Evening star., 1945-08-20
Truman Leads Nation
In Church Services
Marking End Of War

~sNsssS ess0 VI w"
A mood of solemn Thanksgiving
for victory costly won and dedi.
cation spirit that 1t shall not happer
again pervaded VI services IL
churches throughout the Distric
yesterday.
At the White House, Presiden
Truman observed the first peace
time Sunday, set aside by him as {
day Of prayer for the Nation, by Civ.
ing solemn thanks for victory ant
peace and praying for guidance II
the trying times to come.
The President, with Mrs. Truman
beside him, observed the services IL
the East Room of the White House
Brig Gen. Luther D. Miller and Real
Admiral william N. Thomas, tn,
Army and Navy Chiefs of Chaplains
conducted the services. Among thos,
present were members of the Su.
preme Court. cabinet officials, mem.
bers of Congress, high ranking Army
and Navy officers and high Govern.
ment executives.
Mrs. Wilson Attends.
Also in the group were Mrs. Wood.
row Wilson, widow of another wal
time President, and Mrs. Frank
Knox, widow of the late Secretary
Of the Navy.
The services consisted of pray
ers, familiar hymns and Bible les
sons. There was also htany OF
thanksgiving for "the faithfulness
and heroism of those who gave theil
lives in war, for the wounded, for
those who were spared-friend and
enemy alike, for the integrity OF
leaders, for the courage and re-
sourcefulness of those In both civil
and military life"
Chaplain Miller read the Old
Testament lesson saying "and they
shall beat their swords into plow-
shares and their spears into prun-
ing hooks; nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more"
Chaplain Thomas read the New
Testament lesson stating, Finally,
my brethren, be strong in the Lord"
Choir Sings Recessional.
The choir sang Kipling's Recess
sional and the entire congregation
sang 20 Beautiful for Spacious
Skies" and two verses of America >
The worshipers also repeated the
Lords Prayer in unison.
Chaplain Miller thanked God 80,
the victory Thou has given us ano
our Allied nations" and asked Hin
to guide us until the wounds of bat.
tie are healed and men and nation.
live together in a world of peace
After benediction the chaplain.
f1led out. President and Mrs. Tru.
man then took places at the doorwa,
and extended friendly greeting te
all who attended the services.
The solemn spirit Of the high holy
days extended to all the churches
throughout the District. Capacit,
crowds attended both the Ii am
and the pm. services at the Wash.
ington Cathedral. Canon w
Curtis Draper, who sang the eve.
ming service, said it was one Of
thanksgiving, remembrance ane
dedication" 1t was one of thanks.
giving to God for His blessings: re.
membrance of those who made the
supreme sacrifice and those VIII.
were bereaved by those sacrifices
and dedication that Gods purpos,
VIII be fulfilled so that those VIII,
died shall not have died in vain. ,
A procession of ministers Of man,
Protestant denominations preceded
the service. The Rev. Dr.. Georg,
Schnable, president Of the Washing
ton Ministerial Union, read the les
son. Chaplain Miller. Army chic
OF chaplains, delivered the sermon
Crowds at st. Patrick's.
Large crowds filled st. Patrick
Catholic Church for the mornin,
masses and many returned in tn,
evening for the special services. Rev
Howard Sweeney, c. S. c., conducted
the evening prayers and asket
people to pray for a lasting peac,
with justice and charity" Msgr
Lawrence j. Shehan, pastor of tn,
church, was present at the specia
service.
Jewish temples were filled will
reverent worshipers thankful TO
the peace and its hope of justic,
IN the future. Rabbi Norman Ger
stenfeld, spiritual leader of tn,
Washington Hebrew Congregation
told his congregation that lin tn,
hour of deliverance we must dedi
cate ourselves to preventing anothe
war" More than 300 persons file,
every part of the temple and ema
mated a spirit akin to that of tn,
high holy days.
Worshipers at Adas Israel Con
gregation heard Rabbi Solomon II
Metz, spiritual leader of the con
gregation, call for world leaders t,
assist in "eradicating the spiritua
causes that made this war possible
namely those of hatred and selfish
ness" He also prayed that ou
country, coming out of the conf1ic
as the greatest potential militar,
power in the world, should "use it;
resources for construction on