New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-17
CONCERNING ARMY cHAPLAINs.
TIE GOOD WORK THEY DO IN THE PHILIPPINES
AND THE NEED OF HAVING MORE

TIE GOOD WORK THEY DO IN THE PHILIPPINES
AND THE NEED OF HAVING MORE
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir AT present there are only four resimental chap
lans in the United States Army. and these are as
signed TO the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the Ath ana
18Th Infantry. respectively In other words each
colored regiment has chaplain OF the race 10
which its enlisted belong. And. with que re-
spec be It said these chapains of African descent
are men of deep and earnest pety. able scholars
and eloquent preachers.
For the white troops consisting OF forty-hVe reel
nents Of infantry, nine regiments OF cavalry. SIX
regiments Of artillery the engineer corps. the hos
pital corps and the signal corps, only thirty post
chaplains are provided and fully one-half OF these
stationed at places in the United states where
there are only a handful of soldiers 10 keep them
IN countenance. 1t may Justly be said that some
have served long and faithfully and are near their
retirement But this does not change the exigen-
cies of the present situation. The needs of the
services are too great to permit the appointment
OF old men. who. whatever their merits, shouh
look TO their Church and not TO the Government
10 provide easy place for them to spend thelr
declining years. No minister should be appointed
to the place Of chaplain who is over thirty-hve
years Of age. OF the thirty post chaplains. only
eight are on duty in the Philippines, where the
bulk Of the Army is stationed.
The good work that is done by them suggests the
benefcent results that would be obtained II there
are wanted anywhere they needed in the Philip
pines Here is where the fighting is going on. here
the American soldier is called upon 10 face every
kind Of hardship and peril After each battle
there are heroes 70 be buried. and all the time
ii ere are many sick ard wounded men in the hos
pitfalls 10 be cared for A chaplains place out mere
Is no sinecure neither does the conscientious chap
lain fnd moment of leisure time. Some, indeed,
have done the work of four five men, and all
have done their duty faithfully and well
We are proud Of the Army chaplains IN the
Philippines In the whole Eighth Army Corps
there was no grander hero than the chaplain OF
the 1st Tennessee. who died Of smallpox. c2nracted
down with that dread disease Cathohcs ana no
Gsaats honor bs GasRagg c6emann of the 2h
Kansas for their gaantry In exposing l ne nIsee
Of safety Inc poor fellows who were wounded
Chaplain Fleming. of the Colorados, ana chaplain
the Minnesotas. are three others who will be long
ana affectionately rememoerea: . o % IN
The preparation and preaching OF serMons rs ~
reality the smallest part Of Gnspldhn in an %or 10
There thousand and one tnings ne id,Is 70
hold Den md a most acceptable substitute in the
Chaplain When a brave soldier gives up his ne
is the chaplain who collects me niue ems tbeTn
home II is the chaplain who writes an the com
ou and sympathy that can be lncosed IN teSIer
Or husband slain 1t is the chaplain VINO secures
boxes and barrels Of reading mater LOT t1g NH iS
moments OF camp life, when temptation 70 eWI is
eyer strong. II is the chaplain VINO mas chd &c ~ %
Bureau OF Identification, and IL is que 70 ms uhur
Ing efforts that Of our noble deao 40 not
now sleep in forgotten or unknown graves. ,,,
War Is said 10 make rough ana rrengIous'
but could YOU have been present. as nave oeer,
when a chaplain visited regiment al the dt to
which was without any opportunity OF rehgl0us
services and heard the men say, i am so gao
90 10 church since have been the island" and
many other greetings with 9sartfeit accent, you
hls 70 co her duty by her Army. | may venture
. say that il is most difficult to md soldler our
WI
appreciate some part Of the chaplain's work -
Luzon. Philippine Islands, NOV l. leSS n %.