Here is the testimony of a few demonstrations which took...

Victor Blondis

Here is the testimony of a few demonstrations which took place while I was at the front. When war broke out, I started on the second day of the mobilization to join up with the sixty-ninth light infantry regiment. I was full of trust, knowing that in the kingdom of God there was no war and that no evil could touch me. One day I was told off to patrol duty with three of my comrades. We were to reconnoiter a farm, and were going under cover of a corn field, when suddenly the enemy hidden in a ravine fired on us. We were a few meters from them, and my companions thought they were done for, but I remained calm, having the ninety-first psalm always present in my thought. We lay flat in the corn, and while the balls spattered all around us I declared the truth, and we came safely through this terrible experience.

During the retreat we were sent into the department of the Oise to stop the German advance on Paris. When at L—we were ordered to hold on as long as possible; and we defended the position all day long under terrible artillery fire. When we had to retire, it was too late, for we were surrounded on all sides. We were much afraid that the whole regiment would be captured, but God was watching over us, and by what seemed a miracle we succeeded in getting out of the circle surrounding us. Then I heard several of my comrades say, "It is incredible; there must be some one or something protecting our regiment."

My best demonstration took place during the famous battle of the Marne. We were at a place on the road to M—and were ordered to go toward another place, which was then occupied by the enemy. But we had to go a distance of four kilometers in open country, exposed to the fire of the enemy's great howitzers. We had to crawl all the way, on our stomachs. All of a sudden a shell fell and burst just where my squad was. Terrible cries were heard, and several of my comrades were wounded, while others were killed, and I was thrown to the other side of the road without a scratch, not knowing how it ever happened.

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