The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-13
From the Vermont Christian Messenger.
The Morals of our Soldiers.


comfort of those who enter the camp and
struggle on the field of battle to suppress
treason, and perpetuate our national liberties
and Union. There are evils as we'll as bless.
ings resulting from the bloody struggle of
war. Human life is sacrificed, and the pub
lie treasury drained, and national debts in
cured, but these even have not always been
the most serious evils, but the morals oc the
people have been greatly debased. Vile hab'
its have been matured, and nofarious passions
fostercd. 1t would be better to return from
the field of battle with broken limbs, than
with morals ruined, and the heart debased
by the slavery Of sinful passions. Various
influences operate to produce this destruction
of morals. Soldiers arc away from the chas-
tening influences Of home, and the restraints
of ordinary society. The wife, the mother,
or the sister are not there to soften the heart
and with tho silken ties Of affection to hold it
back from the attractions of vice, or impulses
to evil The soldier is liable to be irregular
in his habits, and is often comparatively un-
employed. The want of employment is a
great demoralizer, not merely in the camp,
but in our streets, and even in the home cir
Gle. There is frequently d resort to methods
to kill time, which cherishes bad passions
and confirms sinful habits.
1t is very difficult to 90 to war with an
enemy, carrying the most deadly weapons,
and marshaling for the terrific and bloody
shock of battle, and amid all Of this drill and
conflict act only from w,ccrthy Christian mo-
tives A spirit of revenge is often cherished,
and the heart moved by the influence of
fendish passion, thus the very business ad-
ministers to the growth of sinful propensities.
1t is too often the case that soldiers are
placed under the influence of officers who are
sadly wanting in the virtues that adorn the
Christian character, and from tho circum-
stances deep and lasting impression is made
upon the character. Thus it often appears
that those who return from the camp, do so,
bearing bruises and wounds upon their moral
natures, uniting them for an elevated and
virtuous position in society. But those re-
suits need not follow of necessity, especially
in a conflict like that in which the friends of
our Government are now engaged, where they
are contending for home and country, and
principles vitality connected with the triumphs
of Christianity.
Cromwell kept up religion in his army
He had chaplains, prayers, Sabbaths, preach
ing, Bibles, psalm-books and witha the
oravest men that ever went into battle. And
after their return to private life, history, in
their heroic deeds, bears this tes-
timony to their moral worth:
Fifty thousand men, accustomed to the
profession Of arms, were at once thrown on
;he world In few months there remained
not trace indicating that the most formida.
JIG aIiH III luC WoIlu Aau pceii duooIpcu III
10 the mass of the community. The royal
sts themselves confessed that in every de-
partment Of honest industry, the discarded
warrior prospercd beyond other men, that
none was charged with any theft or robbery,
hat none was heard to ask an aims, and that
f baker, mason, or wagner attracted
notice by his diligence and sobriety, he was
n all probability one of divers old SOL
liers"
Shall we let slip, in defending our coun-
ry, the most precious things for which it is
% be defended? There can certainly be moth
ng in war Of self-dcfense for freedom and
light necessarily inconsistent with the Lords
work, if this work can ever go on 10 time Of
var. And it has gone on in such time. 1t
lid in ancient Israel 1t did on the Conti-
lent in the struggle incident to the Great
1t did in England in Puritan
lays 1t did in our own land in the Revolu-
ion. The cause Of Christ was planted in
Western Pennsylvania in war times.
We were happy to notice recently an ac' I
cunt of baptisms and religious interest
mong our troops at Washington. No efforts
hould be wanting to save our soldiers from