Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-17
From the Salisbury Waterman.
Tothe Christians and Patriots Of North
Carolina.

X owing that you feel a fervent concern
for the present and efYftanent success and
prosperity of North Carolina, and the new
Confederacy to which she belongs. we pay
your early and earnest consideration of the
sutjoined address
Thc various re iaious denomina'i ms in Sal
isbury, assembled in the Methodist Church
on the 23'd OF June, 1861, and with prayer
ful deliheration established an organization
which they called the Bible Society Of Rowan
County. Their prime object is to inaugu
rate a plan for printing the Holy Scriptures
in Southern Establishments. They address
themselves tremendously and zealously to
this enterprise, because tile usual supply of
Bibles from the North is cut off by the in
human violence and oppression Of our enc
mes, who are invading our borders, deSola-
ting our fields, destroying our homes, viola
ting our social and national rights, and wa
ging a war of subjngation against us.
In consequence, multitudes of our noble
soldiers cannot ~be-~nnsted with the Bible
as they go forth to encounter pfivation, dam
ger, carnage and death.
The good man, whose seqnestere1 home has
heretofore been unvis5tel by the Bible Agent,
must no remain destitute of a volume en-
bracing the precious doctrines of salvation,
/ " We 81 v iOtIO ~ oSIid tiIiDs OdI coOs
bath schools can no longer be supplied, and
the innocent and bright eyed children we
love can receive from the hand of aren't or
friend, no copy of the Word of life. This
must not continue. 1t cannot be borne.
Every heart that lores its relatives, its friends,
its fellow citizens, its country, or its God,
revolts at the first thought OF the blessed BIZ
bic being denied us. We should deeply APP
~preciate the importance Of every soldier hav-
ing a convenient copy. 1t will teach him
how to serve his country, as VIII as his God.
1t will arm HIM with superhuman power
against the invader. 1t will make him a
magnanimous christian he,o. 1t viii instil
into his soul such feelings, motives and prin-
ciples as will marshal the angels TO his pro-
lection and assistance, and humbly and sue
c~essfully court victory from the, almighty hand
Of the God Of battles, Twill prompt him to
live nObly iii peace or IN war; and pr pare
him, if spared, to return to his home and
friends with an influence far greater in de-
gree, while it is ennobling and sanctifying in
IT'S character. 1t will breathe peace upon his
heart when amid his trials n dreams Of the
sweet Joys and friends Of his distant home,
and will buoy him with hope, and shield
him with security when he fees the battle
and grappIes with the foe. If he fall in the
struggle, it will pillow his soul in the noun OF
death, and wing it for its happy fight to the
Land of the Beautiful and BEST
An, we surely love our brave defenders too
we'll to deny them this richest t of gifts that We
can bestow !
Be there an early peace or protracted war,
the Bible is a vital necessity. If we would
have our Confedefacy crowned with success
and CORY, we must cradle it in the bosom OIL
t Religion, and through all its years require tbs
t guardians of its honor and interests, to faith
/ fully recognize the truth that 1.-THE onl,
lights which safely lead, are those whie!
shine from heaven.n-Reason declares ant
points to history for, confirmation, that tn
\ nation which ignores the Bible cannot pos
e Silly nc a ration of permanent %prosperlt,
and blessings. The kiate is the grand guar
dian of human rights. the palladium Of lib
g erty, the tali>man Of all real, individual, an,
It national security.
V Therefore, in the name Of patriotism an
piety, we appeal 10 you o combine Your e
elgies with ours, to promote this ~heavenl
cnterprise.-No work can be more worthy {
Of the great and the go5d. Its object is peac'
De safety and happiness to the Immortal, fo
,f. time and eternity. An angel could not wis
l. a subllmer privilege-an angel cannot boast
e more momentous duty. We will rise iii
10 immortal lreemen and strike for this ''magf
~ charter" of our eterai hopes and rights. "
will not bow ignobly to the unfeeling invade
20 and tell him that we surrender even the pric
= less interests OF the souls of our soldier
our citizens, and our children to the horl
c~aprices Of his bloody heart. The old Uni,
Us sundered forever. We are an adepe