Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-16
THE ARMY CHAPLAIN


The army chaplain is the officer of
the unappreciated task. He is often
represented as shop-Worn preacher
who is looking for the easy job of rep
resenting religion in a feeble way for
a good stipend, TO a disinterested army.
But that is not fair portrait Of the
real army chaplain. He is q good sol
der of the Cross who, in many cases
is the sole interpreter of Christianity
to a regiment with all the pretense and
veneer of life knocked off and who
thrust their naked souls with all the Gp-
tit@des and ApDeti1es # real humans. up
10 the improviseG pulpit OF Tie army
chaplain and seen To Sly, Now what is
the reality in this Christianity that you
have been telling US about?" The men
of the army have settled down to a
temperless existence. They have
thought through most of the simpler
problems Of life and no classic Chris
tianity with it's complacencies and con-
niVanceS can any longer stir the en-
listed man officers of an army. 1t is
the good challenge up to the army
chaplain to make out his case that
Jesus is the worlds foremost white
man." that Christianity has it's first
place for the aristoCracy OF service,
and that a fight can best b. Hun or a
passion subdued, or a manhood realized
by linking ones self on to Jesus Christ.
! This is no easy task
NOT g n Apostle of Piety.
| Mere piety, at its best carries a mas
al tone, a soft nand and self -dispar-
agement The soldier wants none of
! ii. Real mon want always a wholesome
| religion, heroic conservation and nor
NAL, VITAL practical Christianity. This
/ type is always honored and cheered.
And then the chaplain must often be a
good fellow but his words must never
slump, he must tell good stories and
/ see the point without letting down the
bars CT healthy humor. These men Of
his look him straight in the eye and
ask, is your stuff real enough to you
to let you set by"
No Rtetorician of Reigosity.
! 4 chest f,s1I Of lung capacity and a
genius for piuffing with words often
satisfies the congregation of the aver
| age church, There is a fellow sitting
| in the pew who has made money, but
| has not discovered a trace of brain
! power in his entire successful career.
! Platitudes tickle him. Phrases puff him
! up. WiulinS between sentences from
| the rostrum luIi him to sleep, and he
never questions, never cares. But here
| is a virile fellow, clean, heroic, angular,
| rugged lua;ily and he is saving grind
off the edges, burn off the paint, put
acid on that gold plate, get back to the
place where we live, where we think,
| where we make up our minds to SOL
der, and to fight, and to win, and then
| tell us in short words what we want to
know. Make US turn our thoughts your
way and get NCur Christ and his big
brother friendship whether or no we
appear to want to hear Put your
goods on the counter and mark them
! plain. We VIII decide whether they
; have selling value" So the army chap
lain has got 10 be bigger than phrases
and words. lie must do what he eX-
horts others 10 do. He must play the
game in the lime light with no reserva-
! tons. These chapIains whom 1 have
met in the last month are of this type.
His Real Soul.
But why did he get into this terror
discipline and riot Of hardship and this
situation which may lead to his death
/ suppose the spirit of adventure had
a part in it. All strong men want to be
soldiers of fortune" But the army
chaplains great decision is the reason.
Somewhere, l do not knOw,-it was
when he was alone-the army chaplain
decided he was willing to give his life
for Christ and for the sons of the
service who would be his charges. And
so with the good opportunity of keep
ing the souls of his men open and frank
and clean and saintly-in the virile
lrz1~ e