The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-21
''T aGE NOT TO ENDl CHURCH WAR WORK |
Service of the Chaplains Needed to Solve PerpIexing Prob IemS Affecting Soldiers
 anu Sailors Lives.
CAMP SIDE CHURCHES HELP.
National Service Commission Going Straight On With All Activities. Money Needed to Equip and
 Sustain Army ChapIains.

Peace and reconstruction will not end, or, for a time, slacken the work of the churches among the soldiers and sailors.
 "We are going straight on with all of our activities" said Dr. Ford c. Ottman, secretary of the Presbyterian National Service Commission, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City. "They are as much needed now as they were before the war, and as long as there are such needs they will be met"
 In common with most leading de- nominations, the Presbyterians are equipping their own chaplains as far as possible. The General Assembly of the Church authorized the National Service Commission to secure a fund from the members of $100,0o0 for this purpose, and John T. Manson, presi- dent of the First National Bank of New Haven, Conn, chairman of the commissions camp activities commit tee, says this sum ought to be doubled in order to relieve every minister of the expense, himself. Hundreds of these ministers have given up their churches to do this work and few of them are financially able to equip themselves for 1t, for each man needs, aside from his uniform, a typewriter outfit, communion sets, hymnbooks, a bicycle or motorcycle and some cash The committee on chaplains has been supplying these wants, but at a maximum of only $500 per man. The National Service Commission asks for a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $1, ,0O0 per man and is asking that the churches meet these figures
 campside Churches.
 In addition to the great work of the chaplain in the camps the National Service Commission has helped to sus- tain fifteen "campside churches" in towns and cities near camps. It has maintained twenty six workers in these places. The results achieved are said to solve many of the most perplexing problems affecting the moral and social side of the soldiers and sailors lives. These "campside churches" are open always to the boys and the pastors of them are counsel f> lcrs and advisers of the boys and are
 y popular among them. At these Tmpside churches" young people, rfiose from the camps ard from the towns, meet in wholesome social inter- course. The influences and associa- tions of these "campside churches" help tide many a homesck boy over hard places.
 "We must continue that work, and that means" said Dr. Ottman, that the Presbyterian Church must continue to supply the money for it in increas. ing sums."
 The "camp pastor" has gone from the Army. He went under an order of the War Department although the chaplain remains. The National Serv ice Commission supported seventy-nine "camp pastors" and would like to have had the privilege of continuing to sup port them.
 "These men did great work" sait Dr. Ottman, work that lives in the lives of the soldiers and does not enC with pastors going, but we are SOFT! he had to go."
 Thousands Are Converted.
 Did the boys respond to the 'camI pastors worl1?"
 "The question may find an answer, said Dr. Ottman, "in the fact that il one embarkation camp 5000 befor going overseas were converted unde a Presbyterian camp pastor No mal was more devoted to his. work. Thi camp pastor in four months wr0t 14,000 letters to the parents or near est kin of 14,000 boys who had com under his influence. But that is Onl one item in the pastors program. Re sponsive? Why conversions-to Chris tianity, not to denominationalism- rolled in at the rate of 4,000 or 500 a month for several months; and, ir deed, in one case they went as high a 2010 in a single week"
 Secretary Daniels has regarded tn scamp pastor" as too valuable a facto in the life of the sailor to let him r and so he is still at work in the Nav1
 "The most trying days are ahea or at hand" says Dr. Ottman, "fo with war. over, hope of getting int active fighting gone, our virile Amer can youth begins to adjust himself { the less thrilling task of biding hi time for whatever the period of recoi struction may have to offer him. No as never before he needs the help ( the National Service Commission all the churches, Every denominatio engaged in this work realizes this fac That is why we are urging our peop to help in every good work. TT Presbyterian Church is preparing give S500000 for the reparation ar education of boys returning from Il front and S5OOOO0 for strickt churches of all Protestant faiths
 France, Belgium and Italy Now V are certainly not going to let down the work which we have been doil for the boys in the camps and owe seas"
 YOUNG AUTO THIEVES HELD
 Three juvenile automobile thiev