The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-07
AT CENTRAL PARK CHURCH
Was Held "a Final and Pleasant
Campfire.

Campfire.
The religious camp fire at Central
Park Methodist Episcopal church last
night attracted an audience which
filled every seat in the auditorium and
necessitated the opening of the con-
Meeting lecture room. And the audi
ence was not disappointed, for it was
certainly not the least interesting of
the camp fires held during encamp-
ment week.
Comrade Mckinley, pastor of the
church, acted as chairman and con-
Quoted the opening exercises. And
there he '.held the fort" as he eX-
presses, with an interesting talk while
waiting the arrival of Col Jacques,
who was first on the programme. He
declared that religion had much more
to do with the war than is generally
credited to it. 1t was invisible, but
none the less potent. The inspiration
not believe that the Union armies
would have been successful without
the power of faith. He related how
he had been depressed on seeing the
expedition against Fort Henry leave
Cairo on Sunday. 1t was slash to
the principles of Sabbath observance
which had been taught him in his boy
hood. But while preaching that day 1T
came to him as a revelation that the
work the soldiers were engaged In was
a work of righteousness, as much so as
that of preaching, and instantly the
burden was lifted, and he had CON
viction that the expedition would be
suceessful-as it was.
Referring to Commodore Foote, who
was deeply religious man, he gave
some interesting incidents of his career.
During the siege of Island No. 10, the
commodore would cease firing for an
hour every morning while he called
the men to attend religious exercises.
The soldiers ON shore, who were Co
operating with the fleet, when the guns
became silent would remark that
Deacon Foote was saying prayers
now" And then, when the heavy
siege guns and mortarS reopened with
renewed fury, it was said with
grim smile that Deacon Foote was
now delivering an anti-slavery lee
ture."
DR.. Mckinley closed with an eloquent
tribute to the bravery of the new re-
cruits, thousands of whom were Sun
day school boys" in the capture of
Fort Donelson, when they surrounded
the fort with q wall of fire and re-
pulsed the furious efforts of the rebels
to break through their line.
Comra6ie Haggerty, of ST. Louis, an
ex-chief chaplain of the Grand Army,
was then introduced. He spoke espe-
eially of the future of the nation, rath-
er than of the past. The future sue
cess and prosperity Of the country de-
pended upon the maintenance and exc
cution of principle. The nation must
in the future, as in the past, be associ-
ated with God, to insure its permanence.
If we fail to cultivate the principles OF
the Christian religion, then our flag
would some time trail in the dust He
declared that the Grand Army was the
best behaved of any body of men In
existence, and he had heard one lady
say she was not sure if even the min
listers were ahead in general conduct.
Col lanes. f. jacques, of the Seven
ty-third Illinois infantry, was the next
speaker DR. Mckinley, in introduc-
ing him, said that since the war he
had been president of Methodist col
leges at Jacksonville and Quincy, and
was recognized as a leading educator.
Referring to an incident related by a
previous speaker about the enthusiasm
aroused by the sight of the flag, he
said that sometimes people shouted pre-
maturely. On a certain occasion he
was present when Moody was preach
ing to an audience of 10000 people.
Word was brought from Gen. Sheridan
that he was informed on what he con-
sidered reliable authority that Rich
mond had been captured by Gen. Hook
er. Moody Immediately broke into en-
thusiastic shouts Of praise. He called
for cheers for the army, cheers for
Hooker, cheers for the country and
cheers for the flag And then he said
to Col. jacques, in an undertone, II
Richmond has not fallen, hope it will
fall very Soon." The speaker declared
that from the moment of that remark
he lost all faith In the fall of Rich
mond.
Col. jacques closed his remarks by
declaring he was certain the world was
progressing, for it would have been
impossible fifty years, or even twenty
five years ago, for body of men as
large as that composing the Grand
Army encampment to have assembled
together without drunkenness and de-
hatchery, and there had been practi-
cally none in the present instance.
Gen. Mason spoke briefly. He said
there were a few bad chaplains in the
army, some who were Indifferent, but
many who We're grand and noble char
acters. AS an illustration he gave a
graphic description of the services held
by the chaplainS of the Seventy
seventh New York, one Sunday morn
ing on the battle field. when the SER
vices were abruptly ended because the
soldiers Were compelled to reform in
line of battle.
The last speaker was Capt. III. A.
SdSllc Lit WdS SIcdl1y sSIdlllleO lHdL
his predictions concerning the Grand
Army encampment in respect to the
character and behavior of the veterans
had been verified. Some of the tender
footed people of st. Paul had declared
that the meeting of the G. A. R. would
result in a carnival of debauchery and
crime, and when he had spoken for
their good character he had been rid
iculed- But. the event has showed that
61ax ioJ1 VIC CT Nv f,ff
veterans Were among the best citizens
Only per cent had failed in the bat
tie of life, a less percentage than
among any other body of men. Only
2 per cent were dependent on charity
and less than half of these, or less than
1 per cent of them We're broa ght
to thatkcondition through any fault of
their own. He thought the lesson i'm
parted by the encampment would be
of lasting benefit to the citizens who
had witnessed the great parade and
mingled with the soldiers during the