The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-30
BIBLE WORK IN THE CAMPS.
What the Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION is Doing for Soldiers.

Chickamauga Park Ga, July 29.-The
Army Christian Commission of the Geor-
gia Young Mems Christian Association is
doing a work for the Georgia volunteers
which our people should know more about.
The plan of this organization is to equip
tent for each regiment which is sup
Piled with checkers. chess, dominoes and
games of a similar character, furnish free
reading matter, organ, books, entertain
mens, evangelistic services. Bible classes
and to conduct a general line of religious
work. The Georgia state committee has
been actively engaged in promoting this
work, and now has each one of the Geor-
gia regiments fully equipped, and an ac-
tive religious work in operation.
The First Georgia Regiment at Camp
Thomas, Chickamauga, as in charge of
Mr.. Henry NJ. Johnson of Savannah, who
is doing an unusually strong work. A re-
cent report from MIR. Johnson has in it
| the following very interesting statistics:
Testaments distributed ................. As
Song books distributed. ................. $50
Religious books given away (nearly).. 400
| Tracts given NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1000
Letters written by the soldiers. 10, $50
/
Attendance at social concerts.......... 1901
Attendance at evening prayers........ 1920
Requests for prayer. ..................... 400
PROGRESSED conversions .................. $50
The Second Georgia Regiment al Tampa
is in charge of Mr.. c. p. Younts of Athens
and is provided with a fun equipment.
We have as yet had no definite reports of
the work at this point, but are quite sure
that when we do hear from them, it will
l To no off a n
progress.
The Third Georgia Regiment at Griffin
! is as yet unprovided for. We hope, how
ever, to be able TO do something for these
| men al an early day
The regiment of immunes, now in. camp
| at Macon, is being cared for as welNAs the
| present means will allow. Correspondence
| facilities, reading matter and religious ser
! vices are being furnished the men at this
point, and a good work is being done
At Fort Mcpherson we have a Y. Nj. c.
! A. tent in charge of Mr.. E. w. Sheffield.
! Religious services are held by the chap
| lain every evening, with an attendance Of
! from $50 TO 200. Ten thousand, and fifty
/ letters were written by the soldiers in the
| lent in one week. The opportunities for
! aggressive religioHs work among the 5000
men al this post are enormous.
/ In addition to the work which is being
done for the Georgia men, we give you a
| few brief statements of facts concerning
| the work of the Army Christian Commits
| sion, of which the Georgia state commit
! tee is a part
Two hundred and eighty thousand sol
diers i'm some ninety brigades are in the
| field. To meet their needs Young Men $
! Christian Association, with a secretary in
! charge. is needed in each brigade.
We have distributed thousands of relig-
ious and secular papers, 10000 Testaments
at Tampa alone, besides many more at the
other camps, books, tracts and reading
matter in almost unlimited quantities.
The chaplains use our tents for their
services. our secretaries cooperating with
/ them fully. We also provide special evan
gelists to conduct religious services, among
whom have been Rev. a. c. Dixon, Gen
| Q. O. Howard, Maj. d. w. White and
The Rev. X. A. Torrey.
We have at Chickamauga at this writing
| twenty-three tents and fifty-tive secre-
taries. At Camp Alger, twelve tents and
| tWenty-fOur secretaries. At Jacksonville,
five tents and seven secretaries. At Tam
pa. five tents and eleven secretaries; two
| tents with secretaries have gone to Ma
Mia and two to Cuba, while two are ready
for the Island of Porto Rico.
The enemies Of the soldiers which we are
| trying 10 overcome are the saloons, gam
| bling dens, brothels and evil companion
ship.
We have never seen wicl1eduess run riot
! a.
other hand, we are rejOiced TO see that
never were mon so serious and anxious 10
heed the gospel message. Hundreds Of sol
diers have accepted Christ as their person
al Savior in each of the national camps.
Scores OF Christian men have come out
and made a positive stand for the Lord
Definite Bible study and active personal
work are being undertaken on every hand
The character and the morality of whole
companies have been changed, as testified
to by the officers ana the men. We have
never seen work as much appreciated
more practical in its methods. or more
far-roaching in its immediate results
Allow us TO suggest matter TO the peo-
pie of your community as TO how they
may best benefit the boys at the front
Many plans have been inaugurated for the
benefit of the men, some Of which have
been very unwise.
Probably the most unwise of all is the
sending of money to the camps direct. We
had in this camp a few days ago the dis
| agreeable spectacle of seeing two officers
dishouorably discharged because of the
transportation OF funds, and this oc.
4 -. Il