gimental review since landing in France. The
men of the First, Second, and Third battalions marched by, and one
could quickly contrast the disciplined movements of the veterans or old
soldiers with the crude drill of the new recruits, some of whom could
not keep step or smoothly execute the movements.

At the noon hour, after the men had taken their midday meal and had
rested for a few minutes, the Colonel asked us if we would address the
troops. Some two thousand men were marched in close formation around
the large military wagon on which we were to stand. The mules were
unhitched and the men seated themselves on the grass, while the band
played several pieces. A great hunger of heart possesses any man with
half a soul as he looks into the faces of these boys, beset by fierce
temptations and facing a terrible winter in the trenches. At the
beginning we reminded them of the words of Lord Kitchener to his troops
before they left for France: "You are ordered abroad as a soldier. . .
Remember that the honor of the Army depends upon your individual
conduct. . . Your duty cannot be done unless your health is sound. So
keep constantly on your guard against any excesses. In this new
experience you may find temptations both in wine and women. You must
entirely resist both temptations, . . . treating all women with perfect
courtesy." [2] Kitchener's words furnish a text for the two-fold
danger which confronts these men. Here for an unhurried hour, with the
generous backing of the officers, we plead with the men on military,
medical, and moral grounds, for the sake of their own homes and
families, for the sake of conscience and country, on the grounds of
duty both to God and to man, to hold to the high ideals and the best
traditions of the homeland. Here, with no church save the great dome
of God's blue heaven above us, seated on the green grass, under the
warm summer sun, we have the priceless privilege of trying to safeguard
the life of these men in the grave danger of wartime.

We were encouraged alike by the splendid support of the officers and
the warm-hearted and eager response of the men as they broke into
prolonged applause. The General in command attended one meeting and
pledged us his support for our whole program for the men. He had
already cooperated with us most generously on the Canal Zone, in the
Philippines, and in Mexico. Three colonels presided at three
successive meetings, and gave the work thei