The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-07-29
S'flisteaal,eolrs.
THE YOUNG SOLDIERS PROMISE

There are few sadder or moro trying hours in
all the sad and trying hours OF motherhood
than that when q beloved SON goes from his
shetering home to soldiers untried life. What
exposure before him, and who but God to pro-
tcct, What hardships, and who but God to sus.
tain What perils, and who but God to shield
and guardi God DO with him then. God be
with the mother, too, rs she gives him up and
bids him go forth with her blessing.
"Promise me, Charles" said mother, as she
held the hand of her son, just leaving for the
camp, and looking entreatingly into his eyes.
"a broken promise would weigh me down,
mother. But I mean to bc good boy, for
your sake, II for no other reason And heput
his arm around the STOPPING shoulders, and
kissei her pale, sunken cheek. p ..-
"Promise what I ask, my son. The sacred.
ness in which you hold promise will make It
q safeguard to you as q hopo and trust for me.
It will bc one more shield between you and sin;
one more restraint. And If a promise broken
would weigh you down, q promise kept would
give you strength ana nrmness."
The son clasped tighter tho hand that held
his own and tearfully promised to do what i, Is
strange that any one should ever fail to do
nightly to ask help and blessing tromthe great,
good Father of us oil, aud daily read His word
OF love and mercy, and to shun profanity,
gambling and the vices of camp life.
"Bless you, my son!" exclaimed the thank
full mother. "You have given new life to my
hope and new strength to my prayer for you!"
The next night sees the young soldier in
,amp. The hour of sleep has come, yet on
every hand is heard the laugh, the jest, the
light song. The men lie down to sleep as
thoughtlcss as the beasts that perish. Is there
not one to pray hercl Does no one ask help
for his necessities, protection for his unguarded
hours! What. no one to suppicate blessing
from tho bounteous Giveri No one to plead
for forgiveness when so many arc rcoverburjened
with sinl No one seems to pray. Foolish as
needy, the starving soul will not ask for bread (;
the weak will not ask for help; the impure, the
unclcan will not ask for cleansing; the sick will
not ask for healing. They will sutfer-starve
they will perish forever before they will ask.
Amazing folly! Shall the young soldier pray
alone, Why not! Does he not need prayer |?
Docs he not need it moro tonight then ever.
this first night amid strange, rough scenes,
amid strange. rough men-this frst'night of q
new life What can he do without the help.
the blessing he will obtain from prayer!
But ho will be laughed at IL he prays here
He will offend his elders by seeming to be bet
ter than they. And where can he kneel? There
is no quiet spot-not one. How can he pray
here! He hesitatcs. The thin hand of his
mother is again clasped tightly in his own her
fearful eyes arc gazing into his; her voice Of
tenderness is in his cars. The promise made to
her at their last parting is on his heart like n
new baptism. The young knees bend-the
young head bows before God. Amid the laugh,
and Jest, and mirth, one prayer ascends. g
II is well. Brave, dutiful boy! There was
no braver heart In all tha. company that night |!
Do any sneer, Nay, but the laugh sinks low
err the jest ceases around him. He holds au
dencc with God, and those unused to prayer
felt better, safer, that there is one among them
who holds link with Heaven. The praying
youth lies down to untroubled sleep. Thank
God now for the promise made. Thank God,
too, for tho anxiety Of the mother-for her wise
love. her unyielding purpose 49, 4
Men always respect prayer, picty. in their
hearts but too often, in their folly, they scoff
at sacred things. The FIRST night even the aban-
doncd were hushed, solemnized, rs they saw the
young stranger kneel among them; but it was
not long before he heard the low jcer at his de.
votions. Ho heard himself called the ''littlc
saint, "."the model youth" This was hard to
DO borne. Rideulc is torturing to the sensi.
tive. It is whitening to the young. "Can
openly pray on!" qucricd the young soldier.
"IIad not better leave of kneeling before the
7" Then came freshly to his mind the
promise to his mother his duty TO his God.
Were these rude men, almost strangers, moro
to him than his mother and his God ! He pray
cd as before. Honor to thee. young hero |!
Better courage, bravery, hast thou shown than
many conqueror on battle field trt fI
The soldiers in the tent were merry over the
intoxicating cup. 4
"Take drink, Charlie - slt..i.
"No, never drink" asls- s-di .a 81
"Comc, you better. It'll do you good"
"I never drink" he said firmly. .rg,
"You better learn, them" I.r
"No, never drink and never mean to-"
"But you must. We won't have you with
us unless you do" exclaimed ono Of them, who
was ovcrheated by liquor. a' --1'iFFtt
lie stopped forward and pressed the cup to
the boys lips. Charlie drew back, interposng
his hand. .n
"IpiH not drink. promised my mother
would not" I.y-
promised your mother, did you. babyl"
and there was general laugh rs thcliquor was
thrown into the face of the resolatc boy.
There, stop that, will your shouted o vet
crau in tho company. elf the boy don't want
to drink, let him alone, aud II he minds his
mother, all the better" sa5rsi.s ,,,5. IL
There wAssomething In the veterans tone that
checked the others, aud they permitted tho boy
to leave them without further annoyance.
But they liked him all the less for this inter
ference on his behalf and determined to bring |
him to their own level Some OF the toughest
and most reckless constructed = rude card table,
and proposed game Of cards. They insisted
that Charlie should take hand.
He declined. al iafrasl
"why not ! You're just the one for cards.