Army Religion by Law

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 1, 1909

Army Religion by Law

It has been demonstrated over and over that wherever and whenever the state and religion join hands, the tendency is to trample upon the religious rights of men. A religious instructor appointed by the state, soon forgets the impelling power of the gospel, and begins to look to the impelling power of the state and of his official position to make his ministry of the word effective.

The chaplain of the Fourteenth United States Calvary, for instance, unsatisfied with his success in ministering the gospel of peace to men of war, expresses himself as desiring legislation which would attain to “a realization of present conditions, and take off the tariff in hell upon a soldier’s soul.” This can mean nothing less than a desire for laws which will make compulsory the attendance of military men at religious services. Concerning this matter the Washington Herald of April 24, 1909, makes the following editorial remarks:—

Of course, no form of religion can be imposed by legislation, and the most abiding faith in the efficacy of law will stop far short of any such expectation. The enthusiasm of the ardent chaplain may account for his desire to compel by Congressional enactment the attendance of enlisted men and officers at the divine services, but it does not furnish any reason why such a chaplain should entertain the belief that religion anywhere, in or out of the military establishment, may be created or maintained by law. If the cavalry chaplain is correctly quoted and was serious in his comment, the remedial legislation is required more for the repression of such weird notions than in behalf of the service he is employed to guide and help.

Correctly interpreted and understood, the national Constitution guarantees against the enactment of such legislation; for when Congress shall pass a law making compulsory the attendance of any individual or class at the services presided over by any Christian clergyman, it will have established that form of religion by law. But in spite of the lessons of American history, and of the history of the rise of soul-freedom in other lands, there are in this country many who would hail with delight such legislation as this chaplain desires.