The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-03
TELLS OF
HIS WORK OF Love
Rev. DIR. Bowie. Just Back Prom the
Front, Tells Graphic
Stories
ALL SOLDIERS THINK or HOME
iains To Be Started Soon, TO Which
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That the spirit OF Jesus Christ was
instiiled into he soldiers who fought
in the four years war was brought out
forcibly in the sermon of Rev. DIR.
Bowie at ST Paufs Episcopal church
hast night Or. Bowie recently re-
turned from France. where he served
ss chaplain for the Mcclure Hospital
e-st- fr@ul this city.
n-. Bowie was constantly with the
=e-r hevS of tho unit. as well as the
Ssi5 ierS who were wounded and
ereGsht so the base hospital. and re-
ssssd stories Of the conscienuousness
S@sc8Ays1 by both the wounded men
ARC sEe hospital workers.
While The war had It's horrors, it,
Also brought out the true character
e Americas manhood Working un-
der difficulties the personnel OF The
entire base hospital put their best eff
forts into the work before them and
won praise from the French officials.
In efficiency the Richmond unit far
cu'raakei that OF any similar organi-
cation. Working with the best equip
rpent. which was presented by he
: Richmond Chapter of the Red Cross
the unit was enabled 70 offset the
difficult working conditions.
! Dr. Bowie brought out the fact that
! the buildings In which the unit was
/
water for drinking and bathing pur-
poses had to be carried up three and
four flights of steps AT one time the
j unit had to care for over 1.690 pa
tents
Thinking OF Homo.
While laying in the flospita, between
life and death, the soldiers mind was
on his home in America, and thoughts
Of the loved ones left behind saved
the lfe Of riany a wounded soldier.
This was brought out in the case of a
| soldier VINO was so badly wounded
that 1t was necessary to use morphine
in order that his pain might be re-
| iieved
I Hospital attendants soon noticed
that the patient could not be quicted
| without the use OF the drug. and Il
was necessary that 1t be stopped. On
one occasion the man had asked that
the drug be used ~ relive his pain,
4 and word had been sent to the doc
tor. Tho chaplain was called In to
reason with the patient. and at men
ton of his home and the fact that he
might go back a victim of the drug
habit. the wounded man withatood the
pain. and the drug was not used
II The influence of the nurses with
j the Mcclure unit and the work they
did also was brought out by the
preacher. One of the soldiers re-
marked to the chaplain that he had
noticed the care which one of the
nurses gave TO the soldiers in her
iward. her name was not given. She
Iseemed TO take individual interest in
the care and welfare of each of the
men.
/ For the frst time in his life, the
minister stated. he was called upon to
stop man from praying. The case
was that of a colored soldier, whom
The chaplain had visited one morning
During the night nc was called upon
by one OF the hospital attendants to
go at once to the ward and see what
, he could do with the man. When ne
> arrived, the negro. who was in a deli
rlous condition. was praying aloud and
. disturbing the other patients in the
ward. The chaplain went to him and
succeeded in quieting the man.
: Why Walt for War:
why wait for war to bring to your
minds the love Of your homer" asked
the minister. Are there not those
here tonight who have mothers at
home TO whom they have forgotten
to write, and those to whom the spirit
y of home has grown hard and needs to
be sweetencd by an undying iove?''
1 Keen attention of the wounded men
to the word of God made u great i'm
| pfSSStch upDu i4it returned chaplain.
In one instance he pointed out where
a sergeant from Chicago sent for him
after he had conducted n service in
one of the convalescent wards and
asked that letter be sent home to a
former fellow worker in AN iron foun.
dry. This worker some years ago had
asked the sergeant to give himself to
Christ Wounded and far away from
his home, the words of the man were
, remembered by the soldier. and he
} desired that letter be written to the
Chicago man stating that he desired
to become "a member of his church
The letter was written and a reply of
welcome received.
Prior to the sermon DR., Bowie an
nonnced that campaign fund for
volunteer chaplans ia this country
, would be launched shortly. and that
the collections at the morn ing and af-
ternoon services next Sunday would
i, be turned over to this fund.
|. Or. Bowie stated last night that
those having relatives or friends with
|, HE Mcclure unit. and desiring to ask
him questions as 10 how they were
getting along. should not hesitate
about approaching him. number of
requests of this kind have been made
. upon the minister, and on every coca
sion the callers had announced that
they hated 10 bother him. DR. Bowie
Is willing to answer these questions,
and any persons in his congregation
or the city will he. received. cordially.
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