MILITARY CHAPLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 17 January 1913, Page 4

MILITARY CHAPLAINS.

CHURCH PARADES AND OTHER' -' --.-•■•■:•. .--MATTEBS.-■;'■■.;■ ■.!;:.'■•:■■':■;.

(By C6rrC6pondent.V

i}'. ,'h',x' 'Auckland, January 16.. With reference to tho complaint ef.th* ; Auckland Presbytery'that: tho Anglican. ,;., Church was taking charge .of all ' chap-1 laincy work in the Terntorials, the ,RCv. . W. E. Gillam said that he had read the • , remarks of tho several speakers with > pained ■ surprise. Last year Mr. , Gillani • desired to have a. conference of, the chap- ~ loins of all denominations previous to tno.. suinmor encampment and with'tho approval of the senior chaplain (Archdeacon . ; Caldcr) such a meeting was called, and . ~ noarly all tho chaplains attended. Mr. : ■ Gillam was elected chairman of tho inc. It was decided to form an assdcia- , tion of all the chaplains of the district ; 'I*o Rev. Father Holbrook was elected; secretary, but had to declino, and tho '.. Rev. R. L. Walker Prcsbytorian) ; was . subsequently appointed.' In the courso |; of the meeting it was, urged that • the, . • chaplains should have someone to ropre- .. ~, sent theui in communicating with the.' Defence officer about 6hurch parades and other'matters, and it was unanimously decided to ask the chairman of that meeting (Mr. Gillam)vto act as chaplains' .;,;■; representative. ,If the \ chairman took. a , lead in making arrangements for, religious .■■ services at the Avondalo encampment and olsowhoro ho did so'nlvtho request and , with the approval of tho non-Anglican . chaplains.; Ho had no desire to act in any,« other capacity than as tho servant and \ representative of the Chaplains' Depart"Tho position of chaplains is # very, unsatisfactory/' said Mr. h?« > no recognised head of tho Department. Tho arrangements for church parages at, ; encampments leave much to bo desired. . At ono meeting of chaplains I that it might be possible.; for all I ro- , ' tcstnnt troops to unite inTUWiciworship, ■ and not to divide as they, do into, different groups, all singing the same hymns and worshipping tho same Saviour. I suggest- ■■-. ed that a fonn of service might be drawn , up, with a list of hymns common, to.all ~ Protestants, and that tho chaplains ~ should select' one of their number to' \ bo. • ' the preacher at any camp service,..; ;.■•■ '■•';' Archdeacon Calder, who by virtue of his length: of service occupies the position. of senior chaplain, said/that the comJ. plaints made at the, meeting ol tho r Frcs- ; tatory were absolutely without foundation.. Some of tho 'Anglican" might hold, senior rank, but that was only gained, by length of i , service. ; All;; , tliaplains,: no matter what denomination they belonged to, wero on the same footing. and when tho Territorial scheme was . first brought into force an; was mode with General. Godley that no precedeneo.'should bo given to nomination. That agreement had been ; strictly adhered to. , y___., '.