Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 106:424 (Oct 1949)
Article: Reflections of an Industrial Chaplain Part 1
Author: Ernest L. Chase

BSac 106:424 (Oct 49) p. 476

Reflections of an Industrial Chaplain
Part 1

Ernest L. Chase

[Editor’s Note: The author of this article is serving as director of Chaplain Counselors for Industry, Inc., himself a business and research engineer. Some of the official board of this corporation belong to the board of Dallas Theological Seminary also. Bibliotheca Sacra therefore takes pleasure in publicizing the conclusions of this particular leader.]

One of the great thinkers of the Reformation period, about four hundred years ago, gave clear expression to a belief long assumed by thousands of Christians before and since, when he said “Man, even by natural instinct, possesses some sense of a deity.” Varying his explanation he also declared “All have by nature an innate persuasion of the divine existence,” and “An idea of God is naturally engraved on the hearts of men.” His free expression was not inhibited by the utterance of the positivistic and mechanistic school of psychologists who, coming a few centuries later, would cast out God and all value-characteristics as unscientific. He had learned from the Scriptures more significant facts about human nature than their theories had ever conceived. Revelation was ruling his reason. By it he also learned, as others have too, of God’s prescription for man’s universal maladjustment—disunion away from his Maker.

The Experiment

When there is revelation from God we need no other endorsement for the facts; nevertheless there should be interest upon finding scientific confirmation today for the innate knowing of God just mentioned. In a recent counseling experiment 2530 men were dealt with, examined and influenced through “insight counseling,” a new adaptation

BSac 106:424 (Oct 49) p. 477

of personal work now being used for Christ by industry (which, by the way, has implications for all personal evangelism). These purposeful-adjustment interviews called counseling have been in process by the writer over a period of more than sixteen years, during which time all the results have been time-tested, correlated and evaluated.

The PSJ Industries—a name we may use to conceal the firm’s real identity—employed its men in light-metal stamping, printing, binding, woodwork and other occupations. Here on the premises where the men worked was the place that the counseling experiment began. Indeed, much of it had to be continued in the office and home of the counselor after the man left this particular business connection, for the severance rate was high. Conditions under which the long test was conducted may not have been ideal, but the general situation proved itself such as to allow sufficient control and opportunity of follow-up. We were able consequently t...