The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-02-21
ARMY CHAPLAINS.
Defense of the Men Who Served the
Mail and Prayed.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issue
of Jan. II, 1882 under the heading of "Chap-
lains," you provoke reply. was private in
New York regiment that had a frst-class
Chaplain, and hence feel called" " and free to
preach a word in their behalf.
1t is far from me to detract at all from the
honors of Bishop Newman. I therefore, first
to his defense, say he is more than the GAR.
Bishop Of the M. E. Church. It is true he is
all of that, but he, as well as all the others,
had to have two thirds vote of the 463 dele
gates, or about double the united strength of
the GA. r. there represented, to secure election.
He stands the peer of his 10 colleagues II will
not combat the man who sings his praises
higher) the honored Bishop of the NJ. E.
Church as his first dignity. Having said this
much, | will join gladly my comrades in claim
ing him as well. Like good soldier, he took
his life in his hand, and in obedience to the
call of Bishop Ames went and organized, at the
close of the war; the NJ. E. Church in Texas
Mississippi and Louisiana, to the honor of the
Church and benefit of the Government. His
great heart, his clear head, his trusted judg-
ment, could not be passed by in selecting man
for so delicate and difficult task. In admir-
ing the man of God, it is pleasing to notice that
the name of that President and of that states
man who selected and relied on his counsels
stands first on the Nations roll of honor.
As to whether preachers made good soldiers
1 will address myself There is no doubt that
good soldiers make good preachers.
IN the proper conduct of an army, as in all
other great enterprises, there should be a di-
versity of gifts and positions, as we'll as divis-
ion of labor. Had we not have had Chaplains,
men from the ranks would have had to have
been detailed to do the work which was per-
formed by them. 1t was light matter to de-
liver the letter from the sweetheart, but it had
to be done, else the army would have gone
home to have known the reason why. But
this is superficial compared with their real
duties. To have a Chaplain in a regiment was as
important as it was to Israel to have an Elijah.
Don't we all remember how homesick and
broken hearted many of the boys became
soon after enlistment? OF course, ace didn't,
but others did, and then they had to be COM
forted. And those that were not, some of them,
died, from no other cause. Then the public
service, the hospital and the sick-bed. Well
does the writer remember the awful night of the
Sd of June, 1864, at Cold Harbor, when, bearing
an uncared-for, terrible wound, he reached the
field hospital, the Chaplain (God bless him J
was the first, in hasty manner, to tie hand
kerchief to stop the flowing blood, already too
far wasted, and furnish cup of Cruel. Well
do I remember, in the nightmare of that awful
night, seeing him just at the right moment
holding low his ear to catch the last faint words
of dying comrade; and then when no further
sound came, he closed the eyes and hastily
jotted down minute OF what the soldier said,
while his soul sped heavenward with a new
hope and saving faith produced by the words
of the good Chaplain. That the men made
good citizens after that protraeted struggle,
speaks volumes for the Chaplains.
lone naturally wonders what has become OF
all the Chapains, that they are not heard from.
They certainly were not all killed in action"
Some were; the others have settled down to
the pursuits of peaceful life as the rest of us
have, and the best are heard from, as rule, the
least. Some of them, like my own have served
their District in Congress, and many have been
variously honored. Is there man now living
that has not heard "a Million for Missions "
that will ring down the ages? If so, he may
not have heard of the 122d Ohio or their Chap
lain.
Now, I believe the writer of "Chaplains " is
their admirer, and wanted some one to say
something in their defense. l will also venture
this: The soldier who thinks i'll of Chaplains
was not good soldier, and can't furnish THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNEa majority vote of his coin
rades that he was.-A LAYiAN who voted
for John 2. Newman.