The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-08-31
VOLUME 23-NUMBER 46
from the Army and Navy JournaIl
FirhtIno and PrarIna

There was a time, and not very long
ago, when the majority OF the people
in civil life took their notions about
military men from the prurlent Eng
lish comedies Of George HIS period !;
when to be an officer of the army i'm
piled Z code OfmOrals offensive to pub
lie taste and domestic happiness. Ac-
cOrding to that code religion was at a
discount, and q praying soldier was a
''canting hound" Caricature rs this
undoubtedly was, of English society,
it has been in all time, absolutely
false of the American army. y bet
ter set of men than our old army can
not be found in eguGl numbers taken
ut random from any other profession,
and among them some of the very
best officers have been devOutly relig-
iOus. But It is not Of such men we
mean 10 speak. Our present purpose
Is to point out the prevalence of the
religious element among all classes of
of fighting men; the fact that those
who hold their lives in their hand rec
OgniZe the God of battles, and pray
for themselves and their country i'm
the midst of danger. The simplest eX-
preston of the relation of praying
aud fighting" WAS perhaDs the blunt
Order-"Put your trust in God, and
keep your powder dry"
It is easy Ito prove what We have
said, by reference to modern history.
Cromwell and his praying puritans
were dangerous men to tight; "SwOrd
of the Lord and of Gideon" was ex-
ceedingly sharp, tempered as it was
with hourly prayers. Nor We're the
cavaliers wanting in prayer, although
despising the sO-called cant of Round
heads The Kings men repeated their
collects Tor Church and King "BOys,
my brave boys" said Col. Shipper.
''pray we'll and fight well, and God
will certainly give us the victory"
"Oh LOrdr' said another, ''ifI forget
Thee, as i'll the press of battle may.
do Thou not forget me-"
There is something sublime in the
spectacle Of Gustavus AdnIphus and
his vast army on the battle of Lutzen,
in which he fell, praying on bended
knees, and then chanting:
BE OF good eheer,-you can belong;
To Him who can avenge your wrong;
Leave 1t 70 Him, OuT Lords.
The King fell but the battle was
OAADlA5Ay MOAA-
Who can ever forget the touching
cOllOquy between my Uncle Toby and
Corporal Trim, concerning the pray
ers OF soldiers. 1t is eloquent, patriot
ic and true. Find it, OH reader in the
inestimable Tristram, and enjoy it
again. Ifit speaks volumes for my
Uncle and the Corporal, it says much
also for tour army i'm Flanders" es-
peeially considering that other ac-
counts may make them "swear terri
bly,"
All the world knows that StOnewall
Jackson struck harder because he
prayed so much. ROseerIns, adeyOut
Roman Catholic, just before his de
signed attack on Chattanooga, had
mass said i'm all the churches of Gin
cinnatti for the success of his arms
The same solemn spirit is pregnant
with results. And so it must always
be. Before going into battle, the fool
ish, wicked, unmeaning oath issilent,
with the braeiny of the nerves there
goes up a silent prayer for strength
and deliverance. The wounded pray
to be saved from death the dying re-
call the words of the old petitions
learned in their childhood and in
these broken accents commit their
souls to God.