A Chaplain at Work in Prison
The work of the chaplain did not stop when he became a prisoner. It increased rather than lessened our responsibilities and opportunities for doing spiritual work. There were seven Protestant and two Catholic chaplains in Hammelberg.
We started out with 500 officers in this camp and before the end of March we had 1,500. You can see that we were compelled several times to change our plans.
We had four types of services. Sunday Worship, Evening Devotions, Morning Devotions, and Bible Study. I know God gave us extra strength to conduct these services for without Him we would have failed.
1. The Sunday Worship services had to be written out and submitted to the German officer. He sent someone to these services or came himself for censorship. I assisted in one of the Sunday morning services every Sunday and took turns bringing the messages with the others. We saw good results from these services and the men seemed to appreciate them.
2. The Evening Devotions were held without the German's permission. We went to the rooms and sang songs, read the Bible, brought a message and had prayer. In these services, I became better acquainted with the men and felt their needs more keenly. One month I had eight rooms to which I went for services. Some nights I would hold two services. The men in some of the rooms were indifferent. Some would play cards and bash their food while others gathered for service.
The men in Barracks 12, Room 8, were most considerate of me. At first they didn't know the songs so I took a few of the sheets the Germans had given me to write sermons on and gave them to the fellows and they copied songs from my New Testament until we had five copies or books with 16 songs in them.
We learned those songs so well that we had some of I always went away blessed. I imagine I got more out of it than they did. I would like to give their names here but I had other rooms like that and it would be impossible to give the names of all. It was so cold at times that the services were held with many of the men in their sacks. Only eternity will reveal the good accomplished.
3. The Morning Devotions were started to help the chaplains in their inner lives. We were giving out in the services and felt we needed a time of inspiration for ourselves. Chaplain Ralph E. Maness, of Springfield, Missouri, was put in charge but after several services was sent to Stalag XII-A and I was appointed to his place. The men heard of the services and asked to attend. We let them come and before long we were having 75 to 100 and on up to 125. To attend, one had to run the risk of being caught in a cold building during air-raid alarms. I remember one time we were caught and had to stay there for several hours. If you get some idea of the price the men had to pay to attend the services, you can see that they really wanted to worship.
We started out with 500 officers in this camp and before the end of March we had 1,500. You can see that we were compelled several times to change our plans.
We had four types of services. Sunday Worship, Evening Devotions, Morning Devotions, and Bible Study. I know God gave us extra strength to conduct these services for without Him we would have failed.
1. The Sunday Worship services had to be written out and submitted to the German officer. He sent someone to these services or came himself for censorship. I assisted in one of the Sunday morning services every Sunday and took turns bringing the messages with the others. We saw good results from these services and the men seemed to appreciate them.
2. The Evening Devotions were held without the German's permission. We went to the rooms and sang songs, read the Bible, brought a message and had prayer. In these services, I became better acquainted with the men and felt their needs more keenly. One month I had eight rooms to which I went for services. Some nights I would hold two services. The men in some of the rooms were indifferent. Some would play cards and bash their food while others gathered for service.
The men in Barracks 12, Room 8, were most considerate of me. At first they didn't know the songs so I took a few of the sheets the Germans had given me to write sermons on and gave them to the fellows and they copied songs from my New Testament until we had five copies or books with 16 songs in them.
We learned those songs so well that we had some of I always went away blessed. I imagine I got more out of it than they did. I would like to give their names here but I had other rooms like that and it would be impossible to give the names of all. It was so cold at times that the services were held with many of the men in their sacks. Only eternity will reveal the good accomplished.
3. The Morning Devotions were started to help the chaplains in their inner lives. We were giving out in the services and felt we needed a time of inspiration for ourselves. Chaplain Ralph E. Maness, of Springfield, Missouri, was put in charge but after several services was sent to Stalag XII-A and I was appointed to his place. The men heard of the services and asked to attend. We let them come and before long we were having 75 to 100 and on up to 125. To attend, one had to run the risk of being caught in a cold building during air-raid alarms. I remember one time we were caught and had to stay there for several hours. If you get some idea of the price the men had to pay to attend the services, you can see that they really wanted to worship.
posted by News at 9:50 AM
<< Home