West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the CadetRichardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
History
West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the Cadet
Richardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
United States Military Academy
It is regrettable that the cadets of the future will never have the
good fortune to know her, for last year (1916) she passed to her reward
after ninety years in the service of God. Although it is rare that
anyone outside the Academy is buried in the cemetery at West Point, her
body was laid to rest there, near the bluff that overlooks the Hudson
and in sight of her home on Constitution Island across the river, that
a short time before her death she generously gave to the Government. To
the Corps of Cadets that she loved, she willed a magnificent original
portrait of Washington by Gilbert Stuart, that now hangs in the library.
Her Bible class still goes on. Every Sunday when the weather is fair
the Chaplain takes the cadets over to Constitution Island, where, under
the trees that Miss Warner loved so well, he continues her work. If
Miss Warner sees her “boys” studying the word of God in the shadow of
the old Revolutionary House, hallowed by her presence, what pleasure
she must feel!
If, however, neither the beauties of Nature nor the interest of the
Bible class appeal to the cadet, he cannot help having his spiritual
self stirred by the impressive service at the Cadet Chapel. All cadets
are required to attend divine service. The large majority go to the
Cadet Chapel because it is for all denominations, the building never
having been consecrated to any particular faith, but about ten per
cent. of the cadets attend service at the Catholic Chapel.
The service at the Cadet Chapel is so impressive and interesting
that the majority of the cadets look forward with pleasure to Sunday
morning. I suppose that all former cadets will smile upon reading this
statement, when they remember the reluctance with which they donned
their dress coats and belts for the weekly service, at which they
had difficulty in keeping awake while the lessons and sermon were
being read. But times have changed since then, due principally to the
atmosphere of the new Chapel and the music of its splendid organ. Sir
Roger de Coverly would rejoice to behold so model a congregation and to
hear such excellent singing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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