1. regard to the religious habits of a large number of the people has led congress to appoint, or permit the appointment, of chaplains to supply such religious instruction and services in the army and navy as might be felt desirable by those concerned.
though chaplains are not properly officers of the government, they are employees of it, for they are appointed by its[597] authority, and paid from its treasury. those in the army receive the same pay and emoluments as a major of infantry; or this was the compensation allowed by act of congress in 1812. but by an act of 1862, it was fixed at $100 per month, and two rations per day, for those in the army or hospitals. by the act of 1812, one chaplain was allowed to every brigade; but by an act of 1861 (during the civil war,) one for every regiment was allowed.
navy chaplains, in 1835, received $1,200 per year. but in 1860 this was raised to a lieutenant’s pay; and this in 1862 was $1,800 per annum.
chaplains in congress receive $750 per annum.
2. the united states also employ a chaplain in the military academy at west point.
from the foregoing it will be seen that in time of war, with one chaplain for every regiment, and one for every ship of war, and others in hospitals and military posts, quite a large number of clergymen are employed by the government.
this provision for the religious instruction of those who cannot, from their peculiar position, attend the preaching of the gospel, or other religious services, is certainly an indication that our government respects religion, and looks after the spiritual as well as the temporal interests of its army and navy.
3. in the appointment of chaplains, the government pursues a liberal course. no particular preference is given to any denomination, but they are appointed from almost every religious sect, and allowed to conduct religious services after the forms of the church to which they respectively belong.
every body knows what the duties of a chaplain are. so we need not explain them here, and will only add that a faithful chaplain in the army in time of war has much to do besides preaching and holding regular services. the wounded, the sick, and the dying, should be the particular objects of his attention. he should not only minister religious instruction and consolation to them, but look after their physical comforts.[598] many of these clergymen, during the late most unfortunate civil war, distinguished themselves by their exertions to promote the bodily comforts of those unfortunate men, as well as to give them religious instruction, not refusing to nurse the sick and wounded wherever they could relieve their pains or mitigate their sufferings.
