, 1864-11-23
THE GOSPEL IN TIE ARMY.

To crafty the general desire for information
Of the progress Of religion in the army. and
give direction to the thank-offerinrs Of the
%HIk o e dhrsan one 1as
national organization which proposes as its
object the salvation of the bodies and so1ls Of
our soldiers and sailors.
The Presidents Proclamation, calling us TO
gests lie selection Of thank-oFeriags aprro-
priate to The nature and importance Of the
occasion. Thepeaee. security, and prosperity
for which VIC give thanks, are so manifestly
owing 10 Gods heroic grace bestowed on our
brave defenders, that every Christian patriot
thank offerings. No Christian doubts the i'm
peratiyc necessity Of conveying to them not
only relief for their bodily sutfeings, but con-
Solation also for the sorrcws Of the soul. For
mnn doth not live by brcnd only. Tie must
not merely relieve their sutleEiDgs, but lead
Heavenly Fathers love leading them to re-
pentance and salvation. Any thing short Of
this will fall to satisfy our desires OF Gods de-
signs In o1s great nationAl conflict. And we
should, II possible, follow the footsteps Of our
great Master, whose miracles Of mercy pre-
pared the hearts Of men for his words Of lore.
The United States Christian Commission
fully satisfies the demands Of the Church as
the agency for conveying both bodily relief
and spiritual blessings 10 our soldiers and
kA1uIB.
/. It possesses the full confidence of the
Government, and every allowable privilege OF
access and transportation TO our armies aud
uavics.
2. It's dclegates. with wagons, g:cam.tu
tents, cooking wagons, stores, books, the
ed in each Of our armies; and its work is in
successful progress, from Fortress Monroe to
Fort Vancouver.
$. In orr Western field and post hospitals,
the diet kitchens, under the care Of the Ia
dies Of the Commission, prepare delicate food
fire cooked by, the soldier nurses, and are
being extended TO onr Eastern armies, By the
request of many surgeons, and the Special
Order, No. 3Gc, Of the War Department, ap-
pended below. In that at Chatunooga, ESQ.,
4GS dishes were cooked In the month OF Sep
tember.
4. Our fami5hed exchanged prisoners from
Richmond and Savannah are tenderly receiv-
ed by it's dclcEntes-washed, clothed, COM
forted and nursed. They counsel and pray
by telegraph or letter, and carefully transmit
their relics to the monrners at home.
S. In the trenches before Richmond, with
the ambulance and wagon trains Of wounded
In the valley Of the Shenandoah, and eren on
the battlefield, the delegates are now cheer
ing The weary sufferers, giving them coraials,
warm tea, chicken soup, aud biscuit, and thus,
as our surgeons testify, saving Thousands OF
lives Of our brave soldiers, and Often those Of
our wounded enemies. The cooEfng-wagon
hns furnished hot eotfee 70 the battie-worn
men Of whole division, under q shower Of
bullets. After the battles Of Mine Run, Get
tysburg, the Wilderness, and Spottsylvanta,
large numbers of our wounded Wcrcabsolnte-
Is dependent On the Christian Commission for
every 1nouthful Of food and drink, and for
-whatcyer dressing their wound received, for
several days.
6. In the existing deficiency Of ChaP!ains, q
large proportion of the regiments In the field,
and almost oil our field hospitals, are depend
-cs1t on the Commission for the ordinances OF
religion. The Chaplains look to It for chapel
tents, hymn books, tracts, and papers to mike
their services effective. Libraries Tor gunboats
standard religious newspapers. over 4oo,ooo
are distributed monthly; and Of Testaments,
100000 have been distributed psalm and
hymn books, 1,0o0, 600; besides millions OF
pages Of tracts and sheets Of paper, envelopes,
and postage stamps.
Tie number Of delegates who hare yolun-
teered their gratuitons services for these min
istntione is over 5000. This number will be
greatly increased during the coming winter.
4 majority Of them arc Ministers Of the Cos.
lawyers, whose professional services would
have brought them thousands Of dollars; md
-merchants. leaving important business, to
nnrse our noble soldiers, without xee or re-
ward. Most of the work OF the Commission
is performed gratuitous1y by the railroad and
telegraph companies, SO that nanetS-nvt
ccnts of eyery dollar expended by tht
Christian Commission goes into tho soldiers
bands.
The donations OF the Christian Commission
80 directly to the men themselves, the dclo
Eates generally giving them with their ONT
bands, thus not only aEcertainfng thaI 1na
cordials 80 down the right tlroats, but pre-
pairing favorable reception for the words
comfort and counsel By which they slways &c
company them. This commission is no re
.spectcr Of persons The private soldier, fight.
ing In defense Of our common country, Is al
ways esteemed By its delegates Us worthy
and generally more needy thnn the officer
who. however, is never neglected,
Daily religious services arc maintained b,
sfs flaleeates at every station, and the minis
feriaI delegates of all the evangelical churche
nneac1 frequently during the week, rs well a
On the Sabbath, thus Displaying the unity o
all who love our Lord Jesus, and holding NJ
Christ fo- the salvation Of our sons md bro
thers, who may 30 soon be called to his tudg
ment bar. ...
The usual bancful influence Of war upol
the morals of the soldiers have, by thes
means, been greatly mitIgAted, and tue prcs
alcnce Of profanity. gambling, ana aeoaact
ery, In many regiments greatly aoalco
while the cttuaiou Of Gods oonyerkng Efae
has caused some to sl1iue ~ lights amidst th
= darkness. Where Sin has aboundcd, as
always did in armies, Gods grace has niue
xuore abounded. Nationo hare ofteu g1Vc