Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-03

man. now Secretary Of the
Army, 10 plan the $50 BIRTH
day Of the Chaplains Corps
as a red-letter observance.
Preceding the reception. at
tended by a glittering array
Of generals and chaplains and
their families. when all were
greeted personally by the Sec
Rotary and representatives Of
the General STAFF. the deep
meaning OF the celebration
was fittingly phrased by Secre-
tary Brucker. Among other
things he said. 1T Is an honor
and an inspiration here today
to pay tribute to this splendid
group Of men who are so
completely dedicated to the
basic principles upon which
our country was founded.
The Army and the Nation will
forever be In debt TO the able
and devoted clergymen OF all
faiths who serve. or have
served. as chaplains.
throughout all the years
since the Second Continental
Congress. and in every war.
the ministry Of the Army
chaplain has been a spiritual
mainstay Of our soldiers. The
chaplain has helped them to
md inner peace amid the
turmoil: he has fortified their
faith in Almighty God and
their belief in the ultimate
triumph Of a righteous cause:
he has shared every hardship
Of those entrusted to his care.
Some 2S4 Army chaplains
have given their lives in the
service Of God and country.
Today our Army chaplains.
about l.l00 strong. have many
m ON entous responsible
ties and operate on q world
wide scale"
The able and devoted
Chief Of Chaplains, Mai.
Gen. Patrick j. Ryan, in his
greeting from a chaplain to
chaplains declared: ITO us,
the Army chaplains Of today,
has been passed a noble spir-
itual heritage. AS defenders
Of our land, our soldiers must
be fortified with moral and
spiritual qualities. Where
moral apathy exists we must
dissolve it with positive vir-
tue. We must project courage
and confidence which come
through knowledge of God
and adherence to His law"
Never, perhaps, has an
Army chaplain written his
name on the very heart of a
nation. as did Studdard Ken
nedy in a black hour Of Eng
lands history. His verses.
written in the inferno of
conflict, live on forever. To
his men in the crowded
trenches he said. II see what
you see-this eternal strug-
gle in the dark. I see the
foul disorder and the filth
OF mind and soul in which
men wallow like swine, stamp
on their brothers till they
drown in puddles of corrup-
ton. Yet have I looked into
my mothers eyes and have
seen the light of love, pure
love and true-and l know
/ must fight on this side or
that. And so. / bet my life
on beauty. truth and love-
not abstract, but incarnate
truth. Beauty made flesh and
realized in loYe. / bet my life
on Christ. who turns the soul
Of darkness into light"
And now. shall we take
something from the literary
heritage left by this inspir-
ing chaplain as a greeting
to the United States Army
Chaplain Corps on their 83d
birthday? Here it is. Stud
dard Kennedy speaking to all
chaplains and to all soldiers,
said: Il see all history pass
by. and through it all still
shines that face, the Christ
Face, like a star which
pierces drifting clouds, and
tells the truth. They pass,
but it remains and shines
untouched, a pledge of that
great hour which surely
comes at last. when the
tempest sobs to silence, silver
silence, and the moon rides
stately in an open starry sky
and there is peace"
And that is a spire above
all camps and forts Of any
nation whose God is the