, 1864-12-12

never 20 back" as they term it, on their
ssb1inging mp"
DEATH REAL.
At home, should they be addressed On the
uncertainty of life. youth and growing
t these admonitiops arc received, but here,
touch that point ever so delicately, and every
word brings up visions Of dead comrades and
hajr-brcadth escapes, to supersedc any argu-
ment on that question. Death is to them as
much reality as life Is.
WANTS soMETHEa 10 LOVE.
The condition Of the soldier exhibits an ad-
vantage for the reception Of the truth like to
that which grows ont of bereavement. 10
1onr has be been absent from those he loves,
he begins to think Of them. with those who
were dead long ago and as midnight hour.
beneath the silent stars, he keeps his lonely
feel lie want Of something to love. In this
yea1ning mood, The soul Is very apt to feel
after God, Many facts have met with Of
soldiers coming of of picket much wiser and
much happier than when they went on,
WILL HAVE GOD OR AN IDOL.
How then is it We have been accustomed to
cousider the lite Of the soldiers 50 conducive
to proligacy? Because It is So: Whom the
tide Of feeling, rising in the soldiers breast,
is not taken 1t the flood By kind counsel and
Christtan sympathy, 1t bursts In scattered
foam and dissipation When reflection but
starls accusing voices, its spell must he
broken by loud oaths, the troubled spirit
must be soothed BY drink. Therefore Is 1t
!; most urgent efforts should be made TO- sur
gious influence, seeing he is go easily saved
from SO much.
FKAAFu1 CORRUPTION.
In the absence of these privileges the men
are, week after week, and perhaps month
after mouth, lying crowding in winter quar-
ters, the intolefab1e enuul relieved only by a
mutual exchange Of all the filthy garbag that
the vilest may have scraped from the flthlest
kennels OF human depravity. q
The fearful corruption thus cngcndcred Is
truly appalling. rendering the atmosphere
too often totally fatal to the last spark Of
youthful virtue.
If the Christian Commission fails to do the
work it contemp]ates, It will be left undone.
NO CHAPEL TENTS.
During the winter It is impossible to have
| religions services In the open air. Yot there
| is not tent in the Government service, to
my knowledge provided for this purpose.
| 4 REVIVAL. AT EVERY CHAPEL
| / cannot conceive Of anything in which q
benevolent Christian can make snca d good
| Investment for Christ as in the presentation
Of chapel tent to the army. I have never
seen one in use anywhere, but 1t became
not only the occasion Of deep awakening, but
also inevitably centre around which, in var.
ious camps adjoining, work Of grace would
commence.
| Besides one or two at each Corps Hospital,
there should be one for every Brigade in the
amy.
There is no other source, except the Com
II i:sion; through which reading Of any kind
except daily news, Will reach the soldier. u
no other way but by m organization Of this
kind, recognized by the churches and By tht
Government, can chapcls. Christian laborers
and religious reading, be provided in any
measure; as under no o:her circumstance
could the necessary transportation, passes
aud mail tacilities be obtained.
SCARCITY OF GALATIANS.
Are there not chaplains commissioned OF
purpose to do this work Yes, bnt with SOM
which i suppose is as we'll supplied as any Il
the army, there are today thirty.se regi
mcnts witch have no chaplain. Then. as i
every other corps, there is a brigade Of artil
lery, there are independent batteries, division
field hospitals, hase hospitals, ambulanc
!; trains, wagon trains, and all the yartou
headquarters ,nonc Of which are allowed chaE
lains at nny time. For all this work ther
ate only six delegates and TWO chaE
. superaulty of chaplains, VIA
: could they do comparatively .withou
E chapels, books, tracts, &c! In the Cd Corr
there are to-day thirty-clght regiments viii
mends in il detailed above, With this corr
I there arc now nut.4hree working delegate
i Ali the regular troops that hare been in tt
( Army Of the Potomac, with the exception
i one regiment, have been totally Wtthot
: chaplains, even to burg their dead, and ~ltl
r less cared for than the recognized heathel
There Is base hospital near City Point f
y many thousand patients. Shall that be su
!. | piled with chaplains By transferring the
from the few regiments which have them?
\ Solar Us tue magnitude Of the operations
Il the Commission are concerned, IL Won
il seem that the~presence or absence of q IL
chaplaius, more OF less, should scarcely
The delegate Of the Christian commissit
% has many advantages.
g sEloHBoRLr, =
- He comes full Of fresh enthusiasm, which
/. exceedingly refreshinE, and encouraging, esq
q ciallc to The sick soldier. It does linn go'
fe to see the clean, smiling face OF cisflau, al
i. seems 80 ncighborly. Then comes the mute
- sympathy, followed by the gracious wo
~ dropped into the open heart Of the gratel
~ soldier, who is made happier for the comt
:. week BY the friendly interview.
~ NO RESTRICTIONS.
Te HI is subject to no restrictions except the
$, f~madc n the division OF the labor BY the Co
i mission. If he is not we'll received in o
r place he can walk few steps farther on
e. another camp. A missionary In Pekin VOL
n. meet with just about as much limitation.
C. has no military orders to giye, or to obey.
er is understood to be working for the good
Dy The soldier, not for pay this Is free pass
tc the soldiers heart.
be wE WANT TIE BEST.
nv III. 13.d ~ s3o1nrn nc most ncrt1t.f1 arr.
or good readers Of sermons. The req, III
work Of the Commission must be done
steady, bard working, faithful Christian III
tic | The most deirable combination for Ee
ur delegate would be happy faculty OF exte
IL, noraI1eous discourse, with cheerful conye1
81 ftonsI qualities. There are in the arm,
to large number Of officers and men Of very b
h. intelligence, who, prior to entering the {
he | yfce were accustomed to the best pulpit
as ent in the county, For three or four ye
in they have beard but few occasional sermo
and would seem to receive new !ife, co
tIey but hear once more the inspiring "o
Ter Of their old pastor.
8: PRACTICE AS WE'LL Is PREACH
nqq Why cannot the best men In the coun
~ yssit The army occasionally. and enconr
- the hraye men in the performance OF th
duties they once urged them to nndertal
a.. Are thcy deserving Of it Would our conf
~ able brethren at home be thus making
u greater sacrifice for us, thnn VIC are max
N n for them 1t is very desirable TINT our Oh
r. tian brethren who are eager for young 2
'us to enter the army, ehonld, Us far as possl
.x share their burdens after they are 10 1t,
tae ~ / fins in our common cause manifest G.
e lae mon sympathy Of Christian patriotism.
re- 4 REVIVED MINISTER AND CHURCH.
" The church which sends its pastor as
csate to the army will not lose anything.
Id The advantage.s .s mutual one. ihe M ena e
~, Is often very beneficial to the health Of
cry delefate. It opens to him new world,
zen iarces his knowledge Of men, OF thous
On, thinrg which he faiicd before to conprcht
ae~ furnishes him With new field for the Illus
IN ton, and 4uickens bis zeal for the salvatfo
~ men. ...,.--
'o'A He breaches over graves here, and he
Tint men are mortal. He exhorts men d
d,. who come here to die. ind they SIT oe
tnr him in their grave clothes.
REAL. PRAYER MEETINGS.
tn The praYer-mcetings in the army arc
ere, tame. formal, weekly meetings they 81
thc pcstnees. Gun compare them only to
a11S old Fulton street daily prnyer-meetings
~ ring the great revival, and they must co.
m bufe 10 the benefit Of the pastor as we'll
zen, Il Tie Holy splrit seems to be secretly "
2e : nr ing in anticipation Of the cooperate
M Gods so<sants. Both at City Point and
ssas M cr The font sinners are coming to Christ,
,rnr ses ike stray sheep hut as doves docking to
III q WINDOWS ....... ..-..
; at UNPRECEDENTED EAGERNEss FOR IRC1:
9are During the ensuing winter the field vi
ford ft,ily nyailable /: it seems ripe for the har
the and waiting only for the church to entel
have sickle. From what have seen, ! think
is an universal eagcrness for religious tru
very the army which is beyond MI precedent.
the ia work which demands no mean offe
city It deserves not only the money Of tho CHI
vine but liberal distribution Of Its best t,
and Of its most faithful pastors, as th
mands Of the Commission may require.