits
sion for Soldiers and Sailors
Welfare. His mission primarily
was to make a survey Of the
French Lutheran Church with
the hope that the Lutheran
c iurch in America might be
able to extend to the French
Church moral and financial SUI
port i'll its efforts to minister to
American soldiers and to help
during the period of rebuilding.
III speaking of this trip Dr..
S NTH says that, The spirit Of
the American army has made a
lasting impression on the French
MUD. There has been, for =
long time, a distinct lack of III
derstanding between the re-
hgious and the civil leaders of
France. However, the courage
and spirit of sacrifice among the
Americans i'll France are gen
orally understood to be the pro-
duct Of Americas free elisious
institutions, and the French PEG
pie are beginning to reach out
for some such spiritual assets as
t'ley have seen represented i'll
their American allies, 1t would
seem that All opportunity for re
hglous service in France is now
at hand because Of the new direc-
ton given to French thought BY
the war"
DR.. Smith further paid a high
tribute to the character of the
A neiicau soldier. First of all,
he has been All American gem
tleman and has won tile love Of
is new European friends BY
son of his gentlemauly con-
duct. Drunkenness aud iinmo-
a lty amorg our American SOL
d IS, of course, sometimes &C
CURED tut they were the *
C: ton and not the rule. They
.e practioed by a very small
p rcentage of our soldiers now in
France. The American soldie,
has respo nded >p'eEdidly to TIL.
lninistrations of the cllaplaius.
v lille these ministrations have
cen quite free from fornlalit
d d all ceremonialisn1, they have,
rt,erth eless, been warmly TT
c-ived as an expression of rea
vital Christian truth. The chap-
] ms in the American Exps di |
tionary Forces have been splel-
did y pes Of soldiers. Many Of
them have gone over the top
with their men and continued O
do so until ordered to desist.
When the history of the war is
written the chaplsins will com.
in for their full share of honor
Il had the privilege of beirg
in Paris during the exchange O
the preliminary peace notes
While President Wilson is gu
orally conceded by Frencl1uen to
be the first citizen of the world.
here was, nevertheless, a grea.
deal of fear that the peace notes
might either result in the con
fusiug of the issue or III the &C
ceptance of a peace which would
be unsatisfactory to France, le-
cause it would neither exact Jus
r, paration nor safeguard II r
a gainst futuie German deprt ds-
tons. But when the arms i e
was finally signed | found V, v
few FrenSl,meu lio did MT f !
that the full dema nds OF jus c.
would be met around the Pc, &C
tatle. Everywhere l went tn !
best of the French people, as
we'll as the poorest, paid lie
Difference because l was
IN American. They always
spoke to me of your wonderful
President
It was 4 wonderful thing to b
n France when the armistice wa
signed. Paris went wild will,
oy, but there was at tile sam
ime I certain restraint, due, n. +.
lonbt, 70 tire long years OF sui .
AA..-n~.A. LTD. Al ~>~-1 |