Milton Charles (“Mick”) Abrams (1918-1998), of Cache County, Utah, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, after having filled a mission in the Northern States. In 1943 before heading to the European theatre, he was married to Lucile Pixton; they had three children. Following the war, he became director of the Merrill Library at Utah State University. He was a longtime participant in the Utah Historical Society and was active in local politics.
This letter (extracts from a longer letter which I do not have), written in 1944, parallels the letter by Juel Leroy Andreasen posted last week.
Dear Brethren:
The habit of promoting our faith is the most characteristic thing about us — this desire to acquaint people with what we believe has, I think led to sometimes rash measures by some unwary Saints. Particularly have I detected this in many of us in the armed services. Young men of the church, often in their fervor have even adopted a “holier than thou” attitude, expressing distaste for particular habits and beliefs of others — I think smugness is a good word.
During my present tour of duty I have made the acquaintance of many Christian chaplains. They all have expressed admiration for Mormon boys but fail to understand why they all refuse to attend and take part in the regular church service. I said all of them refuse to take part, but I should have said, that a major faction of them are disinterested.
I know from talking to many young men that they have actually been told not to attend services other than our own. This is folly. We all prefer our own but to refuse the services offered in the absence of a Mormon assembly is, I think, very unwise. Aside from depriving ourselves of the good we might receive we are creating a definite distaste in the minds of some well-meaning, hard-working chaplain.
In the various camps here and abroad there are thousands of young L.D.S. men without Mormon services, and I think they should be encouraged to attend and actively assist the chaplain corps. Much good can be accomplished, I’m sure.
To better illustrate what I am saying, I might relate the following: I was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. The head chaplain one day, who, by the way, was a good friend of mine, asked if we couldn’t arrange a Mormon meeting because the boys refused to hear him. He was quite concerned over us and offered us ample opportunity for a meeting, which we held, but he feels we are quite narrow.
Wherever possible, we should attend meetings. We should be the most open-minded people on earth. There is nothing we fear to uncover.
Sincerely,
Lt. Milton C. Abrams,
2nd Lt. Cav.
Thanks, Ardis. This and the previous advice both strike me as wise counsel. I wonder how LDS soldiers today are being advised.
Well said!
Was he a chaplain/chaplain’s assistant? His signature suggests that he was in the cavalry, but the guys who rode in tanks needed a Padre as much as the infantry, so I suppose they had chaplains too.
Yes we should. We still struggle with being an insular, peculiar people, even far away from the jello belt. And I am not so blind as to recognize this in myself as well.
“…as to NOT recognize this in myself…”
This letter and the previous one you linked to it express the essence of the open-minded, expansive church that I grew up with. In the last 40 years we’ve closed our ranks quite a bit, and I think there are good reasons for that, but it has collateral effects that we can’t ignore.