The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-25
A RELIGIOUS CAMPAIGN.
The First One Ever Held In
Kansas
Was at the First Methodist
Church Last Night.
Short Talks We're Made by a Number
Of Veterans and the lTodocs Sang

with G. A r. people and their friends
last night at the first religious camp
fire ever given in the state.
The 1Iodocs were there and led the
singing. Two buglers from Battery B.
sounded the bugle call before the ex-
ercises commenced and dismissed the
big audience in the same manner.
Rev. NJ F. DIcKirahan presided
After prayer by Rev. A. E. wagner
the chairman announced that the post
chaplains would be heard first and he
introduced Maj. G. w. Burge, chap
lain Of Lincoln post.
Major Burge said that he had forty
rounds of spiritual cartridges and that
he could not fire them all in the short
time allowed for the speeches. For
twenty years" said he, 81 have been a
member of the First Methodist church
of Topeka and it does me good to
stand up here before you and tell you
my experience. When went to the
war we had a little fellow named John
ME with us. He was a mere boy but
he always carried his Bible with him
and when Johnnie was left alone in
his tent he would always take out that
old Bible but sometimes when the other
boys were left alone they would be en-
gagged in a game of cards When they
saw Johnnie coming, away would go
/ the cards and Johnnie would kneel
down to pray with them and they
would knee1 with him. I tell you the
influence of this one boy on the regi-
ment was wonderful
Chaplain Sidweu of Topeka post:
when was about to get ready to gOto
the war 4 saw cousin who lived near
and asked him if he would go with me
and he said he would if I would talk
to uncle about it. talked to uncle and
he came into the room and though he
was not a praying man he knelt down
and lifted UP his voice in prayer for the
/ preservation of his son. 1t was a SOL
emn moment. I found in my exper-
fence that praying did count in the
army"
Department Commander Whitney:
"As we meet together on occasions of
this kind my mind wanders back to
the past. I can see the raw country
boy ready to enlist in the cause of the
Union, leaving behind him an old IA
Their and mother and perhaps a sweet
heart I can see him in the awkward
squad as he vainly attempts to keep
step to the martial music and after
ward in the line a well trained soldier.
Not long afterward he stands in a
solid column and marches toward the
enemy in the face of leaden hail. can
hear the dull thud as the bullet passes
into his flesh and L see him fall in the
front rank and carried back to the rear.
The next is the rude coffin and the fun
eraI dirge as the procession passes to
the grave. This is the history of many
a brave soldier and we are here tonight
to do honor to his memory. remem-
Der when / was a little boy of attend
ing a Fourth of July celebration where
there was a veteran of the Revolution.
He rode in a carriage drawn by four
horses and men tipped their hats and
shouted and women waved their hand
kerehiefs as he passed. I watched the
old man with staring eyes and open
mouth as he passed by. 1t will soon be
the same with us We are falling like
the leaves of autumn and the last sol
der of the rebellion viii soon be as
much Of curiosity as that veteran of
the Revolution"
Adjutant General Miles; IT am not
given to speech making but I want to
say that I consider this very fitting
1 close of Memorial sabbath"
Department Chaplain H. ID. Fisher
/ How well remember when organized
the first camp church i'm the Fifth KAN
/ sas cavalry. 1T was after we had re-
turned to Fort Scott after our first
encounter with the enemy Tom An
/ dersOn was the leader of the choir All
/ the boys did not belong to my church.
! but many of them did, and it's infu-
/ ence appears from the fact that when
/ I was away from the command at one
1 time the commander told me that he
I was anxious for me to get back. be-
1 cause he found it a great deal easier
I to manage the boys with me there i
4 am prepared to say that religion was
a good thing in the army. 4 believe
that i am living now in answer to
/ prayer. Never day passed while
\ was in the service that my good wife
my behalf.
Mrs. IT. d. Fisher want to say that
I am not ashamed to pray.
DR.. s G. SteWart-There was more
/ true religion in the army of the Union
/ than in any army that ever trOd the
! face of the earth I remember one time
/ before battle when all the boys We're
praying that their lives might be
/ spared and our color bearer stood by
/ and said that it would seem mean for
/ him to pray that he might live when
] so many better men were going to be
/ killed. He said that he only asked
/ for one thing-that he might live to
plant his flag on the works of the
I enemy and he did not care what be-
1 came of him after that. This is the
I greatest example of unseIfshness Il no
| ticed in the army.
Rev. John a. Bright sang Throw
/ Out the Life Line" and the audience
/ joined in the chorus.
There We're several short speeches be-
/ fore the meeting adjourned and the
[ veterans voted their first religious
/ camp fire a success
In the afternoon memorial services
were held at the English Lutheran
! church and the pastor. Rev. a =.
! Wagner, preached the memorial ser
mon
Tom 1TcNeal at Medicine Lodge
Hon. Tom A. AIcNeal and daughter
Louise arrived from Topeka. on Sunday
/ last and remained until Mondays east
/ bound train went out Mr.. McNeal was
here 10 see about the insurance on his
wife's building that was burned last
week and to attend to some other bust