The American Church Monthly SELDEN PEABODY DELANY, D.D. Editor Volume 3 New York The Temple Publishing Corporation 11 West 45th Street ZRA 4 S.€ Ethics, Christian, and the Government's War Requirements. .Schuyler 182 Pope, Power of the, and the Peace of the World... Sacraments and Recent Criticism of the New Testament. Sacramental Principal and the Future, The.... Sacramental Religion.... Salary of Clergy, Under Title of $974.60 a Year. Sphere of Conflict, or the Haven of Peace... Trinity in Modern Terms, The............... .Mackenzie 316 War Commission of the Church and Its Work. Lawrence I Women, The Place of in the Church..... 61 World War, The Fundamental Principles of the.......Hammarsköld 351 .Wright 309 Y. M. C. A., Thinking Through the....An American Priest in France Monthly A Magazine of comment, criticism and review dealing Volume III MARCH, 1918 Number 1 The Church War Commission and Its I Work BY THE RT. REV. WILLIAM LAWRENCE, D.D., LL.D. T is interesting to note how, when the emergency arises, a public sentiment arises to meet it. Three or four years ago it seemed to be impossible to arouse the slightest interest in the churches of this country in the chaplains of the army and navy, their number, character and status. At that time the number of chaplains in the United States navy was the same as that in 1848. The fact that ships and squadrons were without chaplains did not seem to disturb anybody. About two or three years ago efforts were made by representatives of practically all the churches in the country, supported by the President and the Secretary of the Navy, which led to legislation increasing gradually the number of chaplains, so that the standard is now one chaplain for every 1250 men. Besides this, other conditions were written into the law which will improve the character of the personnel of the chaplains and increase their efficiency. We have now been at war for some ten months and the situation in regard to the whole chaplain question in the army is very serious. The President and the Secretary of War are interested in making great improvements; Congress too is ready; the difficulty has been that the churches have neglected the subject. |