Thanksgiving

Why are we thankful?

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalm 100:3-5)

Introduction

Thanksgiving is the word that should characterize November. What makes us thankful?

Family, loved ones, jobs, recreational opportunities. We also should be thankful for the freedoms we have. We have the freedom to express ourselves, political freedom, ability to elect our representatives, and to attend and worship as we please.

Free Will

God gave us a free will to choose to follow Him or Satan.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Bible

He laid out His standard in the Bible. He tells us how the world was created, why one man’s transgression has made us all sinners, the result of that sin, how the conflict in the Middle East started, the creation of the nation of Israel, the history of the nation of Israel, the need for a blood sacrifice, and the ultimate redeemer who came to die, being the one time blood sacrifice for all mankind, Jesus Christ. So, we should be thankful that God gave us the Bible.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God made us

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:14-16)

Jesus, Savior, Redeemer

Jesus was the Holy Son of God. Never sinned, never did any wickedness, creator of all things. Then God did something special for each of us by sending Jesus to earth to pay our sin debt with His own blood.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) We should be thankful that God gave us His Son as Savior for all mankind.

God made sure that salvation was of faith not works.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them..” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God made accepting Jesus easy.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

We should be thankful for salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sheep of Jesus pasture

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

Nothing can separate us from God’s love

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-9)

CONCLUSION

Be thankful

Why are you thankful today?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning, 

David is on the run from King Saul. He decides to go over to the Philistines. We will look at what David did, his covert actions, and an incident that is eerily similar to an event happening today. 

God guides David to recover the families of his men, their possessions, and the spoil from their victory. David shares the spoil with some of his supporters. Twelve cities that would become key to him becoming king over a united Israel.

David gives gifts to his supporters (1 Samuel 30:26-31) 

And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord;²⁷ To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,²⁸ And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,²⁹ And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,³⁰ And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach, ³¹ And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt. 

30:26-31 “David’s sharing the spoils of the victory over the Amalekites not only assured them of his gratitude for their friendship and help during his days of flight from the presence of Saul, but would convince his allies of his loyalty, despite the time spent with Achish. Moreover, it would prepare their hearts for his soon-coming kingship. Hebron, mentioned last, stands in climactic position in the list, for David would make it his first capital city (cf. 2 Sam. 2:1-7) (Liberty Annotated Study Bible, 1988, Liberty University, pg. 505) 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

David is on the run from King Saul. He decides to go over to the Philistines. We will look at what David did, his covert actions, and an incident that is eerily similar to an event happening today. 

David returns to Ziklag. However, everything is gone, and the city burned. The families of all his followers have been taken captive. They weep and many seek to stone David. David prays for God’s guidance.

On 7 October 2023, a similar event happened in Israel. Hamas came across the border, murdered, raped, and took captives.

The Amalekites take Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:1-5) 

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;² And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.³ So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.⁴ Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.⁵ And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 

David consults God (1 Samuel 30:6-8) 

⁶ And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.⁸ And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 

David goes – Leaves 200 to faint to pursue (1 Samuel 30:9-10) 

⁹ So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.¹⁰ But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 

Egyptian intel (1 Samuel 30:11-16) 

¹¹ And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;¹² And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.¹³ And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.¹⁴ We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. ¹⁵ And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.¹⁶ And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 

David smotes the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:17-20) 

¹⁷ And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.¹⁹ And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.²⁰ And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil. 

Spoils shared with the faint (1 Samuel 30:21-24) 

²¹ And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.²² Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.²³ Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.²⁴ For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. ²⁵ And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning, 

David is on the run from King Saul. He decides to go over to the Philistines. We will look at what David did, his covert actions, and an incident that is eerily similar to an event happening today. 

David lives among the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:1-4) 

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.² And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.³ And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.⁴ And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 

Achish gives David Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:5-7) 

⁵ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?⁶ Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.⁷ And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 

David fights against the Philistines secretly (1 Samuel 27:8) 

⁸ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.⁹ And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 

David’s answers Achish’s question covertly (1 Samuel 27:9-12) 

¹⁰ And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.¹¹ And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.¹² And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever. 

27:12 “David pretended allegiance to Achish while fighting the enemies of Judah. The time spent in Ziklag would give him valuable military and diplomatic experience for the time when he would become king. It would also increase the numbers of his forces (cf. 1 Chr. 12:1-7) (Liberty Annotated Study Bible, 1988, Liberty University, pg. 501) 

Philistines distrust David (1 Samuel 29:1-5) 

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.² And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.³ Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?⁴ And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?⁵ Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 

The Amalekites take Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:1-5) 

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;² And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.³ So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.⁴ Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.⁵ And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 

David consults God (1 Samuel 30:6-8) 

⁶ And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.⁸ And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 

David goes – Leaves 200 to faint to pursue (1 Samuel 30:9-10) 

⁹ So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.¹⁰ But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 

Egyptian intel (1 Samuel 30:11-16) 

¹¹ And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;¹² And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.¹³ And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.¹⁴ We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. ¹⁵ And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.¹⁶ And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 

David smotes the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:17-20) 

¹⁷ And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.¹⁹ And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.²⁰ And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil. 

Spoils shared with the faint (1 Samuel 30:21-24) 

²¹ And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.²² Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.²³ Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.²⁴ For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. ²⁵ And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 

David gives gifts to his supporters (1 Samuel 30:26-31) 

And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord;²⁷ To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,²⁸ And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,²⁹ And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,³⁰ And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach, ³¹ And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt. 

30:26-31 “David’s sharing the spoils of the victory over the Amalekites not only assured them of his gratitude for their friendship and help during his days of flight from the presence of Saul, but would convince his allies of his loyalty, despite the time spent with Achish. Moreover, it would prepare their hearts for his soon-coming kingship. Hebron, mentioned last, stands in climactic position in the list, for David would make it his first capital city (cf. 2 Sam. 2:1-7) (Liberty Annotated Study Bible, 1988, Liberty University, pg. 505) 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

David is on the run from King Saul. He decides to go over to the Philistines. We will look at what David did, his covert actions, and an incident that is eerily similar to an event happening today. 

David has made an alliance with Achish, king of Gath. However, the Lords of the Philistines are not deceived. They believe that David is still the enemy of the Philistines. They are right!

Philistines distrust David (1 Samuel 29:1-5) 

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.² And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.³ Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?⁴ And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?⁵ Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning, 

David is on the run from King Saul. He decides to go over to the Philistines. We will look at what David did, his covert actions, and an incident that is eerily similar to an event happening today. 

David lives among the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:1-4) 

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.² And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.³ And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.⁴ And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 

Achish gives David Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:5-7) 

⁵ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?⁶ Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.⁷ And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 

David fights against the Philistines secretly (1 Samuel 27:8) 

⁸ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.⁹ And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 

David’s answers Achish’s question covertly (1 Samuel 27:9-12) 

¹⁰ And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.¹¹ And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.¹² And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever. 

27:12 “David pretended allegiance to Achish while fighting the enemies of Judah. The time spent in Ziklag would give him valuable military and diplomatic experience for the time when he would become king. It would also increase the numbers of his forces (cf. 1 Chr. 12:1-7) (Liberty Annotated Study Bible, 1988, Liberty University, pg. 501) 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

VETERANS DAY 2023 

The Four Chaplains 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) 

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. 

This week we will explore the heroic actions of four Chaplains on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. 

The Four Chaplains Scriptural Perspective 

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4) 

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9) 

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13) 

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11) 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) 

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) 

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

VETERANS DAY 2023 

The Four Chaplains 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) 

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. 

This week we will explore the heroic actions of four Chaplains on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. 

The Four Chaplains Part 3 

Ladd’s response is understandable. The altruistic action of the four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line. 

As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. 

Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains. 

“Valor is a gift,” Carl Sandburg once said. “Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes.” 

That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling and Father Washington passed life’s ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage and selflessness. 

The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously on December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA. 

A one-time only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor. 

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The Four Chaplains died as heroes. They went above and beyond what their positions required. They made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Tomorrow, we will look at what the Bible says about being a good soldier for Jesus. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

VETERANS DAY 2023 

The Four Chaplains 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) 

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. 

This week we will explore the heroic actions of four Chaplains on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. 

The Four Chaplains Part 1 

It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers. 

Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester, one of three ships in the SG-19 convoy, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland. SG-19 was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche. 

Hans J. Danielsen, the ship’s captain, was concerned and cautious. Earlier the Tampa had detected a submarine with its sonar. Danielsen knew he was in dangerous waters even before he got the alarming information. German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea lanes, and several ships had already been blasted and sunk. 

The Dorchester was now only 150 miles from its destination, but the captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers sleeping deep in the ship’s hold disregarded the order because of the engine’s heat. Others ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable. 

On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the cross hairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amid ship, far below the water line. 

Captain Danielsen, alerted that the Dorchester was taking water rapidly and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship. In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester would slip beneath the Atlantic’s icy waters. 

Tragically, the hit had knocked out power and radio contact with the three escort ships. The CGC Comanche, however, saw the flash of the explosion. It responded and then rescued 97 survivors. The CGC Escanaba circled the Dorchester, rescuing an additional 132 survivors. The third cutter, CGC Tampa, continued on, escorting the remaining two ships. 

Aboard the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded. Others, stunned by the explosion were groping in the darkness. Those sleeping without clothing rushed topside where they were confronted first by a blast of icy Arctic air and then by the knowledge that death awaited. 

Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats, over-crowding them to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them. 

The Four Chaplains Part 2 

Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. 

Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend to the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. 

“Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. 

One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.” 

Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic air, explained he had forgotten his gloves. 

“Never mind,” Goode responded. “I have two pairs.” The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves. In retrospect, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester. 

By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight. 

When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. 

“It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act. 

The Four Chaplains Part 3 

Ladd’s response is understandable. The altruistic action of the four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line. 

As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. 

Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains. 

“Valor is a gift,” Carl Sandburg once said. “Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes.” 

That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling and Father Washington passed life’s ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage, and selflessness. 

The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously on December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA. 

A one-time only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor. 

 The Four Chaplains Scriptural Perspective 

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4) 

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9) 

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13) 

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11) 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) 

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) 

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

VETERANS DAY 2023 

The Four Chaplains 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) 

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. 

This week we will explore the heroic actions of four Chaplains on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. 

The Four Chaplains Part 2 

Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. 

Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend to the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. 

“Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. 

One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.” 

Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic air, explained he had forgotten his gloves. 

“Never mind,” Goode responded. “I have two pairs.” The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves. In retrospect, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester. 

By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight. 

When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. 

“It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act. 

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These four Chaplains selfless service saved the lives of many. 

So, what happens to these four Chaplains? Come back on Thursday to find out. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com