The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1864-04-07


the CLaplsiDs e enc Second Corps Of the
Army u Northern Virginia pab'isb5d en-
appeal TO tho churches 10 engage IN tae
great aud iapcrtaut work oS eYapgehziPg
the army. TAere-is reason TO believe TIA,
much gycd Fss accomplished by tirat sd
dress, ead it is deemed Pgo0sE bT toe CnsP
lsias Of t1e Sscoad ana IG,r6 Corps, EUf
assoc atei to~e.6cS, t. presea. 60 the Chris
tisD pc5ic a statement Of the condition and
vents 81 she eIuy O.. this lime, accompanied
By brief h;story Of ghst b2s been 5cue
dating the past year. The past hns been
q year Of great eyeEts-glea5 Sfl cticrs
aud great blgssircs. NbiLo g have siULed
aEd s5fs.ed fer car sing, ve can eth it,
sc,i5e upon cur banners, "tiAeuo the
lord bala helped Us" oar military al:i-
tule is as G,n, ard CIR condition as aaPe-
fol So it was year ego. There is o clearer
and deeper conviction Of tee ligh;eo02Dess
cf orr caaso, aad more assured co, 6iepoe
mis- faal success. These corcusieua have
been greatly s.rerW aened by the deyslops,
* the cAarsctcr ard designs os cur
enemies They have proved themselves far
worse than even eaui5y ever conceived
them. Not only have ala tho cruel aud dis
graceful crimes Ct barbarian warfare mar ked
their course, bat they have laid tssir uuboly
hapds reek'ng with innocent blood, upon
the ark If ,h- living God Oay churches
have been desecrstej, robbed, and harmed
our ministers have been sileuce6. iUpri-
soned, and sentenced to infamous punish
men;s. b. tae ediot Of tyranny a!i our
church edi6ees and property have been
handed over, to be held and occupied by
the greedy aud grovei7g menieis # power,
who disgrace tbs name sud F., flee they pro-
fess to bsor. 1t has become evident be-
you'd ali question, that it is var not only
for liberty and iaV, bet fer RELIGION. The
interests involved are Uot only temporal
bot eternal We are fighting rot oDly for
cur country, tct for cur Coo. Il IS war
of Christian men FOR religious liberty -
This identity Of tao cause Of our eomtry
with the cause of God, inspires our hope,
ere establishes OR colt ierco. 20 9as be-
anu Bloody battle Or sei Ct awful snd sol-
emn worship. Oar Fcsk as the ministers
Of God 10 ,1e arn,y is thus invested with
especial interest snd Witd peculiar s0lenni-
ty. Oar success In turning she hearts Of
our CfReers aid SOLDIERS unto Christ, viii
prove the success Of our country, ana OF the
principL for Which ve Contend. TIE meas
ure of success which God lss greciously
bestowed upon our labors has been most
gratifying; end tkeuld excite 10 tbanksgiv-
irg tue hearts Of al Christians and patriots
ia tue lend. Darieg the year the number
Of Cbcpiaius has Increased from about forty,
to more than eighty. ana by organized as
scciaiion, and zealous snd setiye co-Cpera-
ton, the eff iercy If the Chapiains hiss
been greatly promoted. Long sill they
cherish the remembrance of toe pleasant
and profitable meetings in which they took
sweet counsel together, aud told Of the
blessing Of SEQ upon their labore, and
PRAYED with ard fer each other, cni for the
sacred cause in which they we're. engaged.
The proceedings Of The CbsPlains' Meet
irgs have been published M the religious
paeers, srdb afforded aulbpntic i1forma-
tios Go the Christian public Of the progress
of religion in the army. Many ministers
OF the Gospel have visited the aruy, and
lsbor1d as missionaries for periods djd'srirg
FROM two aud three weeks TO as many
mOuths-some are permanently connected
With the army, and are sustained by their
respective churches With only occasional
exceptions the word Of GOD has been reca-
lGrly preached 10 ell the Brigades. As The
sun total Of the results, it has been esti-
mated thst more than 6re housa@3 souls
have been converted TO God, many hack
sliders re-cla'med, eud God 's'ebildren com
iorte6 and built up in their most holy faith.
For such q result we DO deyoutly and joy
fally give thanks INTO Almighty GEO, Gnd
We call upon al Who love our Lord Jesns to
unite Eieh 20 in szc-ibiuz homer ant J3}aisa
uatO bis holy name. The year naturally
divides itself into three periods in which
there we're peculiar opportunities for reli-
gious instruction, ard which were marked
bv especial evidences of Gods favor and
presence. The FIRST embraces the spring
months Of IS while the army was encamp
cd near Fredericksburg. During that time
tie thirty or forty Cbaplains present we're
assisted by some ten or twelve missionaries,
and the number Of reported conversions
we're aSout tirelre hundred. There was much
diligence used 10 the circulation Of the
Scriptures and other religious reading. At
that time also the Chaplaius' Association
was formed, ana began to produce its good
results. This period iucludes the great bat
dssrly bought victory Of ChaucellOrsviue,
where was lost to the country aud the
Church Of G)d upon earth. the invsluable
services Of that great and COED man, Tor
whom the army and the people still mourn.
Daring the active campaign into Penn
sylvauis, tie labors Of the faishful CHIP
lains were not interrupted, nor we're they
without the evidence of Gods blessing -
The claims of the wounded, after the san
culinary bettle of Gettysburg, detained
number Of Chaplains, who we're afterwards
prevented BY months Of unjust imprison-
ment from resUmiBg their posts in The army.
About the first Of August the army en-
cawped along the RaPidau, in the vicinity
Of Orange c. H. where with bat little in,