The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-03
THEY MEMORABLE OLNEY
Baptist Ministerial Union Pro-
tests Against Chinese
OutrageS.
IMPROVEMENT IN THE ARMY.
Chaplain Macomber on Religious
Life and the Soldiery-Opinions
of Royce.

Captain John Harrison Macomb Der, chap
lain at Angel Island, addressed the Metho-
dist preachers meeting on Religious Life
in the Army" He said:
The army IS composed of ten regiments OF
cavalry five OF artillery and twenty-five OF
Infantry, making a grand total OF 70, OUO men,
the smallest standing army, believe, OF any
nation in the world that pretends to call itself
q nation. Yet ii is q very important neIo Tor
religious work. The men enlisted are OF nearly
all nationalities, but the majority are Ameri-
cans, and many Of them bright, lntelngent ana
educated Young men, some OF them having
diplomas from schools. The opinion OBTAINS
in the minds of many that the soldiery OF our
landing army is made up OF low, Ignorant
class of men. That is q mistake. we have
ignorant men, but none, as formerly, who can
not read or write. For those VINO need further
school instruction to make them lnteillgent
soldiers post schools have been estapIsheo,
and all recruits are examined before the COM
mencenent of the school term, when is from
November TO May, six months ana all found
deficient are placed upon the schooI nst ana
are reguIarIy detailed to attend school as a
military duty. The studies are the common
English branches. -
According TO the regulations the enaPlaln 1a sq
perintends the post schools, and this in itself
Is an important work, aford1ng as II does an
excellent opportunity not only 10 ana me men
intellectually, but to become Win
An fort has been made by Congress ana the
Var Department to improve the coHoIelon, Vi
the army in many respects, ana IN NOS o III,
stances with success. No tramps neeQ apply
man who would occupy the honorable posi-
ton of an American soldier IN these times IlusV
be able 90 give a satisfactory account OF nlln,
self and nave it Endorsed by some respected
citizen Any young man OF GOOD lnoIai cndr,
acter sound in body and mind, WIN moral
backbone, can to-day enlist IN tne United
States army and realize that ne is doiuS non
orable service, and if he choose TO MAKE IL d
life profession, at the end OF thirty years ser
vice he viii be placed on the retired hst with
L. fr.r
orr soldiers are better clothed, fed, housed
and handled than formerly. l believe the
young man who possesses all the qualifications
for q good soldier-and that lncludes moral
courage-can spend his three years OF enlist
ment in the service in the right course and
come out with money in his pocket ana be a
better man physically, mentally and morally,
but it requires sand and good sense.
The "army canteen" is superior to the
old post traders establishment. The reli-
gious interests of the army are not Is well
fooEed after as they should be, for TO sup
ply about 100 posts there are only thirty post
chaplains and four fegimental cnaplalns, the
latterswith the colored regiments All cnap-
lains have the rank OF captain, ana yet there
are those who would not only deprive us OF the
attendant privileges, but wipe US out OF exist
ence altogether.
The speaker showed that chaplalncy is
by no means sinecure If the lncum bent
is conscientious in the discharge of his
duties, and in conclusion deplored the lack
of interest in the work, not alone on the
part of the other officers but the ministry
as we'll. He commended Colonel Shafter's
course. incidentally he referred to the
fact that there have been 800 applications
from men desiring to fill the post vacated
by Chaplain Howard
Rev. w. S. Bovard said the spirit of
tolerance expressed by the fathers of this
country is misunderstood by those who
would do away with religious ceremonies
in the army. Religious liberty is not
atheism. Freedom to worship God does