The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-07-18
CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS.
A Texas Divine Has a Word to Say FOL
Them.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: or all the
war articles i have ever read which could
fairly be called historical, the story of The
Cannoneer comes nearest my idea of what
such things should be, and from present in
dications the story of Alink's Battery" will
not fall below it.
enlisted as private in the ODD III. in
1862 and served with the regiment until the
close of the war. Our regiment was con-
nected with the Seventeenth Corps during
the Vicksburg campaign and the siege.
We were transferred 10 the Fifteenth Corps
soon afterward and was in that corps at
Mission Ridge, the Atlanta Campaign, march
to the sea and through TO Washington. Our
regiment was in many hard battles, and lost
heavily in killed and wounded. / was in
all the engagements in which the regiment
participated, with one exception.
At present am a preacher of the gospel,
in connection with the Presbyterian Church.
/ began my work Of the ministry in 1874
Allow me a word or two with you, sug-
gested by some things found in the first part
of Chapter III in the story of Minks Bat
terry"
do not like to hear profanity, nor do 1
like tc see the blanks indicating it. But in
giving true narrative of the facts, i do not
see how the historian is to avoid making a
record of some things he, perhaps, would
like TO leave out. Where they are not
essential 10 bring out the spirit Of the occa-
sion, am certain you will omit them.
think, unintentionally, "The Cannoneer"
has wronged class of men whom you would
be foremost in honoring. / refer to what
he says about the class known as Christian
soldiers"
was not IL when enlisted, and was not
| a prOfessed Christian, but was old enough to
know the genuine article when / saw it. 1t
is doubtless true that strict observance OF
the principles enunciated in the Sermon on
the Mount would prevent all war.
1t was true that majority of the soldiers
on both sides of the late war were not
Christians, so the battles were won by
wicked men," ! don't like to apply that
term TO any true soldier. But it does not
follow that the Christian minority lacked
those qualities which go TO make the true
soldier. The true history of this war will
show that the christian soldier" Il am
| speaking of the genuine article), was rs fear
less in battle, as alert on picket, and as ready
for duty in camp as any other class. 1t is
| also true of the other nations Is it not
true that the majority of CrOmwells army
at Marston Moor, Naseby, and Dunbar
were Christians? Itcannot be said of Have
lock and his men that they were praying
when they ought TO have been fighting, and
running when they ought TO have been pray
ing"
Gen. Charles G.. Gordon. of the British
army. familiarly known as Chinese Gordon, y
was another example of the true Christian
soldier"
think you will admit that this is true.
immortality of any kind does not develop
those traits of character which make the
true soldier. Nor does Christianity dwarf
those traits. The tendency of Christianity
is TO develop them, and immortality TO dwarf
-REv. II. f. OLMsTEAD. Williams avenue
! and Oath street, Galveston, Tex.