The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-05

This was a part of the reply of the
Rev. Henry X. Sanborn, tWenty-seven
year old Clergyman and officer in the
United States army during the late
war. when he was asked to tell how
he had lost his agnostic views after
four years of army service overseas.
He is one of the principal speakers
before the convention of the diocese of
Kansas in session in Topeka this week.
He is known to many as Major San
born. His military record. showing
prom tion on personal merit from
private to a major, is almost as un-
usual as the change in his religious
belief At the beginning of the war
he was a private. who believed that sit
was all rot to believe in a God you
cannot see. At the close of the war
he refused the offer of permanent
commission as a major in the army
and declared he was going TO become
a clergyman.
Enlisted in Canadian Army
Impatient to do his part in the war.
Sanborn. who had just finished his
senior year at the University of Wash
ington, enlisted soon after the war
began with the Canadian army at
Vancouver. B. c. He was then twenty
one with an ambition to become a
mechanical engineer, having taken
mechanical courses at the university.
His intense sympathy was with Eng
land. as he is an English-American
He was born in California. but; when
q. small child, returned with his Eng
fish parents to England, where he
spent his boyhood. The family re-
turned later to America and Sanborn's
high school and college days were
spent in the state of Washington.
Il was one of 1900 agnostics at.
tending the University of Washington
in 1914" the Rev Mr.. Sanborn said.
THE majority of the college students
were admirers and believers in pro-
lessor at the university who believed
that it was all rot to believe in a God
you couldn't see. One day l walked
across the campus with this professor
who was convincing me of the worth
OF his theory about the God you can
not see We went into the laboratory
where the professor directed me to
draw a sketch of a certain microbe
we were studying. l couldn't find the
microbe under the microscope. but
the professor insisted that I make the
drawing I jokingly reminded him
that he oughtn't to expect me to make
drawing of something which / could
not believe was there because could
not see it. even tho 1 knew it existed.
I believed with him then. but soon
after I went into the army the profess
sor's agnostic theory began to shake
little on its foundations with me-"
Wounded Severely in Battle.
Two months after he enlisted with
the Canadians Sanborn was made a
lieutenant. and shortly afterward was
sent to France. In 1915 he was made
captain. Directly after Americas
to the American army and three years
after he enlisted he found himself ma
jor of the 10th battalion of the Eighth
division. L. S. A. He was wounded
severely in the battle of Messines
Ridge. May IL, 1917. was wounded
slightly in another battle, and also was
gassed.
You have asked me to tell you
some of the things that influenced me
to become a clergyman" the Rev. Mr.. |
Sanborn said. He then told of the |
death scenes when he had been asked !
if he believed in eternal life and of |
the times he had officiated as chap
lain in order that the boys with whom !
he had fought and nearly died might /
have Christian burial.
The psychological something that !
made me answer yes to questions I /
professed to believe should be an !
swered with mo- made me think there /
was a very real God in whom / be- I
1ieved even tho I had scorned Him. - I
he said
Divine Vision at Ypres.
Then when-500, 900 men-includ-
ing myself-are convinced that they /
saw the vision of Christ on the battle /
field at Ypres-actually saw Him as
" tfi Iell pIeSeHEe--4l Is NOT IOT
me to say it is all rot to believe in a
God you cannot see
"A Kentucky boy in my battalion. a
fayorite of mine. was injured in a |
CHASTITY manner and had but a few
to live after being wounded
1 was with him in those last few min
uteS and his happy look when he told
me that he thought it was no sacrifice
to die-that he was going to a much
greater life-made one of the final /
in + fznf =
was completely gone
When he returned to America on /
sick leave in 1917 James E. Freeman,
rector of St. Marks church in Mime