The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-05-19
SAYS CITADEL is IMPARTIAL.
superintendent Denies That Cadets NJ
Episcopal Parentage Are Kent
From Churches.

Charleston, May 13.-The reports
from Spartanburg yesterday of the
attempt of the Rev. c. H. Jordan of
Union. a member Of the diocesan n
council of the Episcopal church now
In session. to bring about an investi-
CATION Of religious conditions at the
Citadel, alleging that the cadets of the
Episcopal faith were Disseminated
against and prevented from attending
Episcopal churches, were read with
astonishment in Charleston. where cu.
riosity was generally expressed as to
how an impression so erroneous as
that indicated could have been formed
by any one. Col. o. j. Bond, the su-
perintendent of the South Carolina
Military Academy. had heard nothing
Of the matter when your correspond-
ent visited him at the Citadel last eye-
ming, and he read the dispatch with
the greatest surprise.
II can't understand the matter at
ALL" he said with a smile. I'VE are
using today the same system as TO
church attendance that we have used
for the last twenty years, and this is
the first complaint have ever heard
In regard to the matter"
Col. Bond did not think that the sit
uation was such as to render neces-
sary any statement by him, but he did
not object to explaining the system of
church attendance as followed at the
Citadel. The cadets every Sunday
morning are sent out by companies,
he said, a company to church. There
are eleven churches on the list, which
are attended in rotation. Five of
these are Episcopal churches-St
Michaers. ST. Philips, st. Paul's, ST.
.Luke's and Grace church,; three are
Presbyterian. the First Presbyte-
rian, Second Presbyterian and West
minister Presbyterian churches; two
are Methodist-Bethel and Trinity;
one Baptist curch is included, the Cit
adel Square Baptist church.
There are only six or seven Roman
Catholics in the student body. These
are allowed to attend churches OF
their own faith. The students Of the
Jewish faith are not required to at
tend services at Christian churches
against their will.
Once each month communicates are
allowed individual leave to attend
churches of their own denomination
for the purpose of taking communion.
+, The cadets are allowed Sunday af-
ternoons off and may then attend any
church they wish to attend The first
class has Sunday evenings off, and
members of this class may go to any
church they please on Sunday even
ings.
Col. Bond also added that religious
services are held in the chapel at the
Citadel each morning, that there is a
Bible class every Sunday morning and
that the Citadel Y. NJ. C. A. holds SER
vices every Wednesday evening and
every Sunday evening.
There is absolutely no discrimina-
ton at the Citodel against students Of
the Episcopal faith or Of any other
faith" continued Col. Bond. ut is
not one of the entrance qualifications
that student be an Episcopalian, but
az matter of fact 1t happens that
more students are members of the
Episcopal church than of any other,
more Episcopal churches are attended
than the churches of any other one
faith-because of this fact and be-
cause the Episcopal churches are most
numerous of the Protestant churches
in Charleston and at least four
members of the faculty are EpiscO-
palians, while fifth attends the Epis-
copal church regularly"
Col. Bond is himself vestryman of
st. Pauls Episcopal church, in this
city.