The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 12, 1899, Page 21

Y were entirely =3 the bullets guns dropped pretty s many as sevemn of 4 some- 1 wers . s 50 eitered my : ¢ my surround- other chane s 0f use to my change, £ action than 1 was one of sonaRAHN mMORBA=®A Ay p tily into red what - e ut making a nolse, o scene would have been Interest- jeed, to an onldoker from home. about, some the grass in ¢ £ a bush or tree, or under thelr shelter tents. or 1ying in the trenches, or ,ut over them, with guns by thelr s and ready to use at an instant's g. The chaplain, standing among with belt and revolver strapped on, ful pony grazing near by. In \ces there was no shelter and we stood {n the brolling heat of the tropical sun Oftentimes the Insurgents would send a few bullets over to remind us that Jthey were there, _but_this_only, added ln- to be tak n from the L(bra(y‘ ‘v et and 1 think we of singing “'Glory to Roll Is ( nl.ed Up Soldler.” and gospel hymn s “America. favorite song Called Up Yon- eclated its sad throats, and ers that augmented by the Mau beat upon the ground about us At such times some of our boys uttered ded as an adjunct to remarks not 1 :liglous ceremor s with th hour-and filled with a s possessed me while pred modern pulpits. 1 remember some of the texts used. One was “Thou wilt keep him in the perfect peace whose mind is staid in thee, because he trusteth in th iah, xxvi:3. Staying qualities, obedience, faithful- ness, trust or confidence, alike essentlal to the soldier as the Christian, were some of the lessons that I strove to inculcate in the minds of my hearers. g Though In the midst of the stern and harsh realities of war, these little ser- mons were oases to us. Here we stopped for a few moments to think of the dear ones at home, of God and his love, and our duty to both, and I know we were made stronger, better, by them. We will realize this more as the years pass. My dlary shows the number of services held in the trenches for eight consecutive Sundays, as follows; First, 4 services; second, 2; third, 5, fourth, 2; fitth, 7; sixth, §; seventh, 2; eiglth, 4; and ¥ of the that never g from our this fs about the number held afterward. Two or three Bundays we had constant fighting or marching, so that none could be held. Other Sabbaths we held as many as conditions would allow. Whenever and wherever we met we knew that many prayers were being of- fered in our behalf in our dear homeland. This gave us boldness to press on. These were never to be forgotten days. The plc- tures have been drawn none too vividly, for who can comprehend what that terrl- ble and coutinuous rain of bullets meant FELL MORTA WOUNDED AT HIS 5)1pe ENCUGH &= HIMiTo KNoww M LY I wAS SOonrnyg OR_ as it poured in upon our regiment? While deployed as skirmishers it marched coolly and with military precision across the wide plain from Maycanayan into the very jaws of death. And then with superhuman strength made its heroic rushes across the rice patties until within that range where the Springfleld could do execution. Those few moments seémed hours. The fire from the enemy was terrible. They had found our range. They were shooting low. During this engagement and in all oth- i ers our doctors and hospital corps did splendid service. They were on the firing line continu- ocusly. Bad Indeed were their duties, heartrending the scenes they witnessed; and our boys—oh, they are grand sol- diers! No braver men ever went forth to battle. They forded streams, marched in intense heat, fighting the enemy at every move. The dead and dying Americans and Filipinos were continually {n our midst. In the baitles I was everywhere on the fleld seeking the wounded and car- ing for them. Bometimes the bullets flew thick and fast, but God wonderfully cared for and protected me. It was my misslon to listen to tender farewells and bear last messages to heartbroken mothers. When our adjutant fell mortally wounded, I was at his side soon enough for him to know me. He seemed so glad when I said to him, “My dear boy, this is the chaplain. Don’t you know him?" 1 understood that he knew me, though he could not speak. I gave him a drink from my, canteen, and after a gshort BULLETS \VE WERE f WABLE TO conpucT { § PERHAPS THE {1 N EXTRAORDINARYH § NESERVICES YAZLE 8 RECORDED # i q " praver I spoke of hix-sister. Fa opened his eves so wide and bright and tried to epeak, but could not. I kissed him three or four times | of Joved ones end then left him in the I loved him, and so did th ment. 1 closed the eve and friends in the m comrades slcep that my heart was heavy in 8orrow, and I turned in prayer to the Giver of All to spare us end the new bat- ead heroes “cannot fight rest from thelr uggles. press on to meet fresh foes. Our burial services two of our brave ilar army n th en to Manila by tr: 1 to these ishing m bar e simana or ther diceaneatr S el ance. Our services were simple but impres- ixcept in two cases a good hearse and a neat black clotn- red coffin, over w was latd the On several in ommand which th ~c\l member » at the ering candles to duties to a comrade from home, from father a beloved a mother and friends, in a fore land We do not usua sing at military funerals, but that night w f verses from “Rock from the fifteenth chapter of inthians were r¢ a prayer few words of eulogy pronounced, band played “‘Safe In the Arms ¢ then the awful crash of the guns burst forth upon the still night air firing equad performed its duty. But sweeter still was the call of the bugle as it sound- ed ‘‘taps.” I shall never regret my experience in the Philippines. While it was not full of success for my Master In a spiritual way, T feel that it has broadened my mind, my life, and in the future will add much to my use- fulness. As I sald In the beginning, war has no christianizing influence, and rather detracts than adds to man's feel- ings of sanctity for things holy. As a matter of cold fact, the number of conversions to Christ I was able to make In one whole year Was just one. That in ltself) were it not for the fact that I was enabled to be helpful to my fellow men other ways, would have beea discouraging.