American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-12
are writing letters to their friends, their

are writing letters to their friends, their
wives, their loved ones. 1t is book de
| pository-testament in seven languages,
English, German, French, Spanish, Ital-
ian, Swedish, and Norwegian, are here,
ready to be given out 1t is library
two G. G. Loan Libraries, with one ex-
tempore, lately made up from lot OF
books sent by friends of the soldiers, be-
sides magazines and so forth. 1t is tract
house-there they are in packages, most
beautiful in appearance and in reading.
1t is newspaper repository of all sorts
and denominations, for the G. G. knows
no sect but only Christ and His cause
there they are assorted in piles, from the
Sunday School papers to the largest size,
ready to be distributed either to the regt.,
or to the ones who come first in their ask
ing. 1t is little dry goods store there
is the box of soldiers housewives, contain
ing needles, pins, thread, buttons; with
other articles in the line, with bandages,
pillows, and so forth, for the wounded.
1t is little grocery-here are barrels OF
potatoes, krout, onions, picked turnips,
pickles, dried apples, kegs of apple but.
ter sorgham, bags of berries, and cans OF
preserved fruit. 1t is our soldier cook 5
pantry of which he is major general,
containing his cooking pot, plates, tin
cups, ham, dried beef, "hard- tack" bread
sugar, cofee-the cooking is done out
doors. The writing table is our dining
table at intervals of meal time. AT night
we spread our blankets on it, make pill
lows of the newspapers, and rest our wca-
ry limbs in usually sound slumbers, until
arises from his eastern bed, aud begins to
rule the day, then we arise for all is again
life in camp-the regimental bugle sounds
the morning call, the drums beat, the
brigade band plays, and, we, with the
rest, begin the duties of another day. The
tent is the ministers study-he digest:
and arranges his subject in the mind
here, provided he cannot find more qul-
ct place in the woods, which is preferable
1t is the house of prayer-here the dele
gates, with early and late visitors, offe,
their morning and evening sacrifices
strengthen themselves by drawing neal
to God, and are strengthened by the Lord
in the inner man, for christian taty. Thi:
tent is tent of charity and religion-al
the things therein are given to the needy
soldier, even as they were given by the
Christians of the land, in the love oi
God and suffering humanity.
About fifteen feet from this tent is the
G. Q. Chapel tent. This is large can
vass tent, fitted up inside with logs
boards, and rails for seats. Here services
are held for the benefit Of the whole divi
sion, prayer meeting every pight and
sometimes during the day also temper
ance meetings and German preaching, du
ring parts OF the week. The idea of the
Commission is, special preaching to each
regiment aud if possible to each man, and
then general preaching and prayer and
temperance meetings tor the whole divis.
ion in the tent The night prayer meet
ings usually began as the sun set, and
continued to not later than nine o'clock
! he services were conducted usually in
the following manner: \ hymn from
the soldiers hymn-book, was sung-a
short section of scripture was read-pray-
er--another hymn-a short sermon OF
discourse. This far it was always con.
ducted bp one of the delegates, then il
was given over to the soldiers for prayer
singing, giving his personal religious ex-
perience, or exhortation. All of the del
egates attended aud usually took part, and
the tent would be filled inside and around
almost as far as the voice could reach.
A deep, devotional feeling always attend
ed the meetings, and the interest increas,
cd night after night. Mighty prayers
of faith wentup to the Lord-the most
interesting incidents were related by the
christian soldiers, illustrative of the gra-
cious helpand providence of God in the
time Of danger and peri, and the guild
ance OF Gods gracious spirit Christians
were brought out, encouraged, developed
in the iaith--back- sliders made confession
of their errors and neglect OF christian
duties, ami made resolves, by the help OF
the Lord, to begin the life Of faith anew
sinners were aroused, convicted, and
converted to the new life by faith in
Christ. Often the deep fountains of the
heart Of the whole assembly would be
brokeH up, and tears Of penitenee and
Cody sorrow, would roll down the checks
of the whole assembly. 1t was 6 ood to