Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-07-14
WARSHIP WORSHIP.
HOW JACK "RIGS CHURCHu IN UNCLE
SANS NAVY.

SANS NAVY.
Divine Service Sunday on Board
United States Man-of-war and How 1t L
Conducted-The Church Ensign and It
Meaning-The Chaplain,
When there is seen flying from the
gaff of United States man -of-war &
small, white triangular pennant, bear
ing on its field blue Greek cross nea,
the pike or halyard, it is signal thai
divine service Is being held on board
Rig church l'' Is one Of the regular ma.
val orders, issued usually at about 1886
on Sunday morning.
Church is "rigged" in various places
according to the construction of the YES.
sci and according to the weather condi.
t1ons. If the day is fine and not toe
cold, the quarter deck will probably be
selected, although In some ships it is
customary to hold the service on the
forward part Of the gun deck. In stormy
weather the berth deck below is used,
where the men may be under shelter,
though they are more cramped for room,
Assuming that the service is to be
held on the quarter deck, the arrange
ments for 1t will proceed about like
this: When the bugler gives the signal,
the "church ensign Is hoisted to the
gaff, and some Of the men. under the
direction Of an officer, bestir themselves
briskly in making the simple prepara-
tions which are necessary.
A table or desk, covered with the
American flag, is placed at the end Of
the quarter deck for the chaplain A few
wardroom chairs are brought up from
below and ranged along the starboard
side, where the officers are to assemble,
and benches or capstan bars resting on
buckets make seats for the crew on the
port side.
The organ-for every ship that has q
chaplain is provided with an instrument
of this nature-is put in a convenient
place. If there is a band, and its serv-
ices are desired, a few musicians are Sc
lected and stationed near by. Then the
ships bell is tolled for about five min
utes, giving the officers and men, wher-
ever they may be on board, sufficient
time to assemble, if they are so inclined.
The boatswain may call down the
hatchways "Silence, fore and aft, DUR
ing divine servicel' but 1t is well un-
derstood by the entire crew that the
ship must be quiet now for about three
quarters of an hour. Finally the bell
stops, the captain, after a glance
around, makes sign to the chaplain
that all is ready, and the service begins.
How it is conducted depends upon
the denomination to which the chaplain
belongs, and various sects are represent
ed among the naval clergymen The
singing, accompanied by the organ,
which Is played either by an officer or
by some musician among the crew, is
generally fine. The men enjoy it, and
their voices ring out strong and fresh in
the open air.
During the prayers they are required
to remove their caps, but throughout
the rest of the service they may remain
covered. When it is over, the order to
"Pipe downP' is given, and church is
"unrigged. Sometimes an evening
service is also held, but this is not the
general custom.
Attendance at church on the warships
is Of course not compulsory, but the Off
GERS. ere expected to attend by way of
furnishing an example, and most of
them usually do, accompanied by per-
haps about half the crew-sometimes
more and sometimes less.
But by no means all the ships of the
navy are provided with chaplains For
the 60 or more war vessels now effective
for service there are fewer than 80 |
or less than one for every
two ships. They are attached to the lar
gest and most important vessels, where
their ministrations may reach the great |
est number of persons.
A queer incident happened few |
years ago, when one of the modern
cruisers was put into commission. It |
had been intended that she should carry |
. chaplain, but when the officers quar-
ters were completed it was found that |
bis room had been entirely overlooked.
No accommodation for him thus being
the ship put to sea without a
chaplain and did not have one for at
east two years.
In an action the chaplain's duties are
With the sick and wounded. Occasion
,lly, however, his aid has been required
1t the guns, and in many instances the
,haplains have proved themselves hero
C fighters as well as good preachers. In
he old days of the navy the chaplain
wore the full uniform Of his rank-ueu-
enant, lieutenant commander or COM
1t Is now customary for
lin to wear suit of black or the regu-
ar costume Of whatever church he rep
esents, sometimes with the insignia Of
lis rank upon his sleeve. York
Tribune.