The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-27
RELIGION FOR THE SOLDIERS.
Ministers Appeal in Behalf of the
Troops at Tampa.

Troops Rt Tampa.
Rev. Arthur ]. Smith, pastor of the |
First Presbyterian Church, is taking an
active interest in the movement to raise
funds for conducting evangelical work |
among the soldiers at Tampa.
The members of the Methodist Presby- |
terrain, Episcopalian, Baptist and Con-
grega tional churches at Tampa have pub |
lished an appeal TO the Christian people |
of the United States, in which they say
I'VE appeal TO you 10 help US in doing re- |
ligious work amongst the soldiers of the
United States army. There are now about
10000 regulars" stationed in and about
Tampa, and the volunteers begin coming
in this week. This is the nearest point
TO Havana, has deep water, has been made
the governments base of supplies, and
Will be made the general rendezvous
throughout the war.
The opportunity for doing religious
work will never be surpassed. and should
be promptly acted upon by the Christians
of the United States. The Christian people
OF Tampa cannot be expected to perform
this work by themselves. Our population
of 5000 is half foreign, and not more than
one in fifteen is a member of a white Pro-
testant church, and comparatively little
of the wealth of the city is in the hands
already been taxed 10 its utmost 10 carry
on mission work amongst the foreign ele-
ment and support the thousands of Cubans
out of employment during the past winter
The Cuban population has been taxed to
its utmost sending assistance to their
countrymen in carrying on the war with
Spain. Had it not been for their generous
and constant help, the war could not have
been sustained.
The ministers of Tampa have done
what they could in holding religious ser
vices and distributing religious literature.
Four thousand books have just been sent
by Mr. Moody for gratuitous distribution,
and the American Bible Society has sent
twenty-five hundred Testaments.
The work already done is
beginning to bear fruit; six
~ or seventy have expressed publicly
their interest on the subject Of religion.
DR., A. c. Dixon OF New York comes this
week 10 carry on evangelistic services
amongst them.
I'VE are preparing to carry on religious
work of every kind possible, and need and
must employ earnest religious workers.
We will have tabernacle completed this
week for the work. We have undertaken
this work knowing that it was beyond our
own means but we are trusting that the
Christian people of the United States will
sustain us in il with their prayers and con-
tributons. We need contributions in the
shape of money, religious literature and
earnest Christian workers. We sincerely
hope that some of the Young Mems Chris
tan Association will send some of their
best workers with camping tents.
THE saloon men and beer men are fur
nshing every accommoda ton possible TO
debauch them. The church surely should
not be less attentive. The papers are ap,
pealing for a million-dollar fund for the
Red Cross Society to be used for the SICK
and the wounded. We believe that these
soldiers are more in danger from sin than
any are from yellow fever or the Spanish
army, and we believe that if We had sup
ply of good literature and good Christian
workers and 5000 in money 10 defray
the expenses of an evangeistic campaign
amongst them, we might accomplish mucn
for their salvation.
''These are The soldiers of the whole
| country, and their spiritual welfare should
be the concern of all Please send your con-
! tributions at once TO Rev. J. G. Anderson,
| sos Madison street, Tampa, Fla, or any
OF the undersigned, and they will be grate-
! fully and promptly acknowledged, and
wisely spent You could not use your
money in a better cause"
The appeal is signed by Rev. w NJ.
Poage, pastor NJ. z. Church, South; Rev.
w. W. DeHart, rector Episcopal Church
| Rev. John G. Anderson. pastor First
| Presbyterian Church, Rev. VIM. II. Os-
borne, pastor First Baptist Church, and
Rev. +. M. Sprague, pastor First Con-
| gregational Church, and is endorsed by
Rev. VIM. Springer, ranking chaplain in
camp.
An effort will be made by the religious
| people of Savannah to aid the movement,
| substantially.