RELIGION PLAYS PART IN MORALE and in contact with so many Chaplains and clergymen. The
Chaplains were required to work on the various details church has a great work yet undone in a world of chaos; it such as chopping wood, farming, cleaning Japanese la- can be accomplished if we will turn to Micah 6:8 and as rines and spreading the feces on the farm or cleaning the clergymen use these words as our guide: . and what japanese guard company area. This work was done bare- doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love foot by Japanese order in order to prevent escape. mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?" It became necessary from time to time to request permission from American Headquarters to relieve a Chaplain from a work detail for just one day so he could prepare his Financial Statement sermon for submission to the Japanese. In one particular Receipts and expenditures: instance when I made such a request in behalf of a Chap- Receipts and deposits June 1, 1945 through lain, I was told that there were too many Chaplains in March 31, 1946 .................... $6,952.23
camp. Total expenditures June 1, 1945 through The camp morale program which had to be submitted March 31, 1946 ...................... $7,859.43
each week was 99o religious and I have an original copy Deficit ................................ $ 907.20
of a typical program which was given to the Japanese each week to prove the-point. Analysis of expenditures:
In our work we had to fight against selfishness, greed, Salary to stenographer ......... $1,992.51 teft, sodomy, and a general breakdown in character. Men Extra clerical help ............ 559.58
had to be bolstered spiritually and morally. No religious Office Supplies ............... 578.77
literature was available until March 1944 and the text- Printing A.N.C. & A.A.C..... .3,592.43
book was the Bible. It was a rich and valuable experience, Postage ..................... 609.40
something which no school can teach. Advertising ................. 339.02
Men were more than anxious to learn more about re- Miscellaneous ................ 187.72
ligion and for the first time many learned of Christ through the excellent course on the Life of Christ presented in a Total ..................... $7,859.43
gripping manner by Chaplain Herbert R. Trump of the American Army Chaplaincy: Navy. Chaplain Trump called this course, "The Man Cost of Printing $ 220.00 Everybody Should Know" and so many men remarked Cost of Printing....... ..$ 220.00 that they did not know Christ as such an interesting person Receipts ..... .............. 73.89
which was brought out in this course. On hand 2300 copies.
LEST WE FORGET Balance on hand, March 31, 1946: Now that we few have returned to America and are War Bonds (5-$1,000 bonds).. $5,000.00 (Facevalue)
Now that we few have returned to America and are Bank balance .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 3,488.07
again at work we have not forgotten our comrade Chap- Bank balance................3,488.07
lains and the work they did. They have inherited 'eternal Total .................... $8,488.07
life and are mourned by families and friends. I wish in some way or other I could convey to them the spirit of HAROLD G. ELSAM, each Chaplain of whatever faith with his loyalty to his Treasurer. chosen profession, his zeal in serving the men and his f a f faithfulness unto the end. It is rather difficult for us who have served under such adverse conditions when religion Revised Statistics was revealed as a potent factor in the lives of men to The October-November issue of THE ARMY AND NAVY make some discoveries. These observations are not new CHAPLAIN (p. 13) carried some statistics regarding the but stand out to us now as a magnesium flare thrown from total number of Navy chaplains on duty during the war. an airplane on a dark night. Here we still find, possibly Since the publication of these figures, further and more in an increasing way, selfishness, greed, lust for power, detailed studies have been made. According to the latest and petty politics. This is true among churchmen as well as figures released by the historian of the Navy Chaplain in the lay professions. I have seen Washington churches Corps, a total of 2,936 Navy chaplains saw duty from filled each Sunday and as I worship I wonder how much Pearl Harbor to the end of August 1945. Only 147 of this of an actual impression the service makes on the soul of number were separated from active duty, including all each one present. How much is carried out into the actual casualties, during the course of the war, leaving a balance battle of life where the Christian spirit counts? I am con- of 2,789 on duty on 31 August 1945. In addition to this fident that each Chaplain who served among the war number were thirty-three chaplains ordered to the Chapprisoners of Cabanatuan and has made the supreme sacri- lains' School at Williamsburg, who did not begin their fice could conscientiously face his Master and did receive indoctrination until in September. After the School closed, the words "Well done . enter thou into the joy of thy fourteen V-12 student chaplains were received into the Lord." Are we concerned about serving men through the Corps before the end of the year. These two groups bring spirit of Christ or are we more concerned about rank, the total of Navy chaplains on duty for varying lengths knowing men of influence, exercising the power of petty of time from 7 December 1941 to 31 December 1945 to politics? That I have wondered about since my return 2,983. April-May, 1946 27