Vane Quentin Bates

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Jim McIntosh on June 25, 2013:

I have never met a person whom I respected more than Quentin Bates! He was in Company C-1 and I was in Company M-2. Although I did not have many of the USMA-sponsored activities with this great man, I believe I knew what was inside his heart as well as anyone. I am going to mention one aspect of Quentin's activities at West Point that may not be as well known, but which in my opinion, were the foundation of everything good in Quent's personality. l can leave the other aspects of his activities to those who participated more in his life at the Academy and thereafter. Every Sunday evening Quentin, Mike Garn, Dale Ward and I met in one of the classrooms to hold our own Sacrament meeting for about an hour. This was in addition to the required attendance at the Cadet Chapel which I also enjoyed very much, especially when the cadet choir sang what has become one of my favorite sacred hymns, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" on which the Prince of Glory Died! During the hour we met together, we partook of the sacrament which consisted of a slice of bread which I obtained from the mess hall on the way to our meeting. This was broken into smaller pieces which were then blessed by one of us kneeling while he said the blessing. This was followed by taking a drink of the sacred water which we got from the drinking fountains in the halls. The water was blessed by another one of us, also kneeling while he said the prayer. Mike Garn was the ordained head of our small group of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as Mormons. Quentin was Mike's first Counselor, Dale the Second Counselor and I was the Secretary who kept a record of the proceedings. I was also asked to teach the lesson at most of our meetings and to bear my testimony to the reality of our Savior's life and what he had done for us with His magnificent atoning sacrifice. After we had partaken of the Sacrament, we spent the rest of the time in fellowship talking about any spiritual experiences we had been blessed to have had during the past week. This was one of the best parts of our being together during this hour; and it gave me a chance to get acquainted with the "SPIRITUAL" side of the others and to see and feel how they were handling their new lives at the Military Academy. This hour each week on Sunday evenings became a foundation for me in "getting through" the first year and enjoying the following three years. When we were allowed to take some time and go back to our homes for a few days of vacation, the four of us usually took the train together to Denver, Colorado and then took a car from there to our homes in Idaho and elsewhere. When he was at West Point Quentin Bates regularly attended these Sunday services. Sometimes he gave the lesson followed by his testimony of the Savior. He was a joy to be around as were the others in attendance. I listened to what they had to say and admired their tenacity in living their testimonies even in spite of some ridicule of Mormons by a few of our classmates. Quentin did not mind this ridicule, because it gave him a chance to discuss what he knew about our Church and what it meant to him. Quentin loved his family and his wife Anna was always a guiding light to him during all his days as they enjoyed doing so many things together. He knew, because of certain holy covenants he had made with his Heavenly Father that if he kept those covenants in this life then he could be assured that his families would be together for all eternity. I believe he is now preparing a house for his family (without any elevators) and that he is looking forward to enjoying his family being together again for all eternity! Thank you Quentin for all you have taught me and for your great example of being able to touch the lives for good of others whoever they were. I will be looking forward to seeing you again in a few more years! Your friend, Jim Hope you are having a great time with your best friend -- our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

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