Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-06-24
The Regiment of Church members MILF
TINT.

members for the war. In addition to the
usual military inspection, profession Of the
right faith, and certificate of membership
in some orthodox church will be required
preliminary to enlistment. No sinner is to
be accepted, and the regiment is to be a
standing notice to the rest of the army TO
stand little apart as less holy.
We are not aware what confession of faith
is adopted as the regimental standard; but
Of course, it is not to be supposed that Trini-
tarians can serve in the same ranks with
Unitarians, or immersed soldiers with those
who have only been sprinkled or predes
tinationists with those who reconcile all
wise creation and eternal foreknowledge
with chance, or Congregationalists who reg.
ulate the divine ordinance in their own way
by popular sovereignty, with those sanctifed
by an unbroken apostolic succession.
How can regiment, organized on the
principle of soundness in the faith, conscien-
tiously turn its arms against an outside en-
emy while it has fatal errors in its own
ranks2 The Acban of heresy must be stoned
in its own camp before it can prevail against
the enemy.
This plan renews the holy crusades, except
that then the object sanctified the soldiers,
however unholy their habits. Every SOL
dier, no matter how loose his morals, who
fell in the war to redeem the Holy Sepul>
cher, went straight to glory. This, how
ever, shows less confidence in the holiness of
the cause, by making it requisite to secure
salvation before enlisting in it.
The fate of this regiment will solve some
vital problems, which will have great in
fuence on the popular faith. If putting on
the whole armor of faith makes better fight
ing men, it will demonstrate beyond ques.
ton the necessity of church membership to
the army, and thereby to the safety of the
| State. If a regiment, which excludes all
sinners, proves invulnerable in battle, it will
be demonstrative evidence of the truth of
Christianity which none can dispute.
On the contrary, if the regiments Of saints
are shot down in battle, just like sinners, it
will have disastrous effect on the faith of
the weaker brethren. We are informed by the
commander at Fort Sumter that Providence
interfered to direct the deadly missiles so
that no life should be lost. We are also in
formed by the address of the Border Slave
State Convention, that Providence loosened
its hold on destiny when the bombardment
was over, and permitted two of the defenders
OF the fort to be killed while firing q merely
ornamental salute, just to show by the con-
trast that it managed the bombardment
Since this evidence that Providence exer-
csss entire control over the casualty list in
this war, it will be expected that the regi-
mental Christians will be especially invul-
nerable; and if they become food for powder
like the wicked, it viii have fatal tendency
to shake the popular faith in the virtue of
professional religion.
1t is not to be supposed that the Christian
weapons as common soldiers. Instead Of
| SCOTS or Hardee's tactics they will consult
| the Scriptures for their manual. Many
torcible examples may be found there for
their instruction. 1t was customary in
Scripture times for the men Of war to be di-
service. The Christian Regiment having set
themselves apart from sinners, will doubtless
have the same direction.
Gideon, an illustrious General of the Con-
| gregstion of Israel, selected his men for an
| important expedition by their tapping with
their tongues, like dogs, when drinking.
They who drank like men were left behind.
The result was famous victory. The dog
lap test will undoubtedly hold good yet.
Joshua, another great General, found rams
horns very effective against fortications; and
as the Copfederates excel us in cannon, by
the providential forethought of Floyd, and
as they manage to throw up Notifications
with great facility by the labor of their
negroes, while our army stands guard to
keep them at work, there will be much of
this rams horn work to do, and the regiment
should get its wind in training. The sun
and moon will Of course be expected to stand
still or go forward, as directed by the COM
mander of the Tegimental professors. This
will be found a great convenience, both in
pursuit and fight.
Samson, a holy warrior of rather loose
morals, found a jaw-bone a very effective
l "NoEDhs AhAsi VI Nbhloti CuNh ihSh4OUL Vi
the religious regiment will have, in addition
to the regulation arms.
It was always the practice in the holy
wars TO inquire Of the Lord, through the
prophets, whether the army should go into
battle or wait on Providence. Ahab con-
suited four hundred prophets, who told him
unanimously to go in and conquer. But il
turned out that they were all inspired by q
lying spirit sent from Heaven for that pur.
pose; which should teach caution in relying
on inspiration in time of war.
Some of the belligereLt privileges of the
Scriptures Wili have 10 be omitted now, OF
account Of the false morality which has in
feeted modern society. IndiscriminAt'
slaughter of age and sex is not allowed BY
the rules of modern war; nor holding tn,
young and handsome women captives 70
the pleasure of the conquerors. These sol
diers' rights of the ancient congregation
will have TO be omitted in these degenerat
J and wicked times.
The virtue Of church membership is nov
, for the first time TO be distinctly tested o.
the field Of battle. The Christian Regimen
have confidently set up their standard {
} faith, and challenged the test. We hAv
: faith that such demonstration will be give
! of the virtue of professional religion, by tn
! inVincibility and invulnerability Of this reg
. ment that henceforth IL will be regarded g
, mere waste of life to send sinners into Oh
field, and conversion will be regarded as th
essential prerequisite for enlistment.
t