The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-03
E-GeN@ MAase
Editor Christian Herald.
The Army ChapIaincy.


In my long experience of army life have no
ticcd that in time OF peace there is steady
tendency in official circles to what the English
dcnominate bureaucracy" and bureaucracy"
always has resulted in ovcrabundant "circum
locuiion," If IL is proper TO call the multiplica
ton of Offices and of the several landings OF
official papers decentralization"
Business increases, and the desire for Office
increases often more rapidly than business:
and so ii occurs to some bright intellect that
this business could be little better attended
TO- or, at any rate. managed with more stcadi-
ness, system and completeness by u well-cs.
tablishcd and wclregulatcd bureau.
bureau in The war department, Of course.
takes on special form. The orGaniza ton con.
sists in an officer of considerable rank at the
head, with one or two assistants and an ado
quatc amount of clerical and messenger help
and attendance, with the necessary ramnca-
tionS from tho main trunk to cover the OK trent.
ties of the land
The tendency to bureaucracy" In our service
has been 50 great that, little by little the geo.
graphical department heads have been relieved
of responsibility. Now the engineers, the ord.
nance, the quartcrmaStcr, the commissary, the
inspector, the medical and the justice bureau,
to say nothing of minor divisions, wheels within
wheels, have become measurably well estab-
liShcd and independent. Department command
crs raise some objections and fret and then
over authority diminished in the interest OF the
Washington bureau; but still the process goes
on until war breaks out then. OF course. there
is an instant return to the essential system es-
seniial TO war, mean, OF authority and respon-
sibility.
The above comments do not wish to write in
the way of fauli-tinding, or even of criticism
but to state hc actual tendency and patent
facts with view TO the further consideration
nj the subject you have at heart. namely the
chaplaincy.
have OF late noticed q growing dissa ,isfac
ton on the part % army chaplaius and their
friends, with the chaplaincy system which
has long been in vogue. There is evidently
a desire OF Christian people for q radical
change
Judging hy the bill Just introduced in con.
gross, should say that, OH reading a brief of IT,
detected the same peace tendency to which
have alluded namely 4 tendency 10 the chap
hincy bureau, with headquarters 1T Washing
ton. and with the usual variation of rank from
tho senior head Of the bureau, perhaps, at first
with the rank Of colonel, through the several
army GRADES down TO the assistant chaplain
named in the BILL with the rank of lieutenant
And, indeed there is nothing unreasonable on
the face of il, in the desire OF aplains through
out the army TO he on par with other officers
and il there should be established n chaplain
corps, IL would be wiso, in my judgment, 10
make IL so much on par with other bureau
corps that "A proper sclfrcspect and an ade.
qiatc compensation should be given TO the
chaplain officers from first to last common.
suratc with the important service they are TO
render.
But before giving n full Endorsement TO such
new order of things MY we not stop and in
quirc first, what is the object OF the cha plaincy
in the army?
We may state without fear OF contradiction
that the Legitimate Objret OF the chaplancy is to
supply the religious wants OF the officers the
soldiers, employees and all families, men, women
aud children. pro~irly connected with its min.
istry.
When regiment takes the field the chaplain
should go with 1t and be ready to meet the new
wants that at such time always arise, where
men arc thrown into hospital or are suffering
on tho field from wounds Certainly many OF
them desire and solicit the advice anu consola.
ton that nobody is SO well fitted to give as the
minister OF religion. When not in the field the
ehaplains will be attached 10 the several gar
rlsons where the army Is stationed, and there
To the best OF their ability. meet all the re.
qurcmcntS which the minister OF the Gospc
everywhere supplies
They baptizc the children, they conduct tho
Snnday-schoo they Civ: lectures and sermons
to The officers and men of the army, and they
perform their part of the burial service when
anyone is called away by death.
Nov the bureau system 10 which have re-
icrrcd. II we should yi0w the whole chaplaincy
just as We do the medical provisions for the
army. might afford an effective arrangement 10
meet all the religious wants O! the service i'm q
complete and satisfactory manner. Wherein
then lie the objections?
Practically, the objections that are cncoun-
tered are the same throughout the service: that
IL to say. ut posts and in every regiment 1t is
that each individual connected with the army
prefers what he can have in civil life, a minister
OF his own persuasion. The Catholics ask for a
priest. the churchmaa for an Episcopalian and
men OF other denominations, when practicable
desire TO have man o! their own persuasion
The second objection heretofore made has
been that the office does not seek the man, but
the man the onice. This Is so much the case
that those who are old &C inhrm or weary with
too hard work, and In some cases, perhaps,
those who are least fitted for doing the work,
are likely TO be and TOO often are earnest appli-
cants for the positions. This being the case II
Is not Mt all To be wondered at that so many,
who do not give satisfaction, find their way into
the United States service. The bureau system
submit. would certainly not remedy this evil,
but would rather increase IL.
Abundant remedies, my dear sir have been
suggested touching the subject OF the appoint
mcn, OF these ministers OF the faith, bIt none
| OF them seems TO me TO be satisfactory or 10
| promise any wholesome fruitagc.
houd you visit any garrison or post from
Washington city TO the Columbia river YOU
| would ind that the members OF that garrison
| feel and express themselves very much as tho
members OF an individual church. Tho church
Is sometimes obliged TO take the priest or the
Clergyman sent TO IL by tho bishop or arch.
bishop. but The best harmony prevails and the