The men began to leap wildly and joyously. They shouted, sang and kissed one another. The cathedral doors opened slowly, and about six hundred soldiers from the armies of the Allies entered with a rush. Dr. Maurer walked quietly to the altar rail, and there knelt in prayer. Officers and privates alike reached for the swinging ropes, and gave the bells another pull. The possibility that the opportunity for a religious service was lost oppressed the heart of Dr. Maurer with fear. The assembling company, however, soon observed the lonely figure kneeling at the altar, and they began to move forward. He rose, and all was quiet. “Boys,” said he, “I believe we all want to sing, and that we ought to sing the doxology.” An English soldier, with a splendid tenor voice, started the familiar line: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.” Instantly all who knew the words joined in the glorious doxology. Then the Americans, the English and the French sang their respective national anthems before they reverently left the building. General Valentine, who had given consent for the service to be held in the cathedral, went forward, took Dr. Maurer’s hands in his own, and said, “I want to thank you for leading these men on this occasion to offer praise to God....” CHAPTER XII CAROLS AT CHRISTMASTIDE “Christina Rossetti strikes her highest notes in her Christmas songs. One is her delightful rhapsody: “‘Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love Divine; Love was born at Christmas, Star and angels gave the sign.’ “The other is one written for her god-children: “‘The shepherds had an angel, The wise men had a star, But what have I, a little child, To guide me home from far?—’ delicate, humble, wondering, trustful.” “I would like also to call attention to the new note contributed in Mr. Laurence Housman’s hymn: “‘The Maker of the sun and moon, The Maker of our earth, Lo! late in time, a fairer boon, Himself is brought to birth.’ . . . . . “‘O Perfect Love, outpassing sight, O Light beyond our ken, Come down through all the world to-night, And heal the hearts of men.’” —_Dr. F. Luke Wiseman in an address on “Christmas Hymns.”_ Christmas Carols on Deck of Battleship The battleship _Missouri_ will always hold a unique place in the history of the United States, for on her, at the close of World War II, the Japanese made their formal surrender. But about four months later (December 21, 1945) a very different scene was witnessed on her deck. That night more than one hundred members of the Choral Group of the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn sang Christmas carols in sub-freezing weather. Naturally the listening members of the appreciative crew recalled the experiences of the previous Christmas, when they were engaged in fighting World War II.