CHAPLAIN was originally the title of the ecclesiastic who accompanied an army, and carried the relics of the patron saint. See CHAPEL. It has now come to signify a clergy man not having charge of a parish, but employed to officiate at court, in the household of a nobleman, or in an army, garrison, ship, etc. Such officials began early to be• appointed in the palace of the Byzantine emperors. The practice afterwards extended to the western empire, and to the courts of petty princes and even of knights, and con tinued to subsist after the reformation. Forty-eight clergymen of the church of Eng land hold office as chaplains of the queen in England, four of whom are in attendance each month. Six clergymen of the church of Scotland have a similar title in Scotland; but their only duty is to conduct prayer at the elections of Scottish representative peers. A statute of Henry VIII. limits the right of nominating private chaplains in England: thus, an archbishop may have eight, a duke six, a baron three ; and chaplains so appointed have certain privileges, and may hold two benefices with cure of souls.
All AR3IY CHAPLAIN is a clergyman whose services are retained especially by the government for the soldiery of the army. There have been such chaplains for many generations, and the office was at one time regarded as a salable perquisite; but the system was reorganized and improved in 1796. In recent years, Roman Catholic and Presbyterian chaplains have also been appointed, a practice which indicates the progress of toleration. The chaplains belong, not to regiments, but to the staff of the army, so as to be generally available. At home, they are attached to the military stations; but in the field they are located at headquarters, at the hospitals, and with the divisions. The
officers at the stations usually arrange for the men to attend divine service at the nearest parish church; but this still leaves the chaplains many duties to fulfill. Where, as some times happens, there is no regular church or chapel near at hand, the C. reads and preaches to as many men as can conveniently group themselves around hint at one time, and thus serves many different congregations at different times of the Sunday. He Visits the sick at the hospitals, and examines and encourages the regimental schools. Among the wooden huts at Aldershott camp. a church has been built, which is rendered avail able for chaplains of different religious denominations in succession.
When the system of army-chaplains was remodeled in 1796, a chaplain-general was appointed; this office was abolished by the duke of Wellington soon after the termina tion of the great war, but revived by Mr. Sidney Herbert in 1846. The C.-gen., who receives 21000 per annum, has duties partaking somewhat of those of an archdeacon. He assists the war office in selecting chaplains, and in regulating the religious matters of the army, so far as church of England matters are concerned. His office forms one of the 8 departments under the new organization of the war office. There are 78 chap lains on the staff, besides officiating clergymen (not belonging to the army), and chapel clerks. The commissioned chaplains receive from 108. to 22s. 6d. per day, besides allowances; and there are always some on half-pay; while the officiating clergymen receive head-money for the troops attending their ministrations. The whole expendi ture for chaplains, and other charges connected with divine service, figures in the army estimates at near £50,000 annually.