Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-10
General Commanding Depart
ment of South Makes Warm
Rejoinder to Baptist Minis
ter Who Criticised Him,
SAYS PREACHER WANTED
TO HAVE HIS OWN WAY
Declares uProtraCted Meet
ing8" Would Have Been
SubverSive of Discipline and
Ignored Rights of Men,
tey MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrsrl

rsy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wHrl
san Antonio, Tex Dec 9.-MaJ'
Gen. Frederick Funston, commandlnE
the department of the south, tonlBhI
replied to the Rev. j, S. Gambrell,
secretary of the executive board OF
the Baptist general convention, eN-
planning the generals reason for not
permitting reviVals in the military
camps here and along the border,
Numerous Baptist conventions haa
adopted resolutions condemning what
they understood to have been the gem
erals action, and suggestions were
made that President Wilson as COM
Of the army be
asked to take official cognizance OF
matter. A resolution asking for IN
formation on the controversy also mas
been introduced in congress,
General Funston gave out copies or
the letter to the press in which ne
says in part;
FunstOn's Reply.
From time to time, | have been
receiving copies of resolutions passed
bv various Baptist bodies condemnlns
NV supposed stand relative to holding
religious services among the troops on
the border. and also have received a
number of very unjust and, in some
cases. abusive letters from clergymen
of the same denomination. lnclden-
tally | might say, l have had more
letters approving my stand thah J
have criticising it.
This whole disagreeable incident
course arises from the statement
made by you after your visit to mead
quarters a couple of months ago I'D
which you sought to obtain perlhls-
sion to conduct a series Of revlVals
in the border camps. You stated your
business to Colonel Barnum, chicf-ot-
staff. If Colonel Barnum stated at
that time what denomination you be-
longed to, it made no impression on
my mind. and if he had it would have
made no difference whatever.
Wanted No Reyivals.
oT told that officer to explain fully
to you that while religious services
along the usual lines were conducted
in the camps by chaplains and other
clergymen, and were welcome ! could
not give my consent to the holding OF
revivals, therein giving the word, as
| was justified in doing, its usually ac-
cepted meaning. / told Colonel Bar
mum to explain to you why revival
services would be out Of place in q
military camp, citing the disgraceflIl
performance in San Antonio last win
ter as an Example of what reVivals are
apt to develop into, and drawing to a
certain extent on general knowledge
as to how revivals, or 'protracted'
meetings, as they are sometimes
called. are usually conducted.
'I further instructed Colonel Bar
nun to- say to you that | did not ac-
cept, in fact, resented the implication
that because man had to put on
his countrys uniform, he was neces-
sarily lost, or worse than other men;
that / thought there were people VINO
stayed at home who needed revivals
worse than the soldiers did.
COntpadicts Statement.
Under the circumstances, you may
imagine my astonishment when | read
your statements to the effect that /
had said that | would not allow the
soldiers to be told that they were
LOST You must know as well as |
do. that the doctrine that should be
preached to men was never once con-
sidered or mentioned, and with all due
courtesy, / feel compelled TO say that
your making repeatedly the state
ments you are quoted as making is alb
solutely ineXCusable, and did me a
great injustice. The only time the
word lost was used by me was when
| said that | did not accept the view
that because a man put on his coun-
try's uniform he was necessarily lost.
II say frankly that ! would not
want to take chances on allowing a
series Of revivals or protracted meet
ings in these camps. ! am justified in
giving the word revival its usually ac-
cepted meaning series of meetings
continuing day and night for an in
definite period with loud exhortation
and singing. and much emotionalism.
Rights of other Men.
"How about the rights of the men
who do not want to attend revivals
and who do not wish to be disturbed
by them? Are they TO be compelled to
leave the camp, which is their nome,
ANA wander about downtown or
through fields to get away from
from them? Has a man no rights be-
cause he is a soldier? There are many
religious people who disapproVe
strongly of revivals, with their attend
ant emotionalism. And. anyhow, be a
man religious or irreligiousi be ne
Christian, Hebrew or Mohammedan,
no other person has a right to rub his
belief or his worship into his face
mat Is to bring it into the place where
he has a right to be, and where ne
cannot escape it without abandoning
that place.
soldiers must be protected from
imposition by their superior officers
land if these officers, from weakness
Tor other reason, fait IN their duty,
their only recourse is submission of
riot: and it is a safe guess that the
latter is what you would have got
with a typical old-fashioned revival
in any one of the camps.
Chaplains of All Faiths.
"Tvery regiment has its chaplain
and these practically represent every