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U. S. Hospital Ship Sanctuary
most of all, for it brought us joy in dark moments, and ously wounded by falling packages). They cried, and hen we had to give it up, it almost killed us." Thus prayed, and ate, and became sick; and then prayed, and ate, spoke one prisoner of war. and became sick again.
The fellows conducted their services. Only a few chap- A lieutenant of the Dutch Navy told a simple story of lains ever arrived in Japan with their fellow prisoners. how he became a "believer" in prison camp. He discovered e evacuated one chaplain-Sam E. Donald, of the U. S. one day Beverley Nichols' book The Fool Hath Said. With rmy-a Methodist from Virginia. He had literally gone time on his hands, he decided to read the book. He was through hell. Seldom had he been allowed to conduct serv- so impressed with its contents that he studied it thorices of worship, funerals, or perform the other duties of oughly. "The book is responsible for my conversion to the ministry. He functioned as a chaplain, but his good Christianity," he stated. His wife and little daughter, works were done in secret. whom he had not seen for five years, were members of the These prisoners were no ordained ministers but when Dutch Reformed Church. His countenance glowed with a a1owed, they conducted funerals for their comrades, ob- mystic radiance when he spoke of how thrilled these two served the Sacrament of Holy Communion (may the strict would be over his decision for Christ. "Now I can become ecclesiastics forgive them!), and worshipped devoutly.. a member of their church and attend with them." Hundreds of prisoners told me about their V-J Day During the processing of prisoners on the beach of Services of Thanksgiving. (At this point you are probably Wakayama, one bright-eyed British boy spoke to me and asking how they got the news. Well, the prisoners kept said, "Padre, at a time like this I gotta talk with a chapup with the events made public by Japan by smuggling lain." "Sure," I replied, "we'll sit down here and chat." newspapers from their places of work in the factories and He spoke rapidly and with deep emotion: "This is such a mines. The newspapers were taken back to camp and read wonderful experience, this freedom, that I want to thank in hiding by those who had learned to read Japanese. somebody for it. We wouldn't have survived another Then the information spread by word of mouth through- winter. We are alive, and do you know why or how? out the camp. Through this medium the news of Japanese Prayers kept us alive. It was an inner voice which gave uis surrender reached the prisoners before announced by the faith and hope and courage. We have so much for which prison officials.) All prison camps held V-J Day Services. to be thankful. Thank God for this day." The prisoners said that while they had sung the Doxology Yes, these prisoners tapped the rich resources of Chrisefore, now they lifted their emaciated and tear-strewn tianity for light and hope in the dark nights of their soul. faces to the skies and sang with joy and exultation, "Praise Buried in the tombs of utter emptiness and despair, they God from Whom all blessings flow, praise Him all crea- struggled hard to survive in the face of a thousand deres here below." One prisoners declared the angels structive foes. Many lost the fight, for the odds were too joined them in singing. They testified that this was the great. Those who live today won their toughest and longunforgettable moment of their lives. est battle because they possessed ample supplies "of the An experience of spontaneous worship took place when will to live" and faith in the purpose and worthwhileness the B-29 planes parachuted food to the camps. Never did of life. the story of the Israelites and the manna become so real
for them. Here they were starving, and the windows of WERE THERE ANY JAPANESE CHRISTIANS? heaven opened and rained food upon their heads (and this I asked hundreds of these prisoners if they had met any literally, too, for we evacuated several who had been seri- Japanese Christians where they worked in the mines, in
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