The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-26
From th; Potomac

bors:
Friday evening, Oath Jan.-How 1t
storms 1t has already rained every day TOR
nearly two weeks, with rare exceptions. NOW
it deiugos A gaze is blowing. But Tor the
TACT that the uprights Of our little tent are
eighteen inches in the ground, we would 60
up and the tent down in a hurry. Every
moment the wild fury Of the storm increases
| may write. We may run. I'll try the
first.
Is the chaplain here p enquiries face,
peering in the tent. Being assured, it adds
- wants you to come to tent ), Go. -.
Following the guide through the nire q bell
aped tent is reached. Lifting the rude
canvass door cutter. A group Of soldiers
are sitting around piece OF candle; others
are lying on the ground relieved guards
who wait the call, Turn out! Third re
AefT to enter upon their night watch. One
only asks my notice Stretching myself be-
side the fevered ace, l lie reclining near the
possible victim of malignant typhoid. L do
not feel well in my mind, chaplain. | am
sick, as you see, very sick. Thoughts Of dy-
ing arc terror to me. 1t would not be so
if was right before God Have you eve
been Chrstan?' . can hardly say that
have You have tried to serve God g.
Yes, in ~ very poor way. We're you con.
verified at any religious meeting" No, the
change with me was a gradual ore,-by de-
grces like Have you continued striving to
do Gods will ? 'Ah! no! have doue
very wrong, l have sinned SO much that [
fear there is no hope You cannot too
deeply feel the guilt Of sin. The goodness Of
God, the baseness OF ingratitude, negl ct, con-
tempt, toward such a Being, should shame us
into repentance. And We we'll deserve The
utmost punishment He threatens. But now
His wrath delays. The movements of your
mind and heart toward Hin, are the motions
Of His Holy Spirit in your breast. And
God now bends down in mercy TO take notice
of your tears and signs. His pardoning mer-
cy is conditioned simply. He does not task
you with a long and weary effort to work out
an acceptance. He only asks you to accept
His favor. Prayer is desire5 Faith is rcii-
ance upon Christ as your Redeemcr. Look
to Him; receive Him; trust Him. Oh .
It's simple thing to enter in at the open
door Of lie
will you read a little or me, Chaplain.
in the Bible cannot bear to read my head
is so distressed Opening Bible lying near,
l read the outgushlngs Of au agonized soul,
as embodied 10 the psalms. How quietly the
soldiers listened. How the sick man seemed
to make each word his own. And how much
swceter did that language seem to Inc than
ever it did before. And the words of precious
JOY and conhdcuce-how we'll they seemed to
give the keynote Of the song of life.
Soldiers, your comrade has asked me here
to 'aik, and read, and pray. want 10 sing
few sweet words, and then we'll pray.
then sang the words, Hank my soul, it is the
Lord; lis thy Savior, hear His word Je-
sus speaks, He speaks to thee, Say poor sim
ner, lowest thou me-? AT the conclusion OF
! the last verse, | said, ose are sweet wo. DIS.
Yes. they are that said Que who had been
silent until now. And so said all. \ SIM.
pie prayer, expressive OF child-lke faith
was breathed by me, while ali uncovered and
bent down.
Come with me now, Chaplain, said the
Surgeon, we viii! start. We have prescribed
Tor about one hundred, and | am ready to
visit the sick in Quarters And, pulling on
my cavalry boots, we went on our daily round
through The deep mud, and in and out the
tents where the sick lay. The doctors lizard
or Crawiord) usually did the talking. A few
Kind inquiries or words of encouragement
were all | ventured generally. Occasionally
it was otherwise. Il see YOU have q GOOD
pillow said |, drawing Bible from near a
soldiers head. Yes, Chaplain said he
smiling DO you find its words of promise
give comfort in sickness 2 They arc u great
comfort How strange it is that so man,
OF us ind no light, no joy, no food for hun.
cry souls, within its sacred records tbouoh,
and often have, Of Byron's words. whose m; nd
at times gave back the light Of pure and holy
thought ' NV
| within this sacred volume lies
! The mystery ofmystrries.
Happy he of human race
10 "hom our God given grace
10 read, believe to watch to pray
10 ltt the latch and force the wav
Dnt peter he had not been born
VINO READS to laugh or reads to scorn
All Chaplain, is that you ?" said a wild
ows son. who lay sick of II fever :. How ar,
you ms mornlng?'' and thought of the
words his mother said, when | ca led or ho,
lew weeks since. He is good boy If
say It," 10 which then ~ now. add .
nearly endorsement. My mind is not Sc
collectcd or clear as sometimes" said ha -
But, l. now feel how well il ;s vhov :,