From January 1908 to April 1909, and again from April 1916 to March 1920, Rev. Frank D. Adams was the minister for the Urbana Universalist Church. During the period from December 1917 to February 1919, Rev. Adams’ wife, Rev. Helen F. Adams, was the Interim Minister while Rev. Frank was on military leave. This is a letter from Rev. Frank to the congregation, dated January 1, 1918, sent from Company B, 332nd Machine Gun Battalion, Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois.

My dear People, I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. Such a wish sounds almost ironical in view of present world conditions, I know; but the conviction grows upon me that some stupendous purpose of the Divine is at work in the midst of the present chaos. The world is being tried as by fire. The test of character alone, which the millions of men have to endure in being suddenly torn away from the pursuits of peace and thrust into an environment utterly foreign to what they have before known, is beyond measure. I am watching the experiment with intense interest. Men and officers alike are dazed and bewildered in trying to orient themselves in their military surroundings. But it is gratifying to see how rapidly the American temperament readjusts itself. And everybody is going at it with a will. Nothing half way about it; yet withal there is a hearty cheerfulness in the work that bodes well for the cause. Probably the holidays have been hardest for those who could not get leave, of which there are but comparatively few in this camp. Today I have been hard at work every minute closing up the business connected with a special detail as supply officer. It is a good thing I had the work to do; for otherwise I would have been insufferably homesick. Christmas was much easier than today. Perhaps the fact that the special detail to which I referred has knocked me out of a chance to get home on either holiday has something to do with my feeling.

But I did not intend to gossip about myself. Moral preparation for the tremendous task before us is the great need of the nation; and the churches must do the biggest part of that work. We must grow increasingly to realize the inevitableness and holy character of the struggle in which we are engaged. My daily prayer is the MY church will do her part in this great service.

Affectionately yours, Frank D. Adams, 1st Lieut., U.S. Army