Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-02-24
NiyY CEAPLAlNS.

The accepted mode of selecting Chaplains for
| tue Array and Navy of the United States Is
strkingly at variance with the spirit OF our
Federal and state Constitutions. These affirm
| that the care Of souls is Il matter OF strictly
individual and not OF public concern-that eve
ry adult rational being should be lelt Tree to
select his own creed anl his own expounder Of
that crccll-and that Government should con-
line itself to temporal concerns, including the
securing to each individual of his natural Cod
given rights, leaving his spiritual and eternal
we-being to the guidance of his own judgment
AND conscience. IN the Army and Navy all
this is reversed. \ Chaplain is appointed to Il
vessel or Il regiment without even 4 pretcnse Of
consulting the wishes or humoring the religious
convictions Of those to whom he is to minister:
they may be mainly Roman Catholics, while he
is Il roaring denounccr of Popery-perllaTs r
Unitarian or CniverSalist, whose clerical incu:-
GATORS must be l'akcdly abominaG!e in the eyes
Of the great body Of the flock. 1t may thus
he matter of conscience with the crew or
regiment not to attend nor countcmncc the
miiSirations of him whom the Government has
appointed their spiritual guide. OF course, H.;
services are worse thar useless and his salary
s!iec; rbLery Of the Treasury.
ThE EXuminer, al able baptist organ i'll onr
city. affirm, thai there is q pretty general mn
derstanding among the officers (not the Sealnen)
OF U,;r Navy, to cuclcc the r,e "t the PotcStait
Episcopal l.irslrgy BY the CLaplans, no matter
Of what denomination. We learn that Of the
twcntg-IoTr Chapiains in our Navy, eleven at;'
Episcuis,rs, w:liic Of the thirteen appointed
from :!iuiig a.i other denominations (colnpr-
sing at e:p;t ninc-tenthS Of the American lco-
pie. all but ira lave been dra@ou;:cd into tie
use of the Episcopal Liturgy.
The Er4miner has u statement showing such
results as might have been expected OF this
quasi Church Establishment in this free lanai.
The Rev. Joseph Stockbri,lse (Eaptist.) Clap
lain Of sixteen years s;aniGa%, WAS or'icrc't to
and Joined the Savannah, in the Rio de Ia Plata,
in February, ISjl Before commencing ls
IirSt Sabbath service, he was requested BY h"ii'
tic Captain an! the CoHrmu,iorc 10 u:e tic
Episcopal Liturgy. which he declined TO tlo.
The next Sunday brought 4 like request, with
IN intination that he might be superseded it
he refused compliance. IL d" refuse, never
thclcss, and this refusal was the signal Tor the
commencement Of systematic vrXa'ipn and an
noyance. lie was first notic't ny Tie first
Lieutenant that singing. rs :. part nt dl'ine str
vice, wouhl. by the Captains U"dar, b: 'NreiiS-
c with next, his Sunday :rioo' waS i"Itrd
with orangepeel and other liGh; missiles until
it was broken up; then he ound hinise! eN-
cndrl from social intercourse and the IS"!
manifestations Of hospitality by the higher "':i-
Ger, at length Il ,unber OF water was thrown
at him. vile at dinner, by n Junior officer oi
marines, whose arm was arrested By {; superior
officer as he attempted to throw another t'in'-
bier; and all tue punishment visited Oh the
offender WAS lorma! rcprimand. On appeal
to the (lats; st,ac.essry. OF the Navy thissit,=
swer was returned:
"From examining all the iapera, do not
think that Lieut. j. intended to strike, ''!t
merely to i!lsult or mortiiy. by throwing water
ut the chaplain. :; do not consider the
case worthy of the dignity o' It Coarl Idriti .
If Junior lieutenant coi!t; bc guilty ri =
more ,ulgenll@inaliiy or uiio'iia""-'i@ ati t'!aA
tia; of tLrwin: ttlni,|"r witt; juicni 'inci':-
Iy to insult or rInrilv': the c!.ai'ia;'i t" is a?
WHO ii necessarily :: I'a.ru:nbHIa;;, we cl:iir't
hess what that net cn"i;l H.. !la,i !.e thrnvm
the tun.rr at the r1mmo;iurc@ iav an! !r.rt
~ follow il ~, by throwing ;lnt!icr, W""l'' IL:
have been L., nN 81 easily
We need l.ui E;;rstIc the nlif.:.!v". i.ic
yLaEiain;s dignity Of position. Iii M:''i"ncr,
and his opportunities l"r u>cHl!.:"- were c'ii!-
plctcIy brotca down. beciu'r 'H .ii i''': src III
L. use the liturgy Of another ci.trca lhan t;:at
UI which tc was mc:::iisr
In our Judgment, if the fedora! GovstmmcAt
would dismiss its Array an: Navy Charlains
resolving never To employ am n'':e, except -
lair and open Vote of tic crew or regiment
which ii to he pro!itcd by the services oI such
Chaplain, It's own consistency woTi! BE- v'n'll-
cate.l and the calse OF religion decidedly pro
ii;cd.- York Weekly Tribune