South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-13

Here lies the great opportunity
OF the navy chaplain. lie can be
the center OF all the numanizing in
nuences aboard. II he will. There
are no counter-attracto and other
officers are busy with their duties
II he does not run the stunt night"
program the evening sing" and
the ships daily paper, probably no
one else win. His is the time and
the opportunity to place oil the best
possible footing the moving pictures,
the crews library. and the athletics.
The chaplain's greatest problem.
and at the same time his greatest
opening 20 touch" men. lies IN the
monotony OF sea trip. He gives
his time 10 welfare work. and de-
votes much energy 10 sO-called Sc
cular activities, because Of the def
mite religious by-products ne OBJ
tains. He does this with the un-
disguised purpose Of helping men
who 20 ashore 10 be able TO return
10 the ship as wholesome as they
left it. II he accomplishes this for
Tut few, he is saving men.
Many are the ultra thusiastic
reports from religious workers who
have returned from "oVer there"
They picture a sure revival of re-
ligion due 10 the upheaval Of the
great war. They describe soldiers
and sailors pressing forward TO the
altar, or thronging the religious
meeting Both these sights. how
ever. represent but the high lights
Of the picture. and dense shadows
occupy much of the same canvas.
For every man who has found a new
grip on life through his army or
navy experience, how many have
had their ideals besmirched their
self-respect weakened, their record
blackened, and their grip on re-
igious verities sadly shaken? They
were plunged into now situations
filed with temptations the man-at-
home knows little about They
heard calls 10 moral retreat sounded
frequently. and many retreated.
A chaplain returns to his state
room sick at heart when the ships
doctor tells him that almost three
quarters of the crew visit the Vener-
cal prophylactic station aboard, each
time a French port is visited. He
again withdraws to think over his
parish when he learns. through the
close contacts of ship life, what his
men are thinking about. what are
their dominant interests, their rul-
ing desires. His knowledge sooers
him.
he finds that about 20 per cent
are almost totally out of touch with
the church. except perhaps as "Eas-
ter-ites" when at home. When he
steps aboard, he senses the subtle
distrust with which the majority
view = Holy Joe" He knows that
they wonder what he can do aboard
ship, except ''preach"-and draw
his pay. All unconsciously to them
selves they view him, a representa-
tive of the church. as they view the
church itself, giving il and him but
a small place in their scale Of values.
on the other hand. on the part
OF this 20 per cent,-to say nothing
of the loyal church members,-heI
discovers a genuine response to the
religious appeal. He finds under
meath the rough exterior a sensl-
tive inner recognition of the claims
of Christ. He longs TO build up a
connection between the dormant
spiritual powers Of these men and
the kingdom of God. He longs TO
bring them where they will see the
part they should play in the church.
lie longs to challenge that prophy-
Tactic line with Christ's message Of
purity. he resolves he will make
the manhood Of the Master a call 10
their manhood. But how win their
how create the oppor-
tunities?
The sunday morning service is |
one Of the central features OF his
work There is the open deck. dec
GRATED with the ships signal flags. |
the white church flag, with its black !