Sunday 02 February 2020 was Four Chaplains Sunday and today 03 February 2020 marks the 77th Anniversary of the sinking of the SS Dorchester in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The designation of the first Sunday in February as Four Chaplains Sunday comes from the eyewitness accounts of the bravery and selfless sacrifice of four chaplains on board the doomed vessel.
The SS Dorchester was carrying 902 servicemen and other travelers across the Atlantic to the battlefields of World War II when it was struck by a German torpedo. The Dorchester slowly descended into the frigid waters and there was chaos on the ship as the passengers tried to get to lifeboats.
On board the boat that day were four Army Chaplains; Lt. George L. Fox, a Methodist minister; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, a Jewish Rabbi; Lt. John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic Priest; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister. These men provided calm in the chaos. They sacrificially gave their life-vests and their places in the lifeboats in favor of the men God called them to serve.
As the boat sank eyewitness reports said that they linked arms on the ship’s deck, singing hymns and prayers as the ship sank into the sea. One scholar stated, “ “The chaplains remained on the Dorchester not due to panic or fear, but rather because they made the conscious decision to do so, attempting to calm, inspire, and assist others—even though by doing so they were knowingly sealing their fates…Their courage has been equaled by few, exceeded by none.”
Throughout the Bible, the people of God are encouraged to “be strong and courageous” as they faced uncertainty, trial, and even death. From Moses to King David to the 12 Disciples and to us today, the message is “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” I can only imagine what their prayers included that day but I believe they were living out what they had read and preached so many times, “be strong and courageous…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave and forsake you.”
We are just at the beginning of our trip. There will most certainly be challenges in each of our lives; children will be sick your spouse is left alone to take care of them; the car will breakdown and you will not be there to fix it; ISIS will continue to bad things to good people. As we face this adversity, we have the same promise from God, “be strong and courageous…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave and forsake you.”
The Chaplain's Anvil 