Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-01-21

the incense which came with the
prayers of the saints, assembled up be-
fore God, out of the angels hand"
And | knew that the angels were in
that holy place still, and it seemed a
very dreadful thing to have wicked
men doing all they could to destroy
Gods own house.
Hundreds of shot and shell fell all
around it, and finally the angels bowed
before the altar, and | heard great
crash, and | knew that a shot had gone
through the roof, just above where |
lay. For days and days together the
fearful sounds continued. Pieces or
shell came through the side of the
church; and every time the church
was struck, the angels looked sad, and
bowed their heads at the altar, where
they stood.
l do not know how long it all lasted,
but for many days and nights there
was no abatement. At length | saw
the angels standing just where the
lodies Of the bishop and his little god
child Stephen had rested, and then /
heard a great crashing noise, and one
of the largest shells came tearing
through the side of the church and
struck the prayer-desk on which the
large Bible happened to be lying. The
prayer-desk was broken and the Bible
fell under it, and quicker than thought
the angels took the great Bible-so
full of peace and good will towards
men"-and placed it just on top OF the
terrible monster, and it did not ex+
plode, so that it did not do but slight
| damage.
There the Bible lay, Gods message
of good will, with this missile of dark
ness and death beneath it, and all the
| while the smoke of the incense assembled
up with the prayers of all saints-as-
cended up before God, out of the angel
| band. And this was the prayer
knew it because it was the Fourteenth
Sunday after Trinity:
Almighty and everlasting God give
unto us the increase of faith, hope and
charity, so that we may obtain that
which Thou dost promise, make us to
love that which Thou dost command
through Jesus Christ our Lord"
From the rising of the sun even unto
| the going down of the same this prayer
went up from the angels hand, and III
/ every I)ldCt over lIlt NllOlG NOIiti TIC
same fragrant incense was offered uI
unto Gods holy name.
Early in the morning there came to
the church holy bishop, and with him
was the minister of the parish. They
| looked III wonder at the sight and then
reverently lifted the Bible back to Its
place and removed the shell. They
gathered al the prayer-books they
could find for the soldiers, for they
were missionaries to the army. Then
the rector came to Nellie's seat, think
ling all the while of the dear friends
who had offered up in that place the
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
He sat down for awhile and thought
ever the scattered flock and the desc
lations of Gods house. He thought Of
the hardships of the war, and OF the
evils which the craft and subtility OF
the devil and of man was working, and
wondered how out of it all God was &c
bring peace to His people. As he rose
up he espied me on the floor, and
knowing to whom l belonged, he put
me in an envelope and sent me to my
owner.
| And now I am back once more III
my snug home, better satisfied to re,
main in quiet because of all | have
seen and passed through.