Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-12-01

found Jesus. But, of course, the ACTIVE
campaign, The battle, and the severe winte
weather which was now upon us, seriously
hindered regular preaching and outdoor
service, and it was sometime before any O
the brigades had chapels, while severa
changes of camp prevented some of US from
having chapels at all this winter. But the
revival spirit manifested itself in number
OF the brigades during the winter and fol
lowing spring
l have alluded to the great revival ir
Barksdale's Mississippi brigade stationed il
the battered old town of Fredericksburg-s
work which begun not long after the battle
OF the 18th of December, was interrupted
but not seriously retarded by the battle oi
Charlottesville, snd went gloriously OIL
until the line of march was taken for Get
tysburg. Indeed that active and bloody
campaign only interfered with gathering
in the sheaves," but did not stop the work
which still went graciously on.
Rev. W. B. Owen, (Methodist), chaplain
OF the Seventeenth Mississippi, had the
general conduct of the meetings, and was
assisted at different times by Rev. DR.. J.
z. Stiles, Rev. DR.. VIM. J. Hoge, Rev
James D. Cou!ling, Rev. DR.. ]. A. Dun
can, Rev. DR.. J. L. Burrows, Rev. W. Fl.
Carroll. and others, and the constant help
OF Rev. J. l.. Pettigrew and other earnest
workers in the brigade.
Dr. Stiles began his labors there the lat
ter part OF February and lot long after
wrote as follows:
"After nay arrival we held three meet.
ings day-a morning and afternoon prayer
meeting and preaching service at night.
We could scarcely ask of delightful re-
inf
Our sanctuary has been crowded-lower
floor and gallery. Loud, animated singing
always hailed our approach to the house
of God and closely packed audience
OF men, amongst whom you might
have searched in vain for one white
hair, were leaning upon tho voice of the
preacher, as if God himself had called them
together to hear. of life and death eternal.
At every call for the anxious, the entire
altar, the front six seats of the five blocks
of pews surrounding the pulpit, and all the
spaces thereabouts ever so closely packed,
could scarcely accommodate the supplicants;
while daily public conversions gave pecu-
liar interest to the sanctuary services. OF
this class we have numbered during the
week say some forty or fifty souls. Officers
are beginning to bow for prayer, and our
house to be too strait for worshipers. The
audience, the interest, the converted, the
fidelity of the church, and the expectations
of the ministry, are all steadily apd most
hopefully increasing.''
The above was written by DIR. Stiles a
few days after he got there. In later CON-
munications he was enabled to speak still
more strongly of the progress and results
of this great revival.
The meetings were first held in the
Presbyterian and then in the Methodist
church 1.-THE Baptist church had been so in
jured by the bombardment that it could
not be used but these houses were soon
overfowed, and the meetings moved to the
more spacious Episcopal church which the
rector offered for the purpose.
One present at this time thus writes con-
corning the gracious work: "Last evening
there were fully 100 penitents at the altar
[Isaw fully 200 one night. So great is the
work, and so interested are the soldiers that
the M. E. Church South has been found in
adequate for the accommodation of the con-
gregations, and the Episcopal church hav-
ing been kindly rendered by its pastor,
Rev. Mr.. Randolph, who is now here, the
services have been removed to that edifice
where meetings are held as often as three
times day. This work is widening and
deepening, and ere it closes, it may per-
meate the whole Army of Northern Vir-
ginia, and bring forth fruits in the building
up and strengthening in pure faith and a
true Christianity the best army the world
ever saw
1t was my own privilege to 60 frequent
ly into Fredericksburg Especially when my
regiment would be on picket below the
town. and to labor in this great revival,
and | can endorse fully what has been
said of its extent and power.
l remember that the night before the
enemy crossed the river bringing on the
battles of Second Fredericksburg and
Charlottesville, I preached to a packed
house, and in appealing to the men to ac-
cept Christ as their personal Saviour then
and there, I said: ''How know you but
that ere to-morrow's sun shall rise the long
roll may beat, and this brigade be called to
meet the enemy? 1t may be that some of
these brave men are hearing noao their last
message of salUation."
A number accepted the invitation and
came to confess Christ, or to ask an inter-
est in the prayers of Gods people, and
after the meeting | went back to the
"Reserve" of our picket line just below
the town.
Before day the next morning we were
aroused by some of the picket, on the line
below rushing in to tell us that the enemy
had crossed the river. Line of battle was
at once formed, and in the battles which
followed number of Barksdale's veterans
fell braveiy doing their duty. Poor fellows,
they had heard their last message of saliva
ton; but it was sweet to believe that many
of them were trusting in Christ, and that
for them ''sudden death was only sudden
glory"
There were in this revival in Barksdale' g
brigade at least 500 professions of CONVEX
sion many Of the converts coming from
other commands-and the precious influen-
ces of the meeting went out all through the
army.
l have not now space to give details OF
revivals reported at this period in Ander-
sons bridge of Hoods division, in the
Eighth Georgia regiment, the Sixtieth
Georgia regiment of Gordon's brigade, the
Tu enty- First South Carolina regiment, the
Thirteenth Mississippi regiment, the
Twenty Eighth North Carolina regiment,
the Third Alabama regiment, the Stone
wall brigade, j. M. Jones' Virginia brigade,
Kershaw's brigade, Early's brigade, Chin
borazo and Camp Winter hospitals in Rich
mond, Harris's Mississippi brigade, Will
cox's Alabama brigade, Dole's Georgia
brigade, Thirteenth Alabama regiment
Twenty Sixth Alabama, Wright's Georgis
brigade, and other commands.
One of the most powerful revivals at thi.
period was in Thomas's Georgia brigade
which began about the 1st of February
1868, under the labors of Rev. ]. J. Hymap
chaplain of the Forth-Ninth Georgia regi
ment, who preached from four to six times
every day Ito meet the demands Of th'
scattered regiments of his brigade), ant
was about to break down when Rev. E. B
Barrett came to his help and was soon afte
commissioned chaplain of the Forty-Fiftl
Georgia regiment. There were a larg'
number of professions of convention, broth
er Hyman (and Bro. Barrett after he came
administered the ordinance of baptism al
most daily, and when orders came for tn
command to march on to the Gettysbur,
campaign Bro. Hyman was in the waite
baptizing 4S converts. I have told hoy
the work went on, and have described tn
touching baptismal scene in the Antietan
near Hagerstown.
may say here that Bro. Hyman, VIII
was commissioned chaplain on tho 1st Q
May, 1862, after serving for time as pr
| vata in tho ropLo of tho Eorty Nj MT