National Civil War Chaplains Museum

“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” How is a chaplain meant to follow this command in wartime? Look to the example of Harold Voelkel, an American chaplain who keenly felt the need to share the Gospel with North Korean prisoners of war.

When North Korea crossed the 38th Parallel in 1950, Voelkel and his family were forced to flee to Japan. Voelkel had been working in South Korea as a civilian missionary, but in the uncertainty of war, he turned to God to know what step to take next. His answer came in the form of an invitation from the U.S. Army. Because of his fluency in Korean, they wanted him to join as a chaplain to help bridge the gap between American and South Korean forces. American troops landed at Inchon, surprising the North Koreans and capturing thousands of prisoners. It was this news that tugged at Chaplain Voelkel’s soul.

An evangelist at heart, he could not resist the opportunity to witness to so many people, so he requested and received a transfer to work in prisoner of war camps. The North Korean prisoners were shocked to hear an American officer preaching to them in their own language, and soon his camp meetings began to see attendance in the thousands. Some of the prisoners were already Christians themselves, and they assisted Voelkel in expanding his ministry.

By their work, many prisoners heard the Good News and converted to Christianity. When these prisoners learned that peace could involve their repatriation to North Korea, they signed a petition in blood, declaring that they would rather die than submit to Communism. Armistice was declared on July 27, 1953, and more than 60,000 former prisoners elected to stay in South Korea. Though they were not all Christians, that number is a testament to the great work that God did through the faithfulness of Chaplain Voelkel.

Follow the Chaplains Museum and visit us on the campus of Liberty University to learn more about chaplains` service among prisoners of war.

Help the Chaplains Museum expand our collection and add new exhibits. Look for the “Donate” section at the link in our bio.

#chaplains #chaplainsmuseum #militarychaplains #koreanwar #todayinhistory ...

The military chaplaincy in many ways represents the mosaic of American culture, especially the ideal that a person is not limited by their background. Chaplain Joshua Goldberg did not even speak English when he first joined the U.S. military, but he did not let that stop him from becoming the first Jewish rabbi to be commissioned as a chaplain in World War II, or the first Jewish chaplain to reach the rank of captain in the Navy.

Goldberg was born in Belarus and drafted into the Russian army at the age of 18 in 1914. When the Russian front collapsed during World War I, he deserted and made his way to America. Although fluent in German, Hebrew, French, Yiddish, and Russian, he spoke hardly any English when he first arrived in America. He joined the American Expeditionary Forces in 1917, hiding a Russian-English dictionary which he used to quickly master the language. After the war, he began teaching Hebrew and studying at the Jewish Institute of Religion in Manhattan, becoming a rabbi in 1926.

When the United States joined World War II, Goldberg left his civilian life behind to volunteer as a chaplain with the U.S. Navy. He was diligent in his service, becoming the first Jewish chaplain to reach the rank of captain, and one of only 18 chaplains to hold that position throughout the war. During the war, he developed a “practical field training manual” for theological students preparing to enter the chaplaincy and served on an interfaith team of Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic chaplains who ministered to soldiers around the world. He was also the first Jewish chaplain to receive the Legion of Merit.

Follow the Chaplains Museum for more stories of brave chaplains as we explore the melting pot of American culture.

Help the Chaplains Museum expand our collection and add new exhibits. Look for the "Donate" section at the link in our bio.

#chaplains #militarychaplain #chaplainsmuseum #inservicetoall #jewishhistory #militaryhistory #navy ...

On the eve of battle, many soldiers are filled with fear and anxiety. None of them know what the future may bring, but every one of them knows that this night could be their last. In such dark times, it is the chaplains who take it upon themselves to lift their spirits and inspire their charges to acts of courage and heroism.

The night before the Battle of Brandywine was one such occasion. It was September 10, 1777, and the British army was making a concerted push towards Philadelphia. Determined to halt the British advance, Washington ordered his forces to blockade all potential crossings on the Brandywine River.

Washington requested that one of his chaplains give a sermon to encourage the men. According to what records remain, that chaplain was a man by the name of Joab Trout. He began, “They that take the Sword, shall perish by the Sword.” His sermon was a grim reminder of why the colonists were fighting. He emphasized how the British crown had rejected peace and resorted to violence as a means of controlling the colonies. He contrasted this against the Continental Army, adding, “You have taken the sword, but not in the spirit of wrong and ravage. You have taken the sword for your homes, for your wives, for your little ones. You have taken the sword for truth, for justice and right, and to you the promise is—be of good cheer, for your foes have taken the sword in defiance of all that man holds dear, in blasphemy of God—they shall perish by the sword.”

He encouraged the soldiers, telling them that even if they should perish that day, the day would come when tyranny would be overthrown in favor of justice. His words rang true. The Americans suffered a horrific defeat at Brandywine, with Trout numbered among the nearly 300 dead, but the Revolution was not to be defeated.

Follow the Chaplains Museum for more stories of chaplains from this pivotal time in American history and come visit us on the campus of Liberty University.

Help the Chaplains Museum expand our collection and add new exhibits. Look for the "Donate" section at the link in our bio.

#chaplains #chaplainsmuseum #militarychaplains #250thanniversary #americanrevolution #revolutionarychaplains ...