The War Romance of the Salvation Army Part 39

"The comfort and solace contained in the beautiful card of sympathy I recently received from you is more than you can ever know. With all my heart I am very grateful to you and can only a.s.sure you feebly of my deep appreciation.

"It has made me realize more than ever before the fundamental principles of Christianity upon which your Army is built and organized, for how truly does it comfort the widow and fatherless in their affliction.

"Tucked away as my two babies and I are in a tiny Wisconsin town, we felt that our grief, while shared in by our good friends, was just a pa.s.sing emotion to the rest of the world. But when a card such as yours comes, extending a heart of sympathy and prayer and ferrets us out in our sorrow in our little town, you must know how much less lonely we are because of it. It surely shows us that a sacrifice such as my dear husband made is acknowledged and lauded by the entire world.

"I am, oh! so proud of him, so comforted to know I was wife to a man so imbued with the principles of right and justice that he counted no sacrifice, not even his life, too great to offer in the cause. Not for anything would I ask him back or rob him of the glory of such a death. Yet our little home is sad indeed, with its light and life taken away.

"The good you have done before and during the war must be a very great source of gratification for you, and I trust you may be spared for many years to stretch out your helping hand to the sorrowing and make us better for having known you.

With deepest grat.i.tude,"

"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH:

"I have just seen your picture in the November _Pictorial Review_ and I do so greatly admire your splendid character and the great work you are doing.

"I want to thank you for the message of Christian love and sympathy you sent to me upon the death of my son in July, aeroplane accident in England.

"Without the Christian's faith and the blessed hope of the Gospel we would despair indeed. A long time ago I learned to pray Thy will be done for my son--and I have tested the promises and I have found them true.

"May the Lord bless you abundantly in your own heart and in your world wide influence and the splendid Salvation Army."

"DEAR FRIENDS:

"Words fall far short in expressing our deep appreciation of your comforting words of condolence and sympathy. Will you accept as a small token of love the enclosed appreciation written by Professor --------- of the Oberlin College, and a quotation from a letter written August 25th by our soldier boy, and found among his effects to be opened only in case of his death, and forwarded to his mother?

I am Yours truly,"

Enclosure:

"November 16, 1918.

"If by any chance this letter should be given to you, as something coming directly from my heart; you, who are my mother, need have no fear or regret for the personality destined not to come back to you.

"A mother and father, whose n.o.ble ideals they firmly fixed in two sons should rather experience a deep sense of pride that the young chap of nearly twenty-one years does not come back to them; for, though he was fond of living, he was also prepared to die with a faith as sound and steadfast as that of the little children whom the Master took in His arms.

"And more than that, the body you gave to me so sweet and pure and strong, though misused at times, has been returned to G.o.d as pure and undefiled as when you gave it to me. I think there is nothing that should please you more than that.

"In My Father's House are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you; If it were not so, I would have told you.

"Your Baby boy,"

(Signed) PAUL.

Chatereaux, France.

August, 1918.

N. B.--Written on back of the envelope: "To be opened only in case of accident."

"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH:

"Permit me to express through you my deep appreciation of the consoling message from the Salvation Army on the loss of my brother, Clement, in France. I am indeed grateful for this last thought from an organization which did so much to meet his living needs and to lessen the hardships of his service in France. I shall always feel a personal debt to those of you who seemed so near to him at the end."

"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH:

"I was greatly touched by the card of sympathy sent me in your name on the occasion of my great sorrow--and my equally great glory. The death of a husband for the great cause of humanity is a martyrdom that any soldier's wife, even in her deep grief, is proud to share.

"Thanking you for your helpful message,"

"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH:

"Of the many cards of condolence received by our family upon the death of my dear brother, none touched us more deeply than the one sent by you.

"We do indeed appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending words of comfort to people who are utter strangers to you.

"Accept again, the grat.i.tude of my parents as well as the other members of our family, including myself.

"May our Heavenly Father bless you all and glorify your good works."

Miss Evangeline Booth,

Commander of the Salvation Army, New York City, N. Y.

DEAR MISS BOOTH:

I beg of you to pardon me for writing you this letter, but I feel that I must. On the 17th day of March I received a letter from my boy in France, and it reads as follows:

"Somewhere in France, Jan. 15, 1918.

"MY DEAR MOTHER:

"I must write you a few lines to tell you that you must not worry about me even though it is some time since I wrote you. We don't have much time to ourselves out here. I have just come out of the trenches, and now it is mud, mud, mud, up to one's knees. I often think of the fireplace at home these cold nights, but, mother, I must tell you that I don't know what we boys would do if it was not for the Salvation Army. The women, they are just like mothers to the boys. G.o.d help the ones that say anything but good about the Army! Those women certainly have courage, to come right out in the trenches with coffee and cocoa, etc., and they are so kind and good. Mother, I want you to write to Miss Booth and thank her for me for her splendid work out here. When I come home I shall exchange the U. S.

uniform for the S.A. uniform, and I know, ma, that you will not object.

Well, the Germans have been raining sh.e.l.ls to-day, but we were unharmed. I pa.s.sed by an old shack of a building--a poor woman sat there with a baby, lulling it to sleep, when a sh.e.l.l came down and the poor souls had pa.s.sed from this earthly h.e.l.l to their heavenly reward. Only G.o.d knows the conditions out here; it is horrible. Well, I must close now, and don't worry, mother, I will be home some day.

"Your loving son,"

Well, Miss Booth, I got word three weeks ago that Joseph had been killed in action. I am heart-broken, but I suppose it was G.o.d's will. Poor boy!

He has his uniform exchanged for a white robe. I am all alone now, as he was my only boy and only child. Again I beg of you to pardon me for sending you this letter.