The sun., 1916-12-10
FUNSTON REPLIES TO
HIS BAPTIST CRITICS
Rcsents Implication That Sol
diers Are "LOst" and in Need
Of Religious "Revival."

A ANTONIO. Tex, Dec. s.-Major-
Gen. Funston. commanding the Depart.
ment of the South. tonight repliet to
the Rev. J. Il. Gambrell. secretary OF
the executive board Of the Baptist Gem
eral Convention. explaining the Gen.
erals reason for not permitting re-
vivals in the military camps here and
along the Mexican border. Numerous
Baptist conventions la adopted reso-
lut!ons condemning what they understood
10 have been the Generals action. and
suggestions were made that President
Wilson as Commander in Chief of the
Army be asked to take official cog
nizance Of the matter. A resolution ask
ng for information OF the controversy
also has been introduced In Congress.
Gen. Funston after remarking that
incidentally ! might say that I have
had more letters approving Of my stand
tina l have criticising II" goes on to
saw
This whole disagreeable incident.
with all OF its annoyance to me. Of
course arises from the statement made
by YOU after YOU visit to the headQuar-
tiers a couple OF months ago In which
you sought to obtain permission to con-
duct a series Of REVEALS in the border
stAiDF iou sNatNu sout oAihN ~
Colonel Barnum, chief Of stan. I told
Colonel Barnum to explain to you why
revival services would be out Of place
in a military camp. citing the disgrace
full performance In a Antonio last win
ter as an example of what REVEALS are
apt to develop into n drawing to a
certain extent on a general knowledge
as to how REVEALS or 'protracted' meet
ings. as they are sometimes called, are
usually conducted.
Not '.Lost" by Wearing Uniform.
Further. I instructed Col. Barnum to
say to you that I did not accept-in
fact. resnnted-the implication that be-
cause a man had put on his country's
Uniform he was necessarily lost, or worse
than OF Ter men that ! thought there
were people who had stayed at home
who needed r~evivals worse than the SOL
dicrs did.
Under the circumstances. you can
imagine my astonishment when ] read
your statements to the effect hat ] had
said that | would not allow the soldiers
to. be told hat they were lost feel
compelled to say that your making re-
peatedly the statements you are quoted
as making was absolutely inexcusable
and did me a grave injustice.
THE only time the word lost was
used by me was when ! said hat ! did
not accept the view that because a man
put On his country's uniform he was
necessarily lost,
Il say frankly thai I would not
want to take chances on allowing a series
of REVEALS or protracted meetings in
these great amp How about the
rights OF the men who do not var to
attend revivals and who do not wish
q. IA Isaslal h.. tA. - t,A.s 80
he compelled TO leave the camp. which
is his home. and wander about down
town or through fields to get way from
them?
Would Have Meant Riot.
Has n man no rights because he
Is a soldier? There are many religious
people who ~disapprove strongly OF re-
y.vals with their attendant emotional
ism. And anyhow. be a man religious
or irreligious. be ne Christian. Hebrew
or Mohammedan. no other person has a
right TO rub his belief or his worship into
his face.
Soldiers must be protected from i'm.
position by their superior officers. and II
these officers from weakness or other
reason fai, I'm their duty their only re-
course is submission or riot. and II is a
safe guess that the latter Is what you
would have got with a typical old fash.
toned revival In any one OF the camps.
Now let us be perfectly honest. Is
1t not "A fact that you were badly put ouI
because ! could not let you have your
way about conducting REVEALS in the
camps and that you said to yourself (:
Why, the idea OF that obstinate little
cuss not letting me do as ] please ana
presuming thai he knows more about
what oldipra like than lop Wil,