Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-08
a NARROW ESCAPE
A Story Told by the Venerable PresId Mt
of the Christian Commission.

a story Told by the Venerable PresId Mt
OF the Christian Commission.
During the civil war the Christian
Commission" was one of those gigantic
agencies which followed the armies
and played the Good Samaritan. its
special function, however, being the
providing for the moral and religious
needs of the soldiers Mr.. George III.
Stuart, of Philadelphia, was the presi-
dent of this body. He is an animated
cyclOpedia of facts and anecdotes OF
that period and work. Mr. Stuart re-
Gently told the following story:
Visited camp one day. few miles
below Washington, and in the evening.
in company with two or three other
gentlemen-Ono of whom was the late
Mr.. VIM. E Dodge, of New York
held a prayer-meeting among the SOL
dierS. Nine o'clock was the regulation
hour for closing; but the interest was
so deep that the Colonel OF the regi-
ment said. go on" and the meeting
was prolonged for half an hour more.
AT last ten O'Clock had come when we
prepared to return to Washington by
carriage. But the Colonel said: You
can't go to Washington tonight The
guard is posted already (as nine o'clock
was the hour for guard mounting), and
an order has been issued that no civil
ian shall have the countersign." In
perative business required the presence
of Mr.. Dodge. and he said he must be
in Washington before morning
The Colonel said he would see what
could be done. Perhaps the magic
word would be given to me on ac-
count of my position. He went to
headquarters, and returning soon whis-
pered the word" in my ear. Then
he gave these minute directions:
Drive out near the sentinel's post
about two miles from camp; then leave
the carriage and walk up to him He
will present the gun to your face and
will call out. Who goes there?' You
will answer. a friend. with the coun-
tersign.' The sentinel will say, What
is it?' You will then give the word !
whispered in your ear, and he will al
low you TO pass. :"
Well. we drove out in the darkness,
and / left the carriage at the appointed
place. and advanced till the musket of
the guard CLEANED in dangerous near
ness to my face. Then the qustions
and answers followed just as the Col
onel had described, only when the SEN
tinel said, What is it?" l answered
Beverly" and instead of this proving
the wonderful sesame the sentinel
cried. calling me by name: MIR. Stuart,
you have given the wrong word-that
is not the countersign. can not let
you pass; you must go back to camp
and get the right word"
So back Mr. Dodge and l drove in
the black night, over the muddy roads.
1t turned out that the officer by mis-
take had whispered the countersign of
the day before-it was changed every
day. The mistake rectified, we started
again, and again went through the pro-
gramme. This time the word was
Massachusetts and we were permit
ted to go on. but not before had turn
ed and asked the soldier, How did you
know who l was in the darkness?" and
the man had answered.: About fifteen
years ago l heard you speak to Sun
up in York State: and.
.hough l have never seen you since. l
your voice. If it hadn't
been for that should have shot you"
Then said 1: My friend, hope you
nave the countersign." Il have"
What is it?' The blood of Jesus
Christ" waa the reverent reply.-St.
Louis Republican.