New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-03
Interesting Facts and incidents from fhs
s4asa 7, Army in Virginia. S4s5s9 az

IFroIn tie charleston t0Hffer.f n
A friend who was present at the mass meeting
held in this city last Sabbath in behalf OF the SOL
diers in Virginia, sends us the following, which
will doubtless be interesting to our readers espe
cially to those who have relatives in the Virginia
army ~ 9fS& &7 e, rs s.SEssFH t-@t
DESIRE FOR READr;sG MxFrEs.-- A bundle Of
printed sermons, on varieus subjects, we're placed
in the hands Of the coIporteur at Richmond. He
gave one to each Of several companies, and Tor
days little groups of soldiers might be seen sitting
under a spreading oak and listening most eagerly
to soldier reading aloud to them, and thus from
one. to another the sermons were exchanged till
each hsgrohp heard each Of the sermons.
/. The Richmond papers announced that on a GER
tain day q tract would be published for the sol
ders, and 90 many Of them went TO the printing
office that they carried away one thousand copies
of the tract the very first day Of its alton:
An officer in the employ Of the North Carolina
State Government remarked: ~ never read a
tract until joined the army. ] had always felt
something Of contempt for the little things; bnt
being SO long in the camp with nothing to read,
and so much leisure time, i finally concluded to
read tracts merely to kill time and now there ia no.
thing in which am more delighted than in reli-
gious reading, and shall always be thankful that
was led 70 such reading. from which I've derived
such rich spiritual beneffs.ns -
RELtGIoEs INFLUENCE IN TIE ARMy.-A South
Carolina soldier, while encamped near Richmond, =
became interested in religious matters from read
ing good books and joined the church. For
months since be has been acting as lporteur, and
doing vast good in the army AZ Gentreyile though
he is still soldier. 1,Tr 3ssts ..s5aa 81 I
A soldier, who had been for years . bitter and
determined sceptic, almost miraculously escaped
death in the great battle at Manassas. The next
day, pointing to the field covered over with the
dead and dying he said bnt for the special Pro-
Yidence of God I would now be among those
| slaughtered men Ny scepticism is all gone and
EI would like to know more about God. A col
| porteur hearing of his case carried him Testa-
ment, the reading Of which has been instrumental
in leading him to Christ and now he is an earnest
| and devoted Christian. St $8S5 Il Az n
would not take millions for this tract t,psaid
soldier at Eyansp for 1t has brought peace
/ and joy to my soul, y and now that soldier is dis
trbuting thousands of leaves from the tree Of
| life = among his comrades. ~ Il
T. TEMPTATIONS AND VICE IN THE CAMP.-The Colo
mel OF q reglment, nrglng distinguished Presby
teran minister to do something for his division Of
the army, said: "1'ye never seen a chaplain here
though we have five thousand soldiers. Tempta
tons the most seductive and ruinous are sweeping
the men to destruction, and many who came int
the army as religious men are now among the mos
wicked. We have little or no religious reading ahi
hardly ever hear sermon. Can't you arouse the
Christian community to dosomething for this di
vision Of the army?o
"A soldier in the hospital at fredericksburg, Va.
said to acolpsrteur - When entered the army
was member of the Baptist Church and enjoyed
religion; bntsnce came in the camp Ihave beei
without anything of religious character to rea.
and assailed on every side By such temptations q
have caused me to dishonor my religious profes
sion. O, sir, if you had been with me and extende
such aid as now yon bestow, might have bee1
kept from all the sin and sorrow which, as poo
backslider, have KNOWN a5sss. IS.
RELIGIoUss sREvIyALsIN THE CAsp.-In severait
the camps in Virginia there have been reviVals {
religion. Thirty shaye professed conversion q
Aqua Greek, twelve at Winchester, six or seven
i Richmond, eleven at Williamsburg and many othe
places. 5sl II
WHAT THE GeLPoRTAGR BOARD HAS DoNE.-Th
Colportage Board of Richmond has secured tb
publication of some 10000 Testaments, and fou
millions gof pages of religious tracts, which al
being distributed by fifty pious, laborious colpor
eurs, who go from camp to camp conyersng o
4 personal religion, holding prayer meetings, and ]
many other ways exerting good influence on th
soldiers. The good people of Virginia have raise
within a few months $4,000 for this work, and ar
| seeking to supply the vast armies within the
| horders = -s,g ssssT- -