Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-04-15
Our Armp Correspondence.
A CoNsCRIpT's LETTERING. 8.

ers. 1t is we'll known that military life often |
exerts an unfavorable inauence on the charac-
ter Of those whom necessity or inclination en-
cages In IL. The actual change wrought in |
the character Of the individul may not be
as great as II appears, as much Of bis conduct |
s not from disregard Of those principles |
which at home are cherished as the safeguards
of society, but rather from the removal Of re-
straints and exposure to temptation. Some
one speaking on this subject The type of
army scickedness," and disposed to show the
largest charity to tie soldier. says:
at is not that hopeless beating out Of all the good Of
the soul which is needfu TO degrade man to All these
sins amid the restraints and moral influence Of society
home and religion but rather the widness and reckless
Of outside Of all the eompusons and restraints
10 which they were wont, which necessary to the or
der Of society anywhere and to fence in from sin the
souls Of most The soldier just appears what the
unresraned impulse Of most m en- would make them not
At all what the s who deying the order Of open
cety, does Just the things which the soldiers do There
is little in his wickednsss Of that set PeIyesiy which
overrides all difficulties In the way Of evil burns up In
the flaming its passions the thousand hndrAnoes and
goes through troops OF safeguard virtues His is that
vice which careiessy in at open DOORS which pac
tees itself in mainly unrebuked, uncondemned sin,
against which the average conscience in his vicinity
the feeling Of the army, does not revolt Most
Of his evil ways sins into which he falls because there
s prevailing opinion against them, vices into which
he falls In that and for the reason that there
Athsnd innocent substitute for them. He will
back society not hardened by resistance 10 and def
Of its influences, but very keenly alive to every
Of them all Home powers tor good have not been tram
pied but only unfelt in absence from their sphere
To meet the wants of the soldiers, both
moral, intellectual and physical. to bring So
oiaI and religious influences to bear uron him,
and thus so far as possible to arrest the pro-
gress Of evil to induce those who suffer from
it's influence to take such a course as will not
only preserve and benefit themselves, bu,
render them useful and honorable members
of society when they return to civil life. and
TO confirm and strengthen those whose pur.
pose is to so live, is the object of the Chris
tan Commission. Its agents are ever ready
to minister to the wants Of the sick and
wounded rendering assistance and suppl ins
comforts which cannot be obtained through
other channels. If am rightly informed the
Commission has thirteen stations in the Army
Of the Potomac. At each station is a large
Chapel tent, capable Of accommodating from
one hundred and fifty to two hundred persons
One station is at the camp of the End Yer
mont. II tent is on the right and in rear
of the Regiment. Another station has it's To-
cation at the Artillery reserve, about Ia of a
mile to the southeast Of our camp, and 9TH
ers are located in our neighborhood. The
agents, or delegates Of the Commission are
often clergymen who have rendered their ser
vices gratuitously for short period; two usu-
ally remain at each station, conducting relig-
ious services in the Chapel tent, where meet
ings are held every evening, and bible class
at some hour during each day, distributing
newspapers, tracts, &c, and doing any other
work that devolves upon them. Rev. c. G..
Parker (of Waterbury, assisted by Mr.. Ba-
ker OF Greensboro, was first with us and re-
manned six weeks. Both were earnest, ac-
tive, and good men, whose memory will be
cherished with gratitude, respect and esteem,
by many a soldier. Mr. Parker evidently
possessed in high degree those traits of
character and other qualifications which are
indispensable to good and efficient army
chaplain, associating with the soldiers with a
familiarity and freedom which only true friend
ship and regard for their welfare could in
spire, winning their confidence and imparting
that instruction which education, observation
and experience enabled him to give. As an
instance of his faculty Of illustrating his ideas,
or the truths he wishes to inculcate, by insti-
tuting comparisons with the events of every
day life thus presenting them with the
greatest possible clearness, and at the same
time commanding the respect of his hearers
by the evidence Of his acquaintance with the
customs and characters the different classes
be is called to address, ] give the following I;
On one occasion, wishing to show the neces-
sity OF watchfulness and prayer, and the use-
lessness OF each without the other, he said in
substance, that body was composed OF
many members, each having its special Office
which the others could not perform, and each
dependent for its efficiency on the cooperation
with and harmonious working of all the
others; that he had just returned from a
visit to the picket line, where he saw senti-
nels pos ed at regular intervals, and within
hailing distance Of each other, walking their
beat, and he supposed that the line extended
around the entire army. These sentinels, he
said, were the eyes Of the army, and to be eff
6cient they must exercise constant vigilance
and be always at their post. He supposed
that we apprehended no immediate danger Of
an attack from General Lee, OF from raid by
Mosby's guerrillas, but still near us was
wstchful foe, foe so watchful as to know
of all our doings as we'll as we know then
ourselves, and Of our anticipated movements
almost as soon as they were planned. AnC
in view Of this what would be the result
those eyes should fall asleep, or in othe
words IL the sentinels should all leave thei
postsi Our artillery, baggage wagons ant
srmy stores, and perhaps the entire army
would soon DC captured. Our strength WOulC
avail us nothing, il we were surprised ant
unable to use it. Again, we cannot be al
eve; the fact that we are surrounded by
picket line does not make us secure th'
pickets have but little strength Of themselves
and If they were unable to obtain assistano,
from some other source, they might be easil,
outnumbered and captured. But he was in
formed that within hailing distance was
support or reserve 20 which they could sig
nal for aid at any moment, and il that wal
not sufficient, communication could be mad,
with the main body of the army. which in
very short space of time could be concentra
tad at any given point and render any need
full assistance. Well, as il 10 with the army
90 II is with the christian; he too has foes
numerous, yigilant and powerful, so watchfu
as to let slip no opportunity of assailing him
and so strong as to render his own strength
OF no avail in resisting them. Then he mus
always watch or in an ungusrded moment b
may be overcome. and when assailed he mus
pray, or call for aid, and the arm of the Al
mighty, which is his support, will be used il
his behalf. The fact that we have such
support is not of itself sufficient. 1t must b
called upon in time of danger, or it is OF n
avail to US, and we must ever be watchful o
the danger will steal upon us unswares an
we shall be poWerleas tn overcome IL. so hot