, 1864-11-23

soldiers tho Commission u falnously poPulAr.
For tho delegates ara Of tho "Good samart.
tan" stamp, seeking aud finding the wounded
and dying, and rendering them ~, ~ & .ns fcllet d
then tho mind distributing Bibles, Testa.
ments, Eother suitable books. tracts, and
newspapers, and ditfuaing connoFt and good
cheer wherever they 30.
The ladies' Of the great cities have organ
lied *Ladics Commission" to aid the 9th,
ef. No pains are spared to gather clothes ana
food and Christian literature for the benefit
are sharers in I'll this beneacenca, to an ex-
tent that is equally gratifying and creditable;:
They are supplied with newspapers and good
reading. The Scriptures are always acccssl-
bic. Tbs gospel Is often preached to them.
lam told, and indeed have ocular demon
st1atlon Of the fact, that the soldiers li+tan
eagerly to religious tc2chlug and exhortatio'
and arr much more easily impressed than men
ordinarily are in other circumstances. Very
many since Joining the army have become So
ber, thoughtful, honest and God-ieazin.-
Wickedness prevails, Of course, but thcrc Isl
faithful and very earnest minority
How they cluster around the religions
how enthusiastically they seize upon the
hymn, and make loud noise cheerft,llJ"-
LEAVING @ % them! S1Tkis e reminds ne Of home
says ono. "God bless YOU Come again"
-tPray for met'-" Well remember what
you haTe told us''-with these and such Is
these expressions sounding IN your ears, Tou
my bid group after group farewell.
Many 81 these men are as fms specimens Of
well developed manhood as you would wish
to see--talf, 1.-THE, sinewy or robust, 1rm-
built, and shaggy|ooking as It they could do
immense mischief in the day Of battle. Poor
fellows! sickness, bad food, rife balls. cannon
hnT ct,o11o nj 7f ha
pleInents which man has invented to murder
his brother vithal, viii very speedily thin
these groups, and send many stout aud stall
uart Northefner to moulder under ViFginian
soil
The depots Of the Christian Commission are
your heart good to see the huge bales Of warm
clothing, the boxes Of nutritious food aud Of
medicines, the piles Of books md newspapers
ready for distribution The headquarters Of
phia, and under the roof Of that e1alnently
liberal Christian, George H.. Stuart. Mr..
Stuart himself has not seldom gone to the
"ffont' to see the condition Of the soldier,
md to devise new plans Of heneacencc. Sub
ordinate depots are open In all the great
cities, and the nbesal1ty with which funds and
material are supplied from MI quarters. give
the Commission IN aspect magnlt1cently na-
tional, worthy Of q great Christian people
The delegates Of the Commission follow
their course Of we'll doing By sea as well as by
land, caring for the sailor as well as the SOL
der. Dangers and difficulties are cheerfnlly
encountered, and sometimes life Is sacrificed
in the effort to save Life. War never before
called forth SO noble, so Christian. and so ef-
fective system Of assuaging Its horrors.
Wounded heroes on the battlefield have
been rescued from death when the efforts Of
surgeons and ordinary means provided by
Government would hare been wholly In vain.
The great battle-felds are quickly visited;
the thirst, and hunger and wounds, Of friends
and foes, are attended to !; hospital tents are
pitched; shelter, rest. and refreshment arc
thus provided to multltudes who otherwise
would have perished miserably.
The "de1cgate' y ia often from great dis
tance, and is recognized by perhaps half =
regiment as an old acquaintance and friend
He comes charged with messages Of love and
remembrance from Hhome," and he returns
northward freighted with similar tokens and
remcmb1ances, thus establishing ~ living
electric chain between the hearth and the
tent"
In view Of the uncxa1nined efforts Of the
Christian people Of the United States on be-
half Of their soldiers, think there L. little
danger Of the country peing demoralized, or
In the least mo1ested By "savnge 5oldiery"
when the war Is over. The army is to thou
sands school In which they are reformed,
and If ever they return to their homes, they
return better men than when they left. Of
course, there will be profanity, and drunken
ness, and violence, but there is good leayen
which, with Gods blessing, must leayen the
whole lump.