The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-11

Preachers are exempted not becaus,
 they claim it, but because 1t has beer
 thought best for them to stay at worI
 in their charges; but many within the az, limit. and some beyond it, are eagerly
 offering their services to their country A goodly number of ministers do no
 care to take advantage of their ministe rial standing while their fellows fac, the German bullets for the common free
 dom. The ministerial priyates call fol our admiration, but the government
 believes if they are fit and want tc
 go that it is best for them to go as chaplains.
 In the cablegram of General Persh- ing sent to the adjutant general for the
 Secretary of War. in part, he said Counting myself responsible for the
 welfare of my men, I desire to surround
 them with the best influence possible,
 Tn the fulfillment of this solemn trust ii
 seems wise to ask aid of churches from 1 home. To this end it is recommended l that the number of chaplains in the army be increased for the war to an av- 1 craze of three per regiment, with as-
 due proportion and that a number be as- signed in order to be available for such
 detached duty as may be required" 1 With his gooo common sense he | further says: Men selected should be of | the highest character, with regulations wei! established as sensible, practical,
 active ministers or workers accustomed
 to dealing with young men. They should
 be in vigorous health, as their services will be needed under the most trying cir cumstances. It is my purpose to give l the chaplain corps through these forces
 definite and responsible status and to outline direct and enlarge their work Unto cooperative and useful aid to the 1 troops"
 ] A distinct need for men of positive l character, religious devotion, advanced 1 education, attractive personality and 1 tireless vigor-nen whose work in the
 ministry has shown that they possess these qualities to a superlative degree. l It is, of course, difficult for man to determine how many of these qualities he embodes and the degree to which these qualities are developed in him.
 l Rev Clyde F. Armitage, secretary of the Federal Councils general committee on army and navy chaplains. says: 1 "The war department has need of new chaplains now that Congress has adjust edfthe working of the chaplains bill and the war department will need additional men as the army increases in size. l If a man has not been of marked
 success in the pastorate, meeting with good results in religious organization and training of men, if he has not had !, exrerience in working with people of oth- l CT denominations than his own, if he is no. ready speaker, if he is slow to mix
 socially, if his personal address is or dnary, he is not the man for a chap Ilaincv whethere there be many openings 1 or few.''
 i
 ] Congress speedily gave the churches
 an opportunity to meet with vigor the challenge expressed in General Pershing S I cablegram to the war, department It | passed the chapaincy bill, increasing
 the ratio of chaplains in the army to one | for every 12oo officers and men. This
 bill also passed the Senate, and the | 1 cepted. The maximum age limit of chap | lains in the army shall be 45 years. The
 persons appointed are to be duly ac-
 credited by some religious denomination 1 or organization.
 l A. the beginning of the war there were
 67 chaplains in the army At the present
 time there are 6s6, of whom 151 are in the
 regular army, 213 in the National Guard, I 292 in the national army and 10 are
 chaplains-at-large There are 199 Cath oic chaplains, 457 Protestant and 10 of other groups. This new law will per
 init the appointment of an additional 800.
 Here is the opportunity of the churches.
 Already the general committee on army
 and navy chaplains has an abundance of
 applications and is now seeking to, dis cover whether they fulfill the standard 1 indicated by General Pershing, men "of the highest character with regulations well established as sensible, practical,
 active ministers"
 l Under new organization of the chap lain forces in France, Bishop Charles Henry Brent of the Protestant Episcopal church, has been appointed by General Pershing as senior headquarters chap lain. According to this plan, the chaplain forces in France will be under the con
 trol of chaplains' office at general headquarters, which will represent the body of chaplains to the commanding
 general and his staff This office will consist of three chaplains appointed by the commanding general, and known as
 general headquarters chaplains, one of whom is designated as senior chaplain.
 To this post Bishop Brent has been ap- pointed. with the rank of major. He | has two aides, one Roman Catholic, the other a Protestant. It will be their duty to keep in touch with every sector occupied by the American forces. pro vide for ministrations wherever needed. and in many ways have a general over sight of the commissioned chaplains. Rev. Alfred J. Dickinson of Eufaula, the gifted son of pr. A. J. Dickinson ,e +h;s c;tv was here on Sunday and