The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1899-10-05
WORK OF ARMY cHApLAIrs
81 Reaching the Heart Of the
Soldier Boys.


While military men and ofiice-seek-
ers of almost every other sort are using
every effort to secure commissions In
the new volunteer regiments, no large
and loud clamor for the positions Of
chaplain have been made public. The
regiments in the Philippines are not
overburdened with these blackcoated
officers as it is, and it is entirely prob
able that most of the ten additional
regiments will leave without them.
The chaplains are appointed by the
president. but their assignments arc
usually to posts rather than regiments,
and they are function of peace time.
DR.. S. S. Turner, who is one of the ex-
aiming surgeons at the Chicago re-
cruiting station. was talking a few days
ago about the chaplains he had known
in his long experience upon western
posts and Indian reservations. He in
clines to the theory that an army chap
lain can do more good by example than
active campaigning. He has seen some
OF them try to convert men ON the
spot" as he says, and most of them fail.
He is heartily in favor of them as an
institution, however, because of their
excellent assistance and benefit to the
enlisted men. The surgeon and the
chaplain have opportunities to do good
outside the strict lines of their pro-
LESSONS, which most of them are quick
to seize upon and many q soldier in
trouble has found friend in them.
1.-THE best chaplain I ever knew"
said DR.. Turner, "served at Fort Ran
dali for nearly 20 years. He was Cath
olic priest, who had lived all his life at
community down in Ohio some place,
and was appointed from there. His
whole experience in life was drawn
from those two close neighborhoods-
the monastery and the army post. He
knew absolutely nothing about the
world outside, and was the most guile
less man ever saw. Yet he was one of
the best things we had around that
post. He was broad in his religious
views if he was narrow in his observa-
ton in life, and had no hesitancy in
reading the Episcopalian morning
prayers occasionally at his services or
of using the forms of the other churches
in burials or the few weddings he Off
ciated at. He did his greatest good in
just living there in his quarters. He
vas quiet, studious man, and his quar-
tiers were visited many time by the
men who were in trouble, and needed q
friends advice. The officers cannot
always help the men out of scrapes, but |
this man could. He considered that |
hat was what he had been put there |
Tor, and the example of that simple old |
man. living there alone, doing good.
md with kind word for everybody,
saved more of the wild young fellows
from going to the devil than all the |
preaching he could have done on week |
lays as well as Sundays.
THAT is what l think a chaplain
ought to be like. Men who are in the |
lrmy don't usually cotton to preach
ng. The rules and articles of war
leep them pretty we'll supplied
With precepts, and the chaplain finds
us greatest usefulness in other things.
knew one chaplain who used to stop
he men on the parade or anywhere
lse he might meet them and talk to
hem about their souls. But they never
cemed to like him much, and he wasn't
popular about the post. have known
everal of the other type. They were
ust as religious and good as this active
and they got along lots
etter. The good ones don't preach
ogma. They talk about the correct
Vay of living. and watch out for
hances to befriend the men. The
est way to soldiers soul is through
is heart. Chicago Tribune.