The World Goes to War

By David Taylor | July 21, 2016

By 1914, the Great War, as it was called at the time, gradually emerged into a World War. Before the War ended in 1918, 49 million men had been mobilized in the allied camp. America declared war on Germany and joined the fighting on April 6, 1917.

It was said that many people in our community did without meat or wheat two days out of the week in order to help feed our soldiers overseas. These were called Wheaties and meatless days, but the greatest sacrifice was not made at home, but overseas.

The war that was to have been over months had lasted more than four years, height it had involved some 34 nations, had killed close to ten million soldiers, wounded twice that number, and caused close a million civilian deaths. Its total coat has been estimated at over $350 billion.

A number of our members fought in this war. Their names are posted in our Library in the framed certificate, “Roll of Honor.” There they join the list of people who later fought in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. A gold star is placed by the names of those who lost their lives while serving our country.

We must never forget to be grateful for our religious liberty, our freedom, and the courage these people displayed. Without these men and women who committed their lives to fight for our country, Liberty Baptist would not stand as she does today.