The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-24
DELIVERS INSPIRING
TALK ON WAR TRIP
Bishop James Atkins Thrills
Congregation With Recital
of Wars Effects.

Bishop James Atkins preached an in
spring sermon Sunday to an audience
that filled st. Johns Methodist church
to capacity. The bishop mas recently
returned from France, Belgium and
Italy where he went with a commits
sion from the Methodist church to
study the reconstruction problems in
connection with centenary campaign Of
the church.
When the commission landed at Brest
it vas met by a French army officer
who inquired when the members would
reach Paris and where they would be
quartered. The bishop said this was
a surprise as no publicity had been
given to their departure. but when
they arrived in Paris they found many
provisions had been made for their en-
tertainment. They met President Poin"
care, Premier Clemenceau, Marshal
Joffre and others high in army and
official life OF France. They visited
Italy and were presented to the king
and queen and were SHOWN many at
tentions. They visited Belgium and
would have met the king and queen
except for the fact hat the bishop
and his party were obliged to leave
earlier than they expected,
Bishop Atkins described the king OF
Italy as "a soldier and a statesman,
EIVdhliB WAL HlIOlB NV hNIhl w
English which always endears any Eu-
ropean to an American" Knowing the
privations and risks assumed by the
king and queen during the war, the
bishop said he undertook to say to the
king that II was n splendid thing for
him to take his chances with the men
at the front and for the queen to give
fer time to the wounded soldiers In the
advanced hospitals. The king, he said,
responded, ut was very interesting, v
but declined to discuss the part he
took, a part that has endeared him to
the Italian people,
Saw Huns Destruction.
Bishop Atkins was given an oppor-
tunity to view the destruction wrought
by the GermanG. lie visited the famous
battle fields of Nerdun, Chateau Thler-
ry, Mons, Laon, the Marine, the Ar
gonne and other places no less re-
nowned, He declared that the destruc-
ton in some places was necessary for
military purposes but for the most
Iart was wanton.
lie gave an account Of his visit to
the place where Edith Cavelle was
executed, He saw the wall where she
and others stood to be shot as spies,
which they were not, and visited the
little spot where markers show AZ
graves, Al shot as spies and the grave
Of one being that Of u German soldier
who refused to shoot a m Suit
able monuments, said the bishop, Will
be erected for Edith Cavelle and for
the others and ne said that II he had
the time he would ask that Il shaft be
erected in honor Of the German sol
der out Of funds raised from every
country in the world except Germany,
The bishop said he did not discuss
politics but he had some views and
convictions. He said Clemenceau was
destined to dominate the peace con-
terence until President Wilson consent
ed to attend, He declared that every
nation in Europe had IL selfish pur-
pose to satisfy; that they had grudges
and prejudices and Il desire for In
demnity that made 1t unsafe for them
to fix the terms OF peace and that
II they had their way it would not be
many gears before the terms would
precipitate the world into another great
war.
This, he said he believed, would he
Cbviated by President Wilson's pres-
ence, by his determination 10 secure
a just and lasting peace based upon
righteousness. The president, he de
clared, Is the hope of the world,