Manila, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo.
The night closes in dark, with a slow, steady rain falling. Must make our boys very uncomfortable out at the front. The shooting I heard last night 9.30 p.m. was along our line from Caloocan to La Loma cemetery; otherwise Binondo cemetery. Prayer of Bible reading this morning. God the Holy Ghost manifested His presence in my soul last night, revealing His love.
I love my God.
Cooked breakfast & supper. Washed the dishes. My dinner consisted principally of dry bread lemonade & peanuts.
Remained at home until about 2 p.m. Considerable company called to see the Owens’ –Americans.
Mounted a street car & went directly out to the Brigade or General Hospital on the north side of the Pasig river. Called at Ward No. 10 & met Private Albert Scott of the North Dacotas. Scott is under treatment for his ears. Said some kind kind of an insect in this part of the world destroys the drum of the ear. He thinks this pest caused the destruction of one drum & the subsequent deafness. S. smoked a cigarette in my presence. Has lost ground in his soul, but claims to be not wholly backslidden. I was saddened by this confession. Advised him to give up tobacco & be a whole-hearted Christian for the reason that he cannot half-heartedly serve God successfully. Also counseled Scott to be a man of prayer & work for the salvation of souls in the hospital. S. has been discharged from Bilibid prison. Held one meeting in that place. When he tried to sing a Salvation song the men took it out of his hand and turned it into vulgar singing. Scott said he was glad to stop. Promises to call & see me tomorrow at No. 2. I hope by God’s grace to get him to the foot of the Cross for a complete victory.
Together we visited the morgue or dead house attached to the hospital. No dead bodies were in there at the time of visit, but a corporal was washing the floor with a hose. The place made me think of a butcher pen; only this was for butchered men not animals. All the killed and wounded are brought to this hospital from the field. Very suggestive indeed of war’s work was a pile of black coffins under the verandah in front of the morgue., two standing up on end near the entrance and another close at hand. These are all waiting for occupants & will probably not wait long. Dead American soldiers are embalmed & sent back to the United States.
From the morgue we went outside main gate to the rows of tents pitched for overflow cases. In two rows of tents Filipino wounded are kept. We passed between the cots, giving a smile or speaking a kind word here and there to the poor fellows. A very sad spectacle they present to the visitor. Arms & legs are gone, others are wounded in different parts of the body. None asked us for food. All have sufficient, but they did beg for cigarettes & cigars. However I would not grant such requests. Don’t believe in the tobacco vice.
I was surprised & rejoiced to meet the old white haired woman we discovered the evening closing the Tondo Dist. uprising behind the monument by the canal, near the tramway where it crosses the bridge out towards Caloocan. She was carried by our crowd to the street car & taken to the city & here she is. In spite of her age the old woman seems to be doing quite well. One poor Filipino was far advanced towards the shadow land –consumption is killing him.
Dealt personally with several men today about their soul’s salvation. On the Escolta, a soldier from Cavite, member of 1st California vol. heavy artillery; corporal in charge of the sentries at gate of the Brigade Hospital; a patient –20th Infantry– U.S. regulars; a teamster who was driving a 4-mule team into the Hospital courtyard. He stopped. Recognized me; knew me in San Francisco.
Called at the post office & mailed 2 letters for Scott. Rec’d several packages of papers –3 new S.W. War Crys. I receive no more the 120 War Crys of each issue from S.F. Neither do I see any more articles from my pen in that War Cry. They have written me nothing on the subject so I am at a loss to know what they are doing.
Purchased some Mindanao Island sea shells, also a couple of magazines.
At the hospital heard that 17 men were wounded again. Fighting every day on the right wing over at Pasig town now.
P.S. The teamster said he read an article of mine in the S.F. War Cry in San Francisco before his departure from that city, re the Philippines.