Show FUNSTON DENIES BAPTIST CHARGE CHARCE S Army Officer Asserts He Has Never Attempted to Dictate to Preachers PROTECTS IllS IDS TROOPS Explains Reasons for Not Permitting Revival Services Services Services ices in ill Camps San Antonio Tex Dec 0 MaJ Gen Frederick Funston commanding tho department of ot the south sooth tonight replied to the Rev J. J S. S Gambrell rotary of ot the tho executive board of ot the thc Baptist general convention explaining the generals general's reason for tor not permitting revivals In ln the military camps hero here and along alonE the border Numerous Baptist conventions have havo adopted resolutions condemning what the they understood to have been tho generals general's action and suggestions were made mado that Pre President Wilson Y as commander In chief of ot the tile arm army be asked to take official cognizance cognizance cognizance zance of or tho the matter A resolution askIng askin asking ask ask- in ing for tor Information on tho controversy also has been in introduced In Congress General Funston gave n c out copies of f tho letter to the press In which he saye sae In Jn part From orom time to time I have hae been receiving receiving re receiving re- re copies of ot resolutions resolutIon passed b by various Baptist bodies condemning m my supposed stand relative to holding re religious re- re services sel among among- tho the troops on the bor border e. e and also have received a n number of ot otery very ery unjust and In some cases abusive letters from clergymen of ot tho the same sarno denomination Incidentally I J might sa say that I have had more letters letters letters let let- approving my stand than I have o criticising It Dan n nl h Service This whole disagreeable Incident with all of or Its annoyance to me mc of or course ourse arises from tim the statement made b by you rou after your visit to the headQuarters headquarters headquarters head head- quarters a 8 couple of ot months mouths ago In which you sought to obtain permission to conduct n a series of or revivals reI In the border horder camps You stated your OUr business business busi busi- ness to Colonel Barnum Darnum chief of ot staff staf if H Colonel Barnum stated at nt that time what denomination you belonged to It ft made no Impression on m my mind and If It ho he had It would have made no difference differ differ- encO ence whatever I 1 told that officer to explain fully to you Ou that while rell religious services along tho the usual lines linos were conducted In n tho the camps b by chaplains and other clergymen and were welcome I coul could not give m my consent to tho the holdIn holding hold- hold In ing ng of ot revivals re therein giving tho the word vord as I was Justified In doing Its usually accepted meaning I told Colonel Colonel Colo Cob nel nd Barnum to explain to you wh why ro- ro Ival vival services would be bo out of or place In Ina Int a l t military camp citing clUng tho the disgraceful performances in San Antonio last winter winter win- win ter cr as ns an example of ot what revivals are apt to develop Into and drawing to o a n certain extent on n n. general knowledge knowl- knowl edge dge as ns to how revivals re or protracted meetings as ns tho they are sometimes called ire are usually conducted Soldier n nil et Good n fl Other r MenI MenI Men tJI I further Instructed Colonel Barnum to o sa say to you ou that I did not accept In fact act resented tho the Implication that becaUSe because be- be caUSe ause a 3 man had put on oi his country's uniform ho he was as necessarily lost or worse VorSe than other men that I thought there here were people who had stayed at home lomo who needed revivals worse than he tho soldiers did Under tho the circumstances you ma may Imagine m my astonishment when I read n An t tn f f th Vt h. h A rot t T d' d ds id It- ilo th lad bad l s. s said that I would o not allow the soldiers to be told that thoy were lost You on must kno know a as well sell as I do that thattie the tho tie doctrine that should be bo pr preached ached to ho tho men was never once considered or mentioned and with all duo courtesy courtes I 1 foil Cell compelled to say a that your our makIng mak- mak lug Ing ng repeatedly tho the statements you are arc quoted as making are absolutely Inexcusable max max- usable and did lid me mo a n. great injustice The ho only time the word lost was used by y me was when whon I said sald that I did not accept the view that because a man put ut on his country's uniform he was necessarily lost I 1 say frankly that I would not want wanto to o take chances on allowing a series or of f revivals or protracted meetings meetinG's In these hese great reat camps I am Justified In gl 1 giving ng the word revival Its usually accepted accepted ac- ac meaning meaning-a. a series of ot meetings continuing day and night for an Indefinite indefinite In- In definite period with loud exhortation and nd singinG hinging and much emotionalism How about the rights of ot the men who do not want to attend revivals ls and who ho do not wish to be disturbed by y them Are they to bo be compelled to leave eave the camp which is their home and nd wander about downtown or through fields to get got n away from them Has a man no rights because e he Is a soldier There are many religious people who disapprove strongly strong of ot revivals re- re I with their attendant emotion emotion- sm And anyhow be a man re- re or irreligious be he ho Christian Hebrew or Mohammedan no other peron person peron per- per son on has a right to rub his belief belle or his hla worship Into his face that is to bring It t Into tho the place where he has hns a a. right to o be and where he cannot escape It without abandoning that place Would Have Hoye Caused Riot h mu t DO 10 irom Imposition b by their superior officers and If It these officers from weakness or r other reason fall taU In their dut duty their heir only recourse I Is 18 submission or riot and It Is a a. safe guess that the Latter Is what you would have o got with witha a I. t typical old-fashioned old revival In an any of ot tho the camps Every reg regiment ment has Its chaplain and these practically represent every Christian denomination many man many of ot these chaplains are arc Baptists Baptista Tho They Thoy regularly hold service In ln the camps but at nt the tito proper time and alon along tho usual lines lust just as ns services are Me ordinarily held In churches B By tho the way ay does It not seem queer to you ou that I had never Indicated to toan an any ono one of them that ho he should not pr preach ach to the men that they were lost Do you down Jeep deep In your our heart really believe elleve that after twenty years years' service ice Ico co as an nn officer I am Just now no nobe beginninG beginning be- be ginninG to sot myself up as u an expert In n theological doctrine and taking It upon myself to dictate what shall or shall not be bo preached to tho the men under In ny my command Now let lot us be bo perfeCtly perfectly per por- honest IB Is It not a a. fact tact that you wore vore had bad y put out because I could not lot ot you ou have your our way about conducting conductIng conduct- conduct Ing InS revivals In the camps and you 1 said to yourself wh Why the tho idea lelea of that ob- ob little cuss not letting me do ao at aoI asI I please and presuming that ho known more about what soldiers like than I do I will wili warm arm his Jacket and make it just as disagreeable for tor him as I Ican can If It you will acknowledge e that I Ishall Ishall shall acknowledge that you succeeded and everybody ought to bo be happy happ |