The War Romance of the Salvation ArmyHill, Grace Livingston
History
The War Romance of the Salvation Army
Hill, Grace Livingston
World War, 1914-1918 -- War work -- Salvation Army
One of the occasions when President Wilson clapped for the Salvation
Army was at the inauguration of the Soldiers’ Association in Paris. The
Y had invited all the other organizations to be present. The meeting
was held in the Palais de Glace, which seats about ten thousand people.
President and Mrs. Wilson were present, accompanied by many prominent
American officials. Representatives of the various War Work
Organizations spoke.
The Salvationist who had been selected to represent the Army at this
meeting had been in the United States Navy for twelve years and was a
chaplain.
When he was called upon to speak the boys with one accord as if by
preconcerted action arose to their feet and gave him an ovation. Of
course, it was not given to the man but to the uniform.
A soldier of the Rainbow Division sitting next to one of the Salvation
Army workers over there, kept telling him what the boys thought of the
Salvation Army, and when the cheering began he poked the Salvationist
in the ribs and whispered joyously:
“I told you! I told you! We’ve just been waiting for eight months to
pull this off! Now, you see!”
The speaker when given opportunity did not attempt to make a great
speech. He told in simple, vivid sentences of the services of the
Salvation Army just back of the trenches under fire; and President
Wilson sat listening and applauding with the rest.
The chaplain paid a tribute to President Wilson, finishing with these
words:
“President Wilson was not man-elected, but God-selected!”
Chaplains.
For some little time after the War started it was a question as to
whether the Salvation Army was entitled to any representation in the
realm of Chaplaincies of the United States forces. During the progress
of the consideration Adjutant Harry Kline secured an appointment with
the Nebraska National Guard, and his regiment being made a part of the
National Army, he was received as an officer of the same and thus
became our first Army Chaplain.
The War Office decided favorably with regard to the question of our
general representation, and shortly thereafter Adjutant John Allan, of
Bowery fame, was given a first lieutenancy and then followed, in the
order given, Captain Ernest Holz, Adjutant Ryan and Captain Norman
Marshall.
The exceptional service that these men have rendered is of sufficient
importance to have a much wider notice than where only the barest of
reference is possible. Shortly after arrival in France Chaplain Allan
was being very favorably noticed because of the character of the work
which he was doing, and it was gratifying to learn that this confidence
was reflected in his appointment as Senior Chaplain of his regiment and
his assignment to special service where probity and wisdom were
essential. Shortly thereafter he was taken to the Army Headquarters,
where up to the present time he is most highly esteemed as a co-laborer
with Bishop Brent, the Chaplain-General of the overseas forces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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