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In his report dated 4th November 1915, Chief Commissioner Clark reports that after a quiet few weeks, the Hospital is “now in full swing”. The main point raised in his report regards Mr. Gower whom the Order would like to appoint as the Hospital’s Chaplin. However, Clark feels that this is unnecessary and would perhaps cause friction with the military authorities who he states will not recognise Mr. Gower unless he has received a Commission as an Army Chaplain.
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Army Post Office S. 11,
British Expeditionary Force,
France.
4/11/15.
The Director,
The Ambulance Department,
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem
In England.
My Lord,
I did not send any letter last week as there was nothing
of importance to report. We are now in full swing and the work
of the Hospital goes on automatically from day to day.
The only point I have to bring to Your Lordship’s notice,
and that of the Finance and General Purposes Committee is, the
question of the Chaplain.
I presume my letters on this subject to Sir Dyce
Duckworth and Mr. Edwards have been laid before the Committee.
I am afraid unless Mr. Gower receives a Commission as
an Army Chaplain he will not be recognised out here not will he
be allowed to take up any work here. As a matter of fact there
is now no need for a Clergyman to be sent out, more than half the
Orderlies serving in the Hospital are Presbyterean and Non-Conform-
ist and provision has to be made for their services as well as for
the Church of England. I enclose the list of services that were
held last Sunday and which will be held on future Sundays. For
the purpose the Patients Recreation Room is used which will seat
three or four hundred. For Religious ministrations to the patients
of the Church of England one of the Army Chaplains here has been
officially told off, he also takes the Church of England services.
The other denominations are likewise ministered to by the Army
Chaplain of their respective denominations.
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The Chaplains Department is entirely under Military
control and no Clergy except Army Chaplains are recognised or
allowed to perform religious duty within the war zone.
Under these circumstances I think it will be inadvis-
able to press the matter of a special Chaplain for the Order
unless he can be given the Military standing recognised by the
Authorities.
In any case he will have to seek lodgings for himself
in Etaples as, as Your Lordship may remember, it was unanimously
agreed by the Finance & General Purposes Committee that the
Chaplain should not be a member of the Hospital staff or reside
in the Hospital, and consequently no provision was made for his
accommodation.
Sir John Furley visited the Hospital on Monday; he went
carefully all over and seemed much pleased with what he saw.
I have the honour to be,
Your Lordship’s
Obedient servant
James Clark
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CHURCH SERVICES
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Sunday 31st October 1915.
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Church of England.
Holy Communion 7-0 a.m. at Liverpool M.M. Hospital.
Morning Service 11 a.m. in Convalescent’s Hall. St J.A.B. Hospital
Holy Communion 12 midday in Orderly Room, Administration Block.
St J.A.B. Hospital
Evening Service 8-30 p.m. in Convalescent’s Hall. St J.A.B. Hospital
Roman Catholics.
Holy Mass 10 a.m. in Officers’ Recreation Tent, No.1. Canadian Hospital.
Presbyterian.
Morning Service 10 a.m. in Recreation Tent, No. 1. Canadian Hospital
Wesleyan & Nonconformist.
Morning Service 9-30 a.m. in Y.M.C.A. Hut No.1.
Evening Service 7-0 P.M. in Convalescent’s Hall, St J.A.B. Hospital
