The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-07-20
CAPTAIN PHILIPS FAITH.

| CAPTAIN PHILIPS FAITH.
An Impressive Scene Aboard the
Battleship Texa9.
ASKED HIS MEN TO THANK GOD.
According to Chaplain II. W. Jones,
of the Texas, Capt. ]. w Philip made
the following statement to his officers
and men Immediately after the great
battle of Santiago on Sunday, July 8:
81 wish to make confession that /
have implicit faith in God and in the
officers and crew of the Texas, but my
faith in you is secondary only TO my
faith in God. We have seen what He
has done for US, in allowing US to
achieve so great a victory, and 1 want
to ask you all, or at least every man
who has no scruples, to uncover his
his head with me and silently offer a
word of thanks to God for His good
ness toward us all. !"
'It was beautiful afternoon says
Chaplain Jenes. Goods heavens never
looked so clear, and the Stars and Stripes
never seemed so pure as they did when
welay alongside of the Cristobal Colon
- affar Che 1aA I,an~, 4
surrendered. We had been engaged in
a fierce fight to the death, when these
words came from the lips of the same
man who had, a few moments before,
given the various orders for the. attack,
and / wish to show to the people of my
country what kind of man Captain
Philip, of the battleship Texas, is.
81 have had the honor Of being the
chaplain of the Texas since October 10,
1896, so I have been with Captain Philip
ever since he took command last 0ctO-
Der. During our first conversation he
said: Chaplain, am firm believer
1n prayer, aud I think it is duty we
owe to God TO have prayers on board
ship every evening" So when Lieu
tenant Commander Haber came to US as
executive officer, the Captain spoke to
me then about having prayers, and
told him should be very glad, indeed,
to conduct them every evening at quar-
tiers, and that custom has been observ-
ed ever since. The men would be
marched aft, and ! offered humble
petition for each one, our loved ones,
our country, our President, and always
closed with an earnest prayer for peace.
captain Philip always spoke about
the late war, and reminded US that the
side which opened fire first on the
Sabbath would lose every time; 50
was very glad last Sabbath when / saw
the Maria Teresa fire the first shot.
Often during the weary days on the
blockade, the Captain would say some
thing to me about prayer, and his un-
flinching faith in God. One evening,
soon after our second bombardment,
we were walking up and down the
quarter deck together and, by the
way, it was after the Spanish had kill
ed him, but l guess they found him
very much alive corpse on Sunday
morning during the fight-he mention
ed how his wife had felt about him,
reading the account of his alleged
death, as she did, in the papers, but he
said: y wrote to Mrs. Philip and said
Pm Just as safe here as / would be
walking up Broadway with you, be-
cause God is with us, and He is listen
ing to our prayer
"On another occasion he was called
on board the flagship, together with
the commanding officer of the fleet,
for council Of war, and went on board
at hslfpast nine that Sunday morning.
The decision was reached TO lombard
the forts at o'clock that afternoon,
when Captain Philip spoke up and
said:
"'Admiral, this is Sunday. do not
think we should fight to-day. We may
be sorry if we do Whereupon the
Admiral apologized for even calling
them together at all that day, but ad-
mitied he had been so pressed that he
had entirely lost track of the days; so
the battle was deferred until the next
morning, with the result of no dam
age to us.
"As a captain, he has been most kind
TO me, never absent from divine service
unless detained on account of duty, as
he was always anxious to set his men
good example, and the example had
its effect, for my congregations were
always very gratifying to me. to have
30 many men, Prolestants and Catho-
lies, meet Of their own free will and
listen to the simple Gospel OF Jesus
always tried to give them. / love Cap
tain Philip for his manly stand for the
Gospel OF Jesus.
When, after the battle, the bugle
sounded all hands on deck, went up,
not knowing what il was for. The Cap
tain did not know l was there, and
when l heard what he said, was very
glad be did not. Mr.. Harber came to
me and said, Chaplain, did you hear
what the Captain saidg Ireplied Yes,
sir. "A very manly thing indeed, to
do, and a most impressive sight said
he.
81 went into the cabin after the Cap
tain had gone there. Holding out my
hand to him, | said: Captain. / con-
gratulate you, not alone for your ire
mendous victory, but for the stand you
took after the action. His eountenance
frightened up as he replied: why,
Chaplain, | Was sure Of it when went
on the bridge, for surely God has been
with Us, and il has been all on account
Of prayer
This is glimpse Of one Of the CON-
manding officers OF the United States
navy. You see what his faith is Let