Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-08-21
The Christian Commission.
WILLrAMsTowN, W., Aug. 8, 1868.

for the benefit of the "United States
Christian Commission" land so for the
benefit of our soldiers, for their interests
are one,) give place in the Standard to
the following extracts from letter in
the last number of the New York ObSer-
ger, from j. W. Stevenson, Secretary of
the American Tract Society? Mr.. S. is
writing of hospital !abors after the late
battle at Gettysburg, and after speaking
Of the efforts put forth by benevolent
societies for the relief of the sick,
wounded and dying he says:
were saved and vast suffering prevented
by this united and earnest Christian ef-
fort. Nor could a 1.-THE of this good
have been effected if the benevolent at
home had withheld the stores used by
the laborers. Thousands of men have
been relieved, strengthened, and put up
on the way of recovery, by the cordals,
fruits, stimulants and delicaces prepared
at far northern homes, by willing hands,
and sent forward with sympathizing
prayers.
And let me here answer question
often asked me as pass through the
land and plead for the soldiers, namely
this: Do the provisions and delicacies
prepared so assduously by fond friends
and sent forward, ever reach the soldiers
for whom they are intended, or do not
the employees of the association regae
themselves upon the delicacies and leave
the poor patients unsuppied ?" / have
usually given to the charge implied in
this question an indignant denial. SO
far as my observation has extended,
mainly in connection with the Christian
Commission, prompt denial is all that
is needed.
/" The delicacies adapted to the wants
of the sick soldiers, sent through the
Christian Commission, reach their object.
6 So far as good men can be relied on
to work unsefshly for their fellow men,
so far may donors rely upon the workers
in the Christian Commission to do wise
ly and well with the stores put at their
disposal. For this special work at and
after battles, there is absolute need of
this form of effort. The delegates do a
grand work, which else would not be
done, and which we believe was never
before done for any army. The destitu-
ton of religious reading at Gettysburg
for the wounded, during the first week
after the battle, was greatly to be regret
ted. While the first want of a wounded
man is that his bodily sufferings be allie
waited, his next is something to occupy
his mind, and meet the longings of his
heart. This mental and spiritual craving
is incessant and almost Unsuitable. The
soldier is cut off from many domestic
and social enjoyments, his mind is slim
ulated to unwonled activity, and if not
furnished with mental aliment in printed
form, he will resort to games and then to
gambling, or to the rough and profane
amusements so rife in camp. No greater
kindness TO the men, therefore, is posi-
Bile, than TO give them this mental ali
ment. 1t was remarkable how soon this
want of religious reading was felt.
Scarce had the roar of artillery ceased
to reverberate from the peaks of South
Mountain when the cry was for books,
papers, the Testament"
Mr.. S. says further, that Chaplain
Earmshaw of the regular army remark.
ed to him "that he had found men re-
peatedly who had died holding a tract,
or the Testament, open before their now
glazed eyes. Their spirits bad evidently
passed away while dwelling upon some
precious truth there written"
While there is abundant reason for
gratitude and thanksgiving that through
the timely aid of our citizens the lives
of SO many of our soldiers have been
saved, and so much of their suffering al
leviated, the painful fact forces itself up
on us that much more could and ought
TO hare been done for them. How many
brave fellow, having endured every
hardship in bis country's cause, is now
sleeping in death? How many a wife
has been widowed, how many children
made orphans, all which, proper sslfde-
NAL on the part of our people at home
might haze Savedf At the time of the
late terrible battle at Gettysburg the
Christian Commission, though it had
from $50 TO 200 men on the field, were
unable, for want OF "means" and "stores"
sufficient, to accept the proffered servi-
ces of hundreds of other men as dele
gates to minister TO the sick and wound