ended the Mass and appeared to display interest. Christ- Ministry, The Life of St. Paul, Christian Ethics, etc. It was as morning some of them also attended the Protestant very surprising and gratifying how much support we resevices. ceived from the men of the camp. The services were held Here again even on Christmas Day there was difficulty in a building given over to the camp library and for a ith American Camp officials. Red Cross food parcels had period of a year or more there was no electric light. Inrived just two days before Christmas and despite the genious laymen cut bottles in half, made a wick of cloth pleading of Chaplain Oliver, the supply officers were de- and floated this on cocoanut oil. It was a very poor light ermined to distribute these boxes during a time when but did provide some illumination to see notes for the diProtestant services were to be held. A satisfactory arrange- rector of the class while his audience sat in darkness. The ment was finally reached but practically the entire after- Japanese authorities finally permitted one electric light in oon and evening before Christmas it was necessary to November 1943 but it was the day before Christmas beargue with Camp officials as to the time of distribution, fore the American Camp authorities got around to installiThe men wanted to attend services so badly but at the ing it. same time they had to be present to receive this much MEMORIAL DAY needed box personally. The personnel of the Camp were
highly annoyed at the obstinate attitude of the Americans Chaplain Oliver tried in every way to provide for each themselves. special day so dear to the heart of every American. Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day,
CHAPLAINS AND LAYMEN SERVE never went by without a special service. In 1943 after In early January 1943 Chaplain Oliver challenged all more than 2,600 men had been laid in our cemetery Chapthe Protestant Chaplains to join forces and organize a lain Oliver wrote a letter to the Japanese requesting perunited Protestant Church, with one service in the morning mission to hold services at the Camp Cemetery on Meand another in the evening. A committee of Chaplains morial Day with Americans present. Nothing was heard discussed this matter and wrote a Constitution for the pro- of this in a period of a month. Finally in utter desperation posed new church which was based on the Church operat- a Chaplain directly accused the Camp Adjutant of failing ig at the Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C. All to turn this communication over to the Japanese. This the Protestant Chaplains united in this organization and proved to be a fact because one-half hour later the Amerithese represented eight different Protestant denominations, can Adjutant called on Chaplain Oliver and informed him Committees were formed from among the laity which that the Japanese had permitted this service and that 2,000 included work in Religious Education, Music, House, Deco- Americans would be allowed to attend. The Adjutant rations, and Membership. Each of the three groups in further remarked, "Don't be disappointed Chaplain if few the camp was represented by five laymen and the hospital show up because the men really don't want to go to such area was also represented by their chosen laity. In order a service." Not only was the quota filled in a matter of a to insure equitable representation the By-Laws provided few moments but several thousand men were disappointed that only two officers could serve from each group and the because they were not fortunate enough to be selected n remainder were from among the enlisted personnel. the number going. The rotarysystem of membership on the Church Council Chaplain Thomas J. Scecina had organized a working was provided for so that a man had to be out of the Coun- party early in January and each day for five months this cil for three months following the expiration of his term group of fifty men had labored under a hot sun in order until he was eligible for renomination. In this way many to place the cemetery in proper condition. Our men were men were given an opportunity to serve the new church. deeply appreciative when they saw how the graves of their Chaplain Arthur V. Cleveland was chosen as the secretary comrades were cared for and expressed their appreciation of the church and kept an accurate record of the members, to Chaplain Scecina for his splendid work. Chaplains This included more than 1,600 men representing every state Ralph W. D. Brown and James W. O'Brien had made a in the Union and seventeen foreign countries. More than wreath from flowers which grew in the camp, which was 250 men were baptized, some by immersion, others by placed on the concrete monument which the Japanese had sprinkling, with the choice left up to the individual. The constructed. Flowers were sent by the Japanese Commusic committee was fortunate in securing the services of manding General and the Japanese Commanding Officer Mr. William Wirship, an Army bandmaster, who directed of the Camp but none excelled in beauty that made by a choir which would do credit to the finest church in the Chaplains Brown and O'Brien. Chaplains of the Roman United States. The advertising under the direction of Catholic and Protestant faiths participated in the services Major Owen Jensen, Marine Corps, attracted many men and a Jewish prisoner by the name of Ivan Kliatchko sang to church since Major Jensen very aptly illustrated sermon the prayers for the Jewish dead. topics for the coming Sunday services and placed' this in In 1944 Memorial services were restricted by the Japathe vicinity of Mess halls where it would be seen by every- nese to 100 men in attendance. The Japanese were losing body all through the week. The Religious Education com- the war and it was moving steadily toward the Philippines mittee under the leadership of Major James Bahrenburg, with the resultant cut in our privileges. Chaplains Oliver, M.C. provided a very active course in religious education. Taylor, Tiffany were held in a guardhouse because of
Classes were held in such subjects as: Old Testament their activity in providing the camp with medicine and history, The Life of Christ, A Study of Corinthians, Phil- money and hence could not attend. The services generally osophy of the Christian Religion, Looking Forward to the followed the pattern of 1943 with all faiths represented. April -May, 1946 25