Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1918 — HELPING THE BOYS IN SERVICE [ARTICLE]

HELPING THE BOYS IN SERVICE

Knights of Columbus Work for All Regardless of Creed. ... -< Letters from Indiana boys in army training camps to their home jye making it plain that in the excitment of departures for “over there,’’ the religious spirit in youth is rising with the enthusiasm to serve under Old Glory, and, while there is much uncertainty as to time of departure and final destination, the soldier boys make spiritual as well as physical preparation for leaving camp. Thousands of unconverted, as well as converted, young men hold prayerful conferences with chaplains, Y. M. C. A. and Knights of Columbus secretaries. Protestant boys are supplied, with New Testaments, Catholic boys receive scapulars, rosaries and Sacred Heart badged, while on their identification tags are stamped. the words, “Send for a priest.’’ The . soldiers leave camp thoroughly imbued with the thought that one of two things will happen to them: They ivill either return to their mothers back home or they will

be lost in the heat of the conflict in France, and their religious counselors impress upon them the Importance of returning home morally and physically clean, and to be prepared to enter the Father’s house spiritually clean if they do not survive their part in the world conflict. Visitors to the training camps say that the religious preparations of the boys before their departure is the most impressive thing they see. In one camp a visitor saw twelve welfare workers giving spiritual council to departing soldiers, the boys in khaki going to social buildings for the purpose under the leadership of their officers. While the American public gives freely to the war work fund’s of the Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus and other organizations, for the puirposep?of. providing comforts, entertainment and good cheer for the soldiers at home camps and in France, this money also makes it possible to maintain the religious counselors in large numbers to give spiritual as well as moral guidance to the whole fighting fore before it goes “over there” and after it arrives at the trenches.