Newspaper Page Text
Nov. 14, 1917.
JOAN OF ARC
A Spiritual Phenomenon
By Prof. I. L. Foster, Army Y. M. C. A. Secretary, Professor
of Romance Languages at Pennsylvania State College
It is a historical fact that in times
of great national danger divine Provi
dence raises up some person who can
lead the people to victory and safety.
Frequently this savior springs from most
unexpected sources. We are safe in say
ing that this individual has most often
sprung from the ranks of the common
people. We can say further that the im
pelling motive has b. n religious in prac
tically every instance. And. in addition
to that, the purpose has been the salva
tion of a nation or the rescue of a coun
try from foreign domination.
Every nation has at some time experi
enced the truth of this fact. The United
States has been no exception to this na
tional phenomenon. The days preceding
the Civil War, glorious with the names of
William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phil
lips, render eloquent witness to the..re
sponsiveness of our people. In the pres
ent crisis through which we are now pass
ing a Roosevelt and a Wilson have done
yeoman’s service in arousing to activity
a threatened country.
In France, however, there have been
more examples of spiritualized leadership
than in any other country. This is per
fectly natural because of the inborn ten
dency of the French to those things which
are dramatic and sensational. In this
land so easily lifted to the heights of re
ligious exaltation, the dramatic and sen
sational. Tn this land so easily lifted to
the heights of religious exaltation, the
dramatic motive predominates. A deep
love of country, with a keen sense of ob
ligation, have been compelling influences
to great deeds through the Providence of
God. There is no desire to get into the
limelight, but an intense longing to do
one's duty to God and country, which are
synonymous to the Frenchman.
In Joan of Arc we see the above influ
ences at work and greatly magnified bv a
woman's ideal of willing sacrifice. She
was the daughter of well-to-do peasants
and was born at Dontremy among the
Vosges mountains in 1412. She had no
friends or influence and was content to
live the simple life of the humblest class.
Though she could neither read nor write;
the limitations this fact brought into her
lire did not affect her sunny disposition.
By day she spun faithfully under the big
trees of the pasture as she tended the
patient kine. At night she slept peace
fully on her humble cot after doing her
part of the housework in the home. In
all this we can see a fertile soil so rthe
bearing of rich fruit. Simplicity, content
ment and obedience are virtues from
which heroes are made.
Frequently she heard the neighbors talk
of the cruelty and oppression of the Eng
lish then overrunning the fair land of
France. In her mind arose the ever re
curring question, "What can 1 do?" She
longed to do her bit to help save France,
but she was only a simple peasant girl.
Her desire to be of service did not inter
fere with her sense of responsibility in the
home. It was in pursuit of her daily
tasks that God called her. He always
shows Himself to us in our working hours
and calls us to consecrate our activity to
His service.
One of her marked peculiarities was her
piety. Naturally devout, she loved to
worship at the village church. Pure,
strong, healthy and beautiful, she had in
herself the essentials of leadership. Add
t j this a poetic spirit with superstitious
tendencies, and you have a personality
fit for heroic accomplishments.
From the soldiers who passed now and
then through her little town, proud in the
glitter of armor and blade, she learned
of the panoply of war. From the stories
of the cruelties of the English, now near
at hand, she learned of the terrors of war
and the bitter need of efficient leader
ship in her country. In her distress she
turned to God. whom she had been taught
to trust. And He did not fail her.
As early as the age of thirteen her God
appeared to hei- in the form of St Mich
ael, her patron saint. As in the case of
St. Paul, the vision had a voice and ad
monished her to a life of godliness and
purity. "I come from God to help thee
to live a good and holy life. Be good
Jeannette and God will aid thee,” was
the message at one visitation. “Daughter
of God, thou shalt lead the Dauphin to
Rheims, that he may there receive worth
ily his annointing/’ was the compelling
announcement at another time from her
angelic visitor.
Fired with zeal for service through di
vine appointment, when but sixteen'years
of age, she left her home and friends and
sought her king. It was no easy task
to start off alone amidst the jeers of her
family and girlhood companions. The
love of God and her country’s need led
her to count all this as naught if only
fair France could be redeemed.
After a weary journey of twelve days
she arrived at Chinon, where she found
the king. The spineless Charles VII, was
here revelling in wantoness and dissipa
tion while his country bled. The poor
peasant girl, with her coarse red dress
and no friends to get her the royal favor,
was received with moekery by the cour
tiers of the dissolute monarch. “Why
waste precious time,” said they, “when
Orleans is in utmost peril, to give atten
tion to a mad peasant girl, who, if not
mad, must be possessed with a devil; a
sorceress to be avoided; what can she do
for France?” The churches and the uni
versities, two fertile sources of religious
apostacy, arrayed themselves also against
her and proved to be her bitterest en
emies.
Her persistence finally won the day and
She was ushered into the royal chamber,
where the king stood in the midst of his
nobles. Though unfamiliar with his face,
she marched straight to the Dauphin,
guided by her “voices.*’ To him she re
peated her one sentence, which so far had
acted like a charm. “I am Joan the Maid,
sent bv God to save France.” With this
she asked for troops to lead against the
invader.
The king was cautious, but Joan’s mod
est demeanor won him finally, as it had
won everybody at court. She was at
length assigned to a castle in charge of a
woman of virtue and piety and prepara
tions were made to raise and equip an
army for her. In her superstitious age
her divine call had a powerful effect upon
the people and this was of great help to
her in her work. She believed in God
who gave her strength, the king was weak
and frivolous, the corn try needed a lead
er. and she appeared, to the distracted i
TRENCH AND CAMP
people, an angel sent from God to be the
savior of France.
She was no soldier, but she felt that
God was with her. The saving of France
was in reality a religious movement. Any
nation will rally in the midst of disastr
ous defeats if they can be convinced that
they are fighting with God on their side.
Joan acted on France as the needed spur
to drive the people to a deeper conscious
ness of God’s presence. With this came
the necessary power to drive the English
from their country.
At first her expeditions were successful.
On a white horse, arrayed in glittering
armor and carrying a white banner mark
ed by the fieur delis. she led victorious
troops. The military leaders insistent up
on the requirements of time-honored'pro
ceedure in the army, put all kinds of ob
stacles in her way. She triumphed over
all discouragements and drove the Eng
lish from Orleans. From that date she
was no longer Joan of Arc, but the Maid
of Orleans.
She wanted to proceed to Rheims at
once, but the jealous military clique bar
red the way. The king was brought to
see the panic of the invader and ordered
an advance after some delay. "Daughter
of God, go on I will be thy help!" said
the voice, and Joan seized her sword
and banner for a new drive. The soldiers
followed willingly their charmed leader',
and the disorganized mob became an in
vincible host. ' '
Chalons. Troyes and Rheims fell in
rapid succession. Charles was promptly
crowned in the historic city appointed
for the crowning of the rightful sovereigns
of France. Joan stood by his side at this
great event, holding her sacred banner.
The anointing at Rheims firmly intrench
ed Charles VII in the minds of the people
as their king. The heroic maid had done
what she had promised. Kneeling before
the king, with tears in her eyes, she sur
rendered her commission, saying: “Graci
ous king, now is fulfilled the pleasure of
God." By the Spirit of God she had given
a king to France and France to its king.
Her work was done and she longed to
return to the peaceful mountains of Dom
remy. She was persuaded to remain, with
the army until the English were driven
from French soil. Herein lies her great
error. God had directed her to crown
the king, not to drive out the invader. In
this she listened to human “voices” and
her mission lost its divine inspiration.
In a drive on Paris she was wounded,
but refused to leave the battle line.. Soon,
a plaything of the envious military lead
ers, she was sent hither and yon to no
purpose. The English leaders were offer
ing great sums for her capture and British
gold finally had its way. In a sortie from
her beleagured city of Compiegne she
was surrounded by larger force. After
a half-hearted resistence on the part of
her men, she was captured by John of
Luxemburg, a traitor to his land. How
terribly this little duchy suffered in 1914
from another disgraceful surrender to a
powerful foe!
Her capture was hailed with the wildest
enthusiasm. The end of the drama was
quickly staged. No effort was made to
rescue the helpless girl and she was left
to the tender mercies of church and
school, two avowed enemies of experi
mental religion then, and largely so' to
day.
What could one girl do against the pow
er of satan combined for her destruction?
After a farcical trial she was condemned,
not to the- Cross like Christ, but to the
stake—a more refined manner of punish
ment, invented by religion to "make its
way straight.” Nothing could be more
cruel than the treatment of this heroic
girl by the church court. The devil had
his way and the poor maid without friends
or advisers was dragged to Rouen, chain
ed to the bars of an iron cage within the
filthy dungeon in this city. .
Another trial more rediculous than the
first was arranged here and seventy ridic
ulous charges were brought against her.
Found guilty again she was taken to the
market place of the city to receive sen
tence. Shortly after, guarded by eight
hundred soldiers, she was carried to the !
place of execution in a cart. By rude
hands she was dragged from the cart to
the funeral pile, fastened to the stake.
The faggots were soon ablaze, while the
wild mob about yelled itself hoarse with
joy. The struggle was brief and she quick
ly succumbed to the flames. In her agony
she cried out I ndespair, “Jesus. Jesus!
My voices, my voices!” but there was
no response and it was soon over.
Inspired of God. she had been judged
by men and condemned by the church.
Having saved her country, she was for
saken by that country when her useful
ness was gone. One of the insolvable rid
dles of history is why France made so lit
tle effort to save her life. Perhaps the
fear of the power of England was the rea
son. Michelets, the French historian,
says: “The Jews never exhibited the
rage against Jesus that the English did
against the Pucelie (Joan).”
Her life is a striking example of the
fact that nations are ungrateful and
death is only too often the lot of great
benefactors. Great deliverances have
been effected only through self-sacrifice,
and Joan gave herself that France might
be free. A forgetful country canonized
a willing servant, when too late, and gave
testimony of a lardy recognition of her
service. She stands before us today urg
ing to deeds of sublime heroism through
a forgetfulness of self and a complete con
secration to God. Like her. we may win
death, but we shall also save our country
and serve as an inspiration to others to
Live well and die well for the glory of
God and the uplift of our fellowman.’
franklinTndmarshall
COLLEGE MEN, NOTICE I
Please register your name and class
at once sending same to
LIEUT. CHAS. P. STAHR.
Ambulance Company No. 111.
MAJOR H. A. RENINGER,
F. & M. 1906.
CAPT. W. CURTIS TRUXAL,
F. & M, 1904.
LIUET. CHAS. P. STAHR,
F. & M. 1897.
Committee to orrange a get-to
gether of ALL F. & M. men at Camp
Hancock.
Y. M. C. A. Men
Arrive in Russia
The first American Young Men’s Chris
tion Association detachment, organized
in New York for work on the Russian
front, has arrived in Petrograd. Through
David R. Francis, the American ambas
sador, the Americans gained the ardent
support of Premier Kerensky and will
establish recreation huts.
Nine workers were headed by Harvey-
Anderson of Oberlin, O. On reaching
the capital the party disbanded, some of
the Americans going to Minsk and the
others to the Riga and Rumanian fronts.
A hundred Y. M. C. A. men are ex
pected to arrive by Christmas.
KNITSCOMFORTS
AT AGE OF 92
Pennsylvania’s registration of women
for patriotic service has enrolled a ven
erable resident of Llanerch as probably
the oldest volunteer of whom there is
record. Mrs. Mary M. Dunwoody, aged
92 years, has “signed-up” to knit com
fort articles for the boys “over there.”
In Mrs. Dunwoody’s life-span there
have been four wars involving America—
the Mexican, the Civil, the Spanish-Am
erican and the present war.
“Greatest Work Attempted,”
Says General Wood
New York.—While invaluable service
has been rendered by the Young Men’s
Christian Association in European war
zones, the activities the organization is
now furthering in national army' can
tonments in the United States are the
most importaint it has ever undertaken
in the opinion of Major General Leon
ard Wood, who today issued a state
ment indorsing the $35,000,000 cam
paign which began Sunday.
"Excellent as the Young Men’s Chris
tian Association work is and has been
elsewhere,” says the statement, “ be
lieve' thta now in the great canton
ments where out troops are being train
ed it is perhaps the greatest and best
it has ever attempted.
‘‘One has to see if to appreciate it.
We must give the men places of the
right, type to go to. places where the
healthy amusements nnd decent sur
roundings, as well as reasonable re
cration, can be had. This is where
the Young Men’s Christian Association
has won, perhaps, its best results. It
has not only helped suppress vice and
evil doing, but it has given the men
attractive places of assembly and
wholesome amusement.
“Every' dollar given to the Y'oung
Men’s Christian Association is money
given in a good cause. All who aid
it are helpers in a splendid work.”
By all that you can do or influence
others to do, “Raise that $35,000,000 for
-the Y. M. C. A.!” for the life and soul
of all the boys in the trenches and in the
camps and for me—two-thirds for the
“other side.” one-third for this. I know
you have done your bit, are doing it, but
you can help to bring others at home to
dig and “Dig deem”
ONE OF THE 103 D ENGINEERS.
Smith
Brothers
Co.
Wholesale
Grocers
Most Complete Line
of Camp Supplies
in the City.
WE WANT YOUR
BUSINESS.
Phones:
3068 and 566.
922 Walker Street.
HUNS CRUCIFIED
THEIR CAPTIVES
New York gasped over the state
ments of Capt. David Fallon, who
told an audience he had seen cap
tive British crucified, their heads
lifted on bayonets above the Ger
man trenches, Fallon is a young
Australian-Irish veteran of the
Gallipoli and Belgium.
He told of nuns crucified and
other horrors committed by the
Boches.
“What has happened to our boys
will happen to your boys," he said.
“Now you have joined us and when
the time Comes for the great spring
drive, we’ll deal with the Germans
as they have dealt with Belgium.
With your help the allies will drive
the Hun from the consecrated soil
of France and Belgium, drive him
to the dugouts and huts of Berlin.”
Captain Fallon related numerous
instances of German treachery in
surrendering and waiting for help
after a charge.
“OUR MILITARY VISITORS.”
Camp Hancock now has its quota of
French and British soldiers, who have
come across the water to show us some
things about real fighting. Among them
there are several officers, some non-com
missioned officers, and a few privates.
In all the instruction of these men there
is the outstanding principle that methods
of warfare have been completely revolu
tionized by this war. The old tactics are
giving way to newer ones which have been
devised to cope with the ingenious war
fare of the enemy.
One of the French officers was looking
at a trench on the drill ground. It was
built shallow and .wide, and straight. A
glance or two, and the officer threw up
his hands with the remark:
“Ah! a-very good trench—for a pic
ture. But for war—ah! no good!”
One of the Britishers expressed his
opinion of American patriotism as fol
lows:
“You know, we’ve been told over there
that America is just half-hearted in this
war. They told us at least half were
pro-Gcrmans, We didn’t expect to find
any enthusiasm for the war at all. But
let me tell you, we found it, America is
ALL for the war. You’ve got plenty of
everything, including the enthusiasm.”
He added, however, that over in Eng
land, after the war had gone on a year
■or so, the enthusiasm was replaced by
a feeling that war was a business, and
not something only to yell about.
“America will feel that way too, after
while,”'he concluded.
BOLYARD’S
BARBER
SHOP
221 Sth St.
A modern shop
with 12 experi
enced Barbers
and efficient ser
vice.
Located on Jack
son street, below
Genesta Hotel.
No advance in
prices.
Open until 9 ev
ery evening and
until 11:30 on
Saturdays.
Expert Manicur-.
ing.
You would en
joy being worked
on here.
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