The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-07-03
YORK, THE SOLDIER
A Child Of Nature And Of Grace

York of Tennessee takes his place
as a leader of men along with others
who had no higher origin than the
most primitive of social conditions.
His religious faith superadded is
what gives him a unique position to-
day. The same region that bred Lin
coin nourisher him also, and York,
like Lincoln, seems never likely to
disavow what his primitive condi-
tions implanted. From the conscien-
tious objector to the merciless slay-
er of Germans, declares a home pa
per, the "same religious spirit is
avowed, "that devotion to duty to-
ward God and man which gives the
world it's highest type of manhood" )"
The Presbyterian Advance Nash
ville) speaks of him as "a son Of
nature" and in his native State the
type is we'll known-"the tall, lean
mountaineer, soft-spoken, slow-mov-
ing on ordinary occasions, but sure
of himself, skilled in woodcraft, un-
erring with the rifle, and with a
subtle kind of instinct which goes
for to overcome the lack Of the edu-
cation of the schools" The southern
mountains breed many -"manly
to the core, powerful Of will as OF
muscle, and absolutely faithful to
friend or min or clan, and to every
conviction of duty" This particular
mountaineer, York, is also claimed
as "a child of grace" In the leading
editorial of this religious organ in
York's home State we read:
"Wild as the country around him
for many years, addicted to drink
and to gambling, the time when ufl-
der the ministry of native preach
err, a man wt0 would probably be far
from acceptable in the pulpit OF an
ordinary town church, York yielded
to divine influence and became a
member of the church-a church, by
the way, which seems to know little
and care less about the great theo-
logical doctrines of Christendom, but
which calls upon its members to ad-
here with strict devotion to certain
principles and rules which are every
where considered as fundamentally
Christian. Mr.. Fields has secured for
us the simple creed of this body OF
Christians-the Church of Christ IN
Christian Union-and here are its
fundamental principles:
"1. The oneness of the Church Of
Christ.
"2. Christ the only head.
"3. The Bible our only rule of faith
and practise.
"a. Good fruits the only condition
of fellowship.
"5. Christian union without contro-
versy.
&c. Each local church governs IT.
self.
"7. Partizan preaching. discounte-
nanced.
"As Mr.. Moody used to say, Alvin
York was a Christian convert who,
when he came out from the world.
came clean out Without reserve
his sturdy, simple-minded manhood
was devoted to the practise of the
principles which he had embraced.
To him had come a heavenly vision
of the right course of life and, like
/ Paul, he was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision. He had pledged
himself to be true to the articles OF
faith which he had accepted as his
own, and his conversion was so gen
uine, so thorough, his purpose was
so strengthened by the grace of God.
that it is the universal testimony
that he showed himself to be true to
his convictions at all times. His pas
tor says: 4 can show you the very
spot he got religion, and from that
day to this he has followed it to the
word. Before he killed those Ger
mans l know he had reasoned in his
heart that it was right to kill them.
If he hadn't, he would not have fired
shot, and the testimony all shows
that during that remarkable little
battle York never once INDUCED IN
Crossword or gave any evidence
that he had been moved from his
set purpose to do his whole duty
faithfully and calmly.
"When he entered the Army he
was in a state of mental and spirit
ual perplexity. He felt sure that his
duty to his country made it wrong