The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-22
INCIDENTS OF CAMP LIFE.
Mr.. JOhnsOn's Talk to the Christian
Commission Auxiliary.

COMMISSION
The weekly meeting of the Christian
Commission was held at the Young Mems
Christian Association rooms yesterday
morning Mrs Wilson presided. The pres
ident opened, and read the thirteenth chap
ter of First Corinthians. Mr.. H. NJ.
johnson offered the prayer.
The minutes of the last meeting we've
read and confirmed. after which the COM
mission was addressed by Mr.. Johnson,
who spoke Of the work among the volun-
teer soldiers.
He could not, he said, give any account
of the battles of Santiago. Porto Rico or
Manila, but he could tell Of the battles be-
tween good and evil. some of them fiercely
fought in the camps. Profanity, drink,
gambling, prevail. The former TO such an
extent that there was scarcely a man who
did not acquire the habit Mr.. Johnson
asked TO be put on record as opposed to
the canteen system. Many young men,
he said, took their first drink in the army.
he formed no opinion of the system until
some time had elapsed, that he might be
thoroughly convinced as to its benefits or
injuries. He quoted an instance OF a man
who left home a drunkard hoping that
the restrictions Of a military life might
break him of the evil, but under the can
teen or government saloon his condition
soon became worse than II was before he
entered the army. President Mckinley, in
whose power 1t was with one word to blot
out the evil silenced the convictions of
eminent military men, among them Gems.
Miles and Siernberg, by allowing he con-
tinuance of the reprehensible and abom-
Unable traffic among the soldiers.
Gambling, too, Is INDUCED in by the
all hours
light night long after taps, Mr.. johnson
said he came upon some young men so
intensely interested in a game of craps
that for some while they were unaware
OF his presence. While this was the
gloomy side of camp life, there was
bright one, Mr.. johnson said. The Y NJ.
Z. "A. tent was the center of religious
work. Rev. Ed. F. Cook of Brunswick
held services three times a week-twce
on the Sabbath and a weekly meeting.
The Y. M c. A. also held three meet
inss weekly. The tent had papers from
cities all over Georgia; stationery was
furnished; 800 stamps were sold daily.
games were furnished; concerts were CIV
en- by the bands of the Georgia and Mich
igan regiments, and assisted by talent
IN the different regiments, proved most
delightful to the soldiers Mr.. James Hay
OF Savannah often marching squads of
men, thirty strong, into the tent, who
POAhAS ASSIStGQ III ieduiHS the meetings.
This was done by the Fitzgerald compa-
ny. Two hundred and fifty to three hun
dred Testaments were given away, and
1000 tracts and 800 Moodys colportage
books. One touching little Incident came
to Mr.. Johnson's mind, in distributing
these Testaments. The books gave out
and Mr.. johnson remembered one in his
trunk, which had been given with the re-
quest written inside it's cover by the little
girl who sent it, that the soldier to whom
1t was given should write to her Doubt
less the child wanted to know him by
name, and remember him In her prayers
At least twelve threw up their hands for
the book. One was singled out, to whom
it was given, having promised he would
carry out the little girls wishes. If that
man had character it was strengthen; if
not, he went to the dogs. Men testified
often as to growing stronger in Christian
life.
Many other interesting circumstances
were related in connection with camp life.
Mr.. Johnson's talk was heartily enjoyed
and appreciated. The commission con-
cluded to write the state secretary asking
information in regard to the indebtedness
of the commission and its work, after
which the ladies will endeavor to raise
the fund or portion of 1t.
Prayer meeting for the soldiers will be
held Monday afternoon at $50 o'clock, at
Mrs. c. w. Wilcox, No I'll CASTOR street.