The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-28
statement by Father or Midshipman
Arowood.

Iue communication IN l0dayS issue
OF The Post under the flaming head
lines, Remarkable Case OF Young
Arrowood." Is so paIpably false In its
inference, and statement Of facts that
justice demands that I answer 1t at
some length. The statement that my
son wrote me that he found his as
sociations were of such an immoral
character that he could not be a
Christian gentleman n an officer in
the navy at the same time" is untrue.
My son has been as silent to me as
your correspondent declares him to be
now on the receiving ship Hancock.
My letter to the department, which
your correspondent dignifes by the
significant adjective remarkable" was
ny own, based upon information
cleaned from various the
least of which was directly from my
soE
I said that the pickering, injustice
and j~ealousies of the service were SUCH
that my son could not be true TO the
demands of the service and maintain
the Christian manhood n integrity
his conscience demanded" What I
said in my letter to the department
was said on my initiative. and infor-
nation. my Sol knowing nothing about
1t, and not directly or indirectly re-
sponsible for a single sentence in il.
My letter is in the hands of the navy
department. If it is SO remarkable"
let the department publish it to the
world. l am sure I wrote it for who
ever it may concern. Now, is my state
ment as to the pickering, 1ealousies,
injustice in the personnel of the SER
vice untrue? No intelligent American
who followed the Sampson-Schley in
yestigation, doubts it for a moment.
The whole service, from top to bottom
In this respect, is honey-combed With
~rottenness. I
Is the personne, Of the navy i'm
moral? NO, when judged by the
worlds standard Of morals. Is IL
Christian? Again no, when judged
by the standard Of morals recognized
by and advocated by Protestant Chris.
tianity. I do not suppose any n
would characterize the doing of tho
Four Hundred as immoral. for the
world has set it's seal OF approval; in
fact it is the world, and the world Is
It; neither could M one be found SO
bold as to characterize the social ex-
ample of Christian morals, with its
winnings and dinings, its balls and
cards, it's lettings and racings, and
fast life generally. Look we'll to tho
social life of the Four Hundred, and
you have a replica of the social life
Of the navy. Is this morality? Yes,
the world and Admiral Coglan.
young Mems Christian Association
preacher in his old age" ETC., etc..
says it is. Is it Christian? No, by
all the shades of our Scotch fore
fathers. from HON we have inherit
ed our love of freedom and right. and
from whom we have learned how to
love n defend the truth. we declare
it to be absolutely un-Christian.
Why, Mr.. Editor. this is no new
fight with me-; I have been In the
thick Of this battle ever since my son
matriculated at the academy. More
than one remarkable" letter have !
written to the department. suppose
they are on file. if the department
will be SO good as to publish them
they will be mighty interesting read
ing at this time. and will help the
public to see more clearly our con-
tention for liberty of conscience and
religious freedom.
When I signed articles giving my
consent for my son to enter the navy
I had not the remotest idea that his
religious privileges would be inter-
fered with, 50 I sent a request to
Commander Wainwright, asking that
my son be allowed to identify him
self with the Presbyterian congrega-
zion in Annapolis. as he was a COM
muning member of that church. 7
received a polite reply that it was
against h regulations to allow boys
to go out to church. This was quite
a shock to me. There was the first
crossing Of swords, and I had to pos
itively demand my constitutional
rights before they would allow my
request. For three years before my
son entered no boy had been allowed
to attend the church of his individual
denomination, except Roman Catho-
lies. Why the exception was made in
their favor, 1 knew not. I have tried
to find out, but no explanation vas
ever given. Only one other boy be-
SlIl0S my SUI WOuiu ASK the privilege,
cut of over three hundred boys. Why?
because it was the general impression
in the academy that it would make a
boy unpopular with the authorities.
Rev. Geo. S. Bell, backed by all the
moral force of the Northern Presby-
terrain church, had been trying for
three years to break that ubiquitous
rule. but without avail. The Northern
General Assembly appointed a COM
mittee to memorable the navy de-
partment and the President on the
matter. with no results. 1t was only
when I threatened to carry my i.di-
vidual case direct to congress and &C.
mand my constitutional rights that
the department would listen to reason
and right. I thought this matter of
religious liberty settled once for all.
hut I reckoned without my host"
Two years after a new rule was pro-
that no cadet would be