Ronald Mosley

In September, 1984, I was one of the 50 veterans of the deactivated Second World War 106th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army who spent 10 days in the then Soviet union, the USSR, as guests of the Soviet War Veterans Committee. (We insisted that this be at our own expense.) I had served as a Chaplain in training and in combat with the 424th Regiment of the 106th. Veterans of the 106th were the first of the allied armies invited to observe the 40th anniversary of the end of the Second World War because many in the division who had been taken prisoners of the end war had been freed by the Russians, and the high combat casualties were similar to that of the USSR. The 106th had lost three out of every four men in the first three days of the battle of the Ardennes Bulge, the USSR had suffered 22 to 26 million dead in that war, half of them civilian.

We met groups of Soviet veterans and their families in Moscow, Volgograd, St. Petersburg (then called Leningrad) and Tallinn in Estonia. We laid wreaths at their battlefield memorials and mass graves. The backgrounds of all fifty of us had been checked by the Soviet officials. They knew I was the only Canadian and cleric in the group, but I was astonished when asked by the Soviet veterans to pray for peace and justice at official memorials in that communist country. We were taken to the historic churches which has been turned into temples of atheism. No one took the obligatory lectures on the glories of atheism versus the failures of religion seriously.

We found those with whom we spoke concerned with the possibility of a nuclear first strike by the western powers. When in the next Mikhail Gorbachev became USSR's last president and talked about diplomacy and reconciliation, I knew why they had asked me to pray for world peace and justice; Marxism had failed, and we had experienced the beginning of the transition period. I compared it to Stalin appealing to the churches for help when the Nazi hordes threatened to overwhelm the USSR. Back in 1984, the Soviet War Veterans Committee, funded by and really a part of the government, wanted to hear prayers for peace and justice.

When we finally arrived at the Moscow airport at the end of our visit, we were bedraggled and warn out. As we boarded the Air France plane, an attendant handed each one of us an opened bottle of wine. I don't know if that had anything to do with our almost immediately falling asleep. Anyway, I awoke with a conviction that I had discovered the formula for world peace. In my dream I remembered that I had written the formula down in a small notebook I kept. Surely this was a dream as it couldn't have happened! I pulled out the pad and found I HAD written something. What was it? - as math was not my favorite subject. I read J x B = P.

I knew what it meant! The understanding of what brings peace to the world, peace to any community, peace between any persons is a truth that is overwhelming. B to me meant BROTHERHOOD (actually, I mean unconditional love). To anyone who thinks at all about paradise and the Kingdom of God/Heaven or contentment of society this is ENLIGHTENMENT! I was excited and wanted the world to know all about it. In my dream I had put together what humans had sought since the beginning; justice factored by, or multiplied by brotherhood brings, would bring, peace to any group, to nations, to the world. I am still excited by my discovery. I think the Creator had something to do with my discovery.

So, good friends, "WALK WITH ME" and read these words which I wrote in my 30 plus years of a weekly column: "because I am grateful for many things, I plan to be as active as possible in the great causes of our time. I plan to stick my nose into every problem; discussing and studying and writing and speaking about them. I know of no other way".

(by [Rev.] Ronald A. Mosley)

Walk With Me is a collection of weekly columns written by Reverend Ronald A. Mosley for a Canadian newspaper over a 30 year period. These articles offer insight into Ron's faith and his daily observations of his life's journey. These reflections are a mixture of hope, inspiration, and history. Ron experienced war from the front lines, having served as Chaplain of the 106th Infantry during World War II and the Battle of the Bulge. He later served as a minister for different New England churches. Ron is an expert on reflecting and interpreting world issues, then adding his perspective in light of God's teachings on the observations presented.

In Walk With Me, Ron explains history, traditions, and everyday events, and through his wisdom reminds us of the morals and ethics we were taught. His spiritual teachings focus on peace, love, and brotherhood. Ron's education and wisdom remind us what humanity can achieve and give us inspirational tools to endure whatever life gives us.

As you journey through this book, please enjoy your Walk With Me.