The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-01-13

present was soaked with perspiration.
1t will interest you to learn that the
wine we used was blessed by Roman
Catholic bishop and the bread was
Jewish unleavened bread.
You will also be interested in the
picture Of me coming ashore when
we landed. waded the last 200 yards
in water above my waist, carrying full
equipment and with my typewriter
resting on top of my steel helmet We
slept on the ground, in spite of light
rains, that night and for several nights
following. | am now more comfortably
housed in large tent pitched less than
100 feet from the ocean. The sound of
! the surf is continually in my ears
/! Late afternoon many of us go for a
dip in these warm waters 1t is the
most enjoyable bathing l have ever
experienced. 1t is hard to believe
that back home at this time you all
are in the midst of winter and that
the mere mention of swimming is
enough to cause you to shiver
| am conducting, for the present,
four services at separate places on
the island every week. Thus far all of
them are held out-of-doors beneath
some coconut trees which grow in such
abundance on this coral atOll We
are planning special carol services for
the week before Christmas. 1t will be
about the only evidence of Christmas
we will have, as few of US received any
Christmas greetings or packages be-
fore we showed off from the other is
land. And we have no idea when the
mail and parcel post will be coming
through. 1t might be months yet.
Nearly all Of the natives here are
Christian, members either of the Ro-
man Catholic or Protestant churches.
The Protestant work was begun some
forty years ago by the London Mis-
sionary Society. This week l met six
of the trained native pastors who are
lloN III NlIclI \ I VI JIt L IOItSldUI WORK
here, and was joyfully received into
their midst as a fellow Christian.
They call me 'the missionary" They
have done me the honor of asking me
to bring the message to their people
when they gather for worship on
Christmas Day. Of course | shall have
to speak through an interpreter, as |
have been here long enough to learn
only few of their words.
Incidentally, you will be interested
and possibly amused to learn that
when | visited the home of one of the
native pastors the other day, | ate
2 piece Of octopus. 1t really wasn't
bad, tasting a great deal like lobster
or crab.
These natives are a most friendly
people and have given the Americans
fine welcome. They are much health
ier than the natives on the island we
left, and though we are only about
IS miles north Of the equator, living
conditions here are surprisingly pleas
ant. The sun is hot most of the day,
but usually one can find a good breeze.
The ocean, like Gods grace, tempcrs
all living. There are no bad tropical
diseases so far as we have been able
to learn.
Physically, | am well. We have
plenty Of good food, though the variety
is limited. Our drinking water is Sc
cured from the ocean through the use
Of distillation units We live under the
constant threat of bombing. and one
Of the first things | did when | made
camp was to dig my foX-hole. We are
in an area where in recent weeks nota-
bic victories have been won. but at
considerable cost. Only by Gods mercy
have we been spared. But want to as
sure you that out here we have but one
hought-Nictory Nowhere, while we
all long for home, do | find any man