Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 175, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1918 — FORMER PASTOR IN ENGLAND [ARTICLE]

FORMER PASTOR IN ENGLAND

WITH THE AMERICAN EXPEDITION FORCES Y. M. C. A. ASSOCIATION. The editor of the Republican is in a receipt of a letter from Mfrs. W. G. Winn, of Chicago, in which she enclosed two letters she had received from her husband, Rev. W. Garnett Winn, former pastor of the First Christian church of this city. Rev. Winn’s address is: 47, Russell Square, London, England. One of the- letters appears below. It is dated July 8, 1918. My Dear Wife: What the devil is the matter you don’t write to a fellow once in awhile. I haven’t had a line from home for nearly ten days; yes, !• know that you are in the same boat, for really I haven’t known whether I have been on my head or my feet since the first of the month. I have worked until honestly I’ve had no time day of night to write. ‘ My “hut” here needed so much to be done to it in order to get ready for the 4th that I’ve had to drive from early morning till late at night every day. But say, kid, we pulled off some stunt here on the 4th. There were over 3,500 people present at the day’s exercises. We began the day with a parade through camp at 6 a. m. Just a few of us got together and pulled off “The Spirit of ’76” stunt. We had a fife, drum and flute—marched through camp and woke all the boys up, then went ovei to the officers’ quarters and gave them a dose, then to cap the climax, went to the commanding officer’s headquarters and gave him a seranade of the same spirit. This was the beginning of the day. I had with me an athletic director to set up the field day sports and believe me, he did it to a perfection. The secretary came in on us and liked the place so well we could not get him to leave us. We sent notices to all the churches about inviting the civilians to be present and share the day with us as our quests. The stores in the town near lere closed one-half day and it seemed as if the whole town came out and shared with us the day. The significance of the day had a new meaning for us all—it signified the “Independence not of America alone, but of the whole world.” I think the people here entered into the spirit of the occasion understanding that there is nothing but the love of mother for child and child for mother existing today between America and the United Kingdom. We, Americans, were the hosts and EnganJ was our guests on this day ana there was not a single thing or event ta. mar the day. God smiled upon us with his sweetest smiles and the* warmth of his ieart was expressed in his beautiful sunshine. I had some pictures taken of the “hut,” my tent, and the crowd of English people watching an American game of baseball. We had men here from two other camps, with which I’m identified, with us all day and the officers and men all pronounced it a day worthwhile. The evening we had a big entertainment in the “Y” tent—the crowd was too large for the tent —the people were standing 6 feet deep around the outside. When we closed the day’s events, the whole bunch knew that we had “Come to the end of a pertert day.” .

We had and gave away over 100 gallons of ices and 4,000 little cakes. 11 got these down from London —today when I walk along the road or the streets of the town —the kiddies cried out “There goes the man who gave us the ice cream.” . It was some day, one such as I never expect to have part in again. You wouldn’t want to come to England to live after the war, woul< you? I’ve got a chance to stay ant continue my work in the ministry over here. No, I am not considering such a thing nor do I intend to do so. I am to speak next Sunday night at the British “Y” in the town not very far from here. Write when you can and as often as it gets awful lonesome over here, even though Pm as busy as the very devil. With lots of-love to all at home. Am well and getting fat.

W. G. WINN.