The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
CHURCH ON BOARD ship
The Spiritual Welfare of the Sailor
Man Attended To.
Duties of the Naval Chaplain, the
Preacher on the QunrterdecI<-In-
terestinE Services Amid HowIing
Winds and Turbulent Sens-Stir-
ring Hymns on the Broad Ocean.

ring Hymns the broad ocean
Few people ever associate the ordinary
Jack Tar of the navy with matters
religious, on account of his traditional
ungodliness and his general tendency to
carelessness of habits. Nevertheless,
there are in the United States Navy to-
day many enlisted men who have relig-
ious proclivities, and still others who are
consistent followers of the divine teach
| ings.
To aid "Jacky" in his eevotions, the
Government has provided corps OF
chaplains, or SKY pilots as they are
known in the vernacular of the followers
of the deep, consisting of twenty-five
| divnes, representing the various reli-
gious denominations. These are assigned
to duty principally al the navy yards. on
| flag ships or on the training ships. Their
duties. as prescribed by the naval regu-
| lations, are ito perform divine service
and offer prayers on board ship at such
| time as the captain may direct; to form
voluntary classes for religious instruc-
I
| instruction of boys who may need to be
/ taught the elementary principles of read
| ing. writing, arithmetic and geography. ."
The salaries paid chaplains are far
/ above the average remuneration of min
| listers on shore. When first appointed
they receive $500 at sea and 81, 600 on
shore duty. After five years service
they are paid $500 at sea and $1,000 on
| shore duty. Taking into consideration
the fact that these officers can be retired
on three-quarters of their sea pa at the
age of sixty-two a naval chap'aincy is
not to be despised from a financial point
of view.
In addition to their regular duties chap
lains frequently give courses OF lectures
on American history or on other subjects
/ which may interest the sailor mind Some
chaplains of athletic tendencies organize
various games and encourage the men to
take part in them. The personality of the
chaplain has much to do with the degree
Of his popularity among the men. Some
are cordially despised while others are
held in high esteem. The best test of the
chaplain's popularity among the enlisted
men is the attendance at Sunday morning
services. Such attendance is entirely vol
untary, except in the case of naval appren-
tees; and, whereas many chaplains have
large audiences, others in the service can
q
These services are at times very i'm
pressive, especially at sea. Immediately
after the usual Sunday morning muster
the word is passed by the officer of the
deck to spread church gear" In a very
short space of time there will appear, on
the port side of the quarterback. rows OF
mess benches, a portable pulpit and chairs
for the officers. In rough weather the
pulpit is dashed 10 the deck, usually in or
@ nj ~
for the men are usually forward of the
pulpit, and the officers chairs aft.
Silence is ordered throughout the ship,
and the church flag is hoisted above the
national ensign. this being the only flag
that can be given that position. Usually
on flagship string orchestra is Sc
lected from the members of the ships
band to play accomplishments to the
hymns. All join, with fine effect. in the
singing. The absence of female voices is
scarcely noticeable, as the deep bassos
of the Seamen are melIowed by the So
prano voices Of many of the apprentice
boys. To hear a chorus of two or three
hundred men and boys singing Onward,
Christian Soldiers" or a like stirring
hymn, out at sea, hundreds of miles from
any land. where the only other sounds
are the dull reyerberations from the en-
CINE room and the splashing of the pillows
against the sides of the ship: to watch
the earnest singers as they stand logged
out" in their best uniforms and swaying
from side to side with the heaving of IN.
great vessel; to observe the serious looks
on their faces. and to realize. in common
with them. what an Insignificant sqeck the
ship really is on the vast expanse Of the
ocean, all form an experience which must I
be undergone to be appreciated.
Preaching under such circumstances is J
far different from this exercise on shore. /
~ 4. f.E.
brace himself and hold on with one hand, I
while he gesticulates with the other. Oc- /
casionally an unlocked for baptism breaks .
in on the service as an unusually high I
wave, striking the side of the vessel. :
throws spray over the assemblage. Dur
ing the sermon ''Jacky' hangs on TO a
bench, and usually pays strict attention to
what Is being said. The poor little APP
prentices, whose attendance is compulsory
are put in the front rows. where they are
under TIE constant surveillance of the
officer Of the deck. Like all other boys
they look upon the proceedings as a kind
of bore. with the exception of the singing
into which they enter with great vim and
evident enjoyment. The fact that no col
lection" is taken up is also pleasing to
them. During the time that divine serv-
ices are being held the utmost order reigns
throughout the ship. as the navy regula-
tons provide very severe punishment for |
any disturbance. Smoking is not allowed
in any part of the ship while services are
going on.
Occasionally "Jacky'' uses religion to
accomplish his own ends. especially in the
matter of obtaining liberty, when he
knows that the captain or the executive
officer is religious man. The sancti-
monious expression which he can put on
when he comes to the mast to ask special
liberty for the purpose OF attending church
on shore is worthy of n monk in a clois-
ter. An amusing incident occurred not
long ago at the Mare Island Navy Yard
wherein ''Jaclty" got the worst OF it, The
Ia gship of the Pacific station was at the
yard undergoing repairs, and as usual
Sunday services were to he held. num-
Der of "shellbacks'' on the receiving ship
bought that il they could obtain permits
sion to attend church on the flagship they
'ould cut the service and spend the time
spinning yarns with some of their old
'hlpmates. Accordingly a party of thirty
obtained the necessary permission and
marched up to where the flagship was ly-
ng Arriving at the gangway the petty
fficer in charge of the party presented the
tote to the officer of the deck stating that |
hey had been granted permission to at !
end services. They were. of course, al
owed to come on board. and as it was I
Tot quite church time, they Immediately
tarted to go forward among their broth ,
r tars. In this they were fOiled by the ;