The Portland daily press., 1863-09-26
COMMUNICATIONS.


TO The Editor Of the Press:
Not long after ths battle of Gettysburg.
some three Thousand soldiers had assembled
within the confines of mammoth chapel tent
Tor the purpose of evening worship. The strip
ling OF seventeen stood beside the gray-haired
man Of fifty. All, all, appeared to be absorbed
in listening TO the words of peace and hope
which fell from the lips of the chaplain. A
halt hour had elapsed since the opening of the
discourse when a terrible clap of thunder burst
upon the ears of the startled congregation,
causing even the boldest to shudder at its pow
er and volume OF sound. In a moment sue
ceeding the peal, all was hushed a silence en-
sued portentious even in ITSELF Then with a
noise nearly equalling that of the thun der,
there burst from the heavens a cataract OF
water that threatens to deluge all beneath.
The noise of the huge rain drops as they pat
tered upon the pavilion, was as the "lopg
rolls" beaten by hundred drums. In vain
did the minister endeavor to make his own
voice heard; nor was he permitted to do SO,
until the "heayens were bottled up,' and the
rain had ceased. Imagine fire of musketry
"by file," with the occasional boom of heavy
artillery, while at every other moment the lu-
rid glare of lightning o'erspreads the scene,
and you have faint conception of the tenn
pest Of that night. as#i
A party of three young men standing near
larly uneasy during the service, were observed
TO leave their comrades, one of them remark
ing as they stepped outside, "Let's go to our
tent, I'm afraid of neither God nor devil" A
short time only had elapsed, ere a commotion
near the door betokened that something uuu-
sual had happened. A tent had been struck
by lightning, and man killed. The body was
brought in and placedAnear the center OF the
tent That body was all that remained of the
uh IN had pxt sadl |, ron f,f thn
Deity. There palsied and cold, with distorted
features, and eyes glaring in mockery of life,
lay he, lately so buoyant in full health. But
the soul, now in the presence of his Maker,
could never return to reanimate the senseless
clay.
Upon leaving the tent, the three young men
had sought the shelter OF their own small ac
contradictions, and lying down side by side
prepared for sleep. While yet awake the bolt
OF Heaven had fallen upon them. The unfor-
tunate youth whose soul had been required,
had been singled out from between his two
comrades. They also had received injury, but
after little time recovered and begged 10 be
led into the chapel tent, that they might COM
mune with the chaplain. 1t was most afec-
ting sight. There, in the presence OF that vast
assembly, before the remains Of that deceased
brother in arms, these two young men snatch
ed from the Jaws of death, like "brands from
the burning" expressed their gratitude to God
for His mercy, and their determination to do
better in the future. The chaplain now ad-
dressed the meeting, taking for his text, II is
a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God" And that multitude so little used
to tears now sobbed almost as a body. The
effect produced by that scene will never be
effaced from the minds Of those who were
present. Many were the vows made by the
soldiers upon that occasion, to recollect the
IA ,lxor hat N~A