Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-05
A SAILORS REQUEST.
The Devotion of a Maine Seaman to
Religious Train
ing.

From the New York Times.
Carlton Jencks was an ordinary seaman
on board the battleship Maine when she
went down in the waters of Havana har-
Dor. His body was recovered, and was
buried with those of his shipmates who
persisted with him. OF the hapless 30 men,
whose lives were ended so tragicaIly on
that fatal night we know very little. Nat
uraily. what little we do know rebounds
to the honor of the dead. But, according
to the testimony Of the chaplain of the
ship. Carlton Jencks has unwittingly left
a bequest to his fellows which should not
be overlooked. The chaplain, who is a Ro-
man Catholic priest. says that Carlton
Jencks was a member of the association
known as the Society of Christian En-
deavor. That organization, We understand.
Is made up of members of churches and
congregations worshiping and believing
In the manner popularity known as Calvin
istic. Perhaps. SO far as Creeds represent
men, two Christians could not be further
apart than Carlton Jencks. the sailor man,
and Mr.. Chadwick, the Roman Catholic
chaplain of his ship. Yet the Boston organ
ization of which Jencks was a member has
received from the chaplain n tender and
loving letter concerning the sailor. and in
this epistle Mr.. Chadwick takes occasion to
say of Jencks: He was one of our best
men, and, although not of my belief, was
one of my greatest comforts"
1t appears that the sailor was a Jealous
and active Christian. and that he manfulIy
seconded the chaplain's efforts to promote
the religious welfare of the crew. He was
"a Jealous promoter of the evening sery-
ices on the ship. and it was not long after
one of these vespers that the hour of death
struck for the doomed crew. among whom
the sailor Christian Endeavorer was num-
bered.
"And in the wreck of noble lives,
Something immortal still survives"
Says Longfellow, and the part of Jencks'
life that survives hin would never have
been cut short as it was by the tragedy
of the Maine. 1t is the duty of every
Christian man to live as a faithful ex-
ponent of the religion which he processes.
This was apparently all that Sailor Jencks
did. and doubtless he would have been very
much astonished if he could have been told
there was in him such a virtue that after
his death the chaplain should cite his ex-
ample as one worthy of imitation. A Prot
rough men, whose general bearing and con-
versation were not specially conducive to
the growth of the Christian graces; might
nave let the Roman Catholic chaplain go
his ways without having his own conscience
pricked for Sinking duty. Sailor Jencks
does not appear to have been that kind of
get his messmates together when the chap
lain was on hand to give them religious
instruction, And the men..they. might have
chaffed and jeered him. but the chaplain
says: Our men admired him for his at
tention to religious duties" The power of
a consistent Christian example does count
the good chaplain. alien though he is to
the faith of the Christian Endeavorer. is
eloquent Win tnlS truth.
The lesson of this sailors humble and
obscure career. SO suddenly illuminated by
the flames of a tragedy, is sufficiently OBJ
yious. Whatsoever. thy. hand findeth to
do. do it with thy might" AS this was the
harmony of Jencks' life. it is fortunate that
there has survived one who knew him and
who ~testifies of him for the benefit of tim
orous and doubling souls who are tolerably
well assured of their duty. but are not ex-
actly ready to do it. To wavering human
ity everywhere the lesson of such a life
is q bequest of unreasonable value.