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
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. God 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 shells to-day, but we were unharmed. I passed by an old shack
of a building—a poor woman sat there with a baby, lulling it to sleep,
when a shell came down and the poor souls had passed from this earthly
hell to their heavenly reward. Only God 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 God’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.
December 10, 1917.
Commander Evangeline C. Booth, New York City.
My Dear Commander:
I have just read in the New York papers of your purpose and plan to
raise a million dollars for your Salvation Army work carried on in the
interests of the soldiers at home and abroad, and I cannot refrain from
writing to you to express my deep interest, and also the hope that you
may be successful in raising this fund, because I know that it will be
so well administered.
From all that I have heard of the Salvation Army work in connection
with the soldiers carried on under your direction, I think it is simply
wonderful, and if there is any service that I can render you or the
Army, I should be exceedingly pleased.
I have read “Souls in Khaki,” and I wish that everyone might read it,
for could they do so, your million-dollar fund would be easily raised.
With ever-increasing interest in the Salvation Army, I am, Cordially
yours,
(Signed) J. Wilbur Chapman.
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the U.S.A.
Salvation Army Is the Most Popular Organization in France.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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