The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-02-15
FEEDING AN ENEMY.
How the Yankee Soldiers Treated q
Baptist Preacher in Savannah,

Sherman's armJ had entered Savan-
nab. The inhabitants OF the city had
for weeks past been living in fear OF
the event, but now that it had COM.
they were making the best of it, They
had long been living on starvation ra-
tions, consisting chiefly OF sweet po-
| tatOes.
DR.. Sylvanus Landrum, pastor of the
First BaptisG Church, went to the COM
manding officer and asked permission
| to preach.
| He was asked il he sympathizcd with
the Confeaerates. He replied that he
did He was asked il he would pray
for the success Of the Confcderacy, to
which he replied that he would preach
the gospel and would pray for men who
needed salvation.
The doctor was given permission to
preach, but the guard was sent along
| TO stop the services If anything un-
favorable to the Union army was
said.
Sunday morning the church was
crowded with men, not a woman being
present. Soldiers filled the seats and
sat on the floor in the aisles. 1t was a
| remarkable gathering, and cvcry man
seemed TO enjoy the sermon, although
| IL came from the lips OF q "rcbel"
| preacher.
| III u l)SluB LIT. lhnuFuu Sdlu III lDlSDU
| be that some present desired to shake
hands with him to pledge themselves
anew to the services Of God Almost
as one man the soldiers came forward
and gavc him the hand, among them
yOun doctor from Indiana, who said
| he desired to speak with the preacher.
| He asked DR.. Landrum to let him go
| home with him TO dinner, This was
very embarrassing TO the good man,
| for he had nothrlg but potatoes for his
meal. The soldier did not mind this,
and seemed to enjoy the potatoes.
| When they had been finished he told
DR.. Landrum that although he was
from Indiana, he sympathiHed with the
South. He wa a Baptist and wher-
ever he went always tried to find out
the Baptists. The day passed very
pleasantly and the young physician
took his departure.
The next morning Il two-horse army
wagon drove up to the door with great
Quantit; Of provisions.
1T was a GOdscnd to the preacher and
his family and many were the fervcnt
thanks given to the young doctor for
his kindness. Money, at that time,
was an unknown quantity in Savannah
among the Confcueratcs. The soldiers
from the Union army, howcvever, ad
plenty OF it. The young doctor saw Dr..
Landrum frequently ~ftCr the gift Of
the provisions and one day informed
him that the soldiers had just been
} paid of. He asked him why he did not
have a collection taken the next Sun
day. He declared it would result in
much good. DR.. Landrum did not OBJ.
ject, SO a conference was held with the
/ deacOns and at the close OF the service
one OF the deacons arose and asked
, permission from the preacher to take
, collection. He turned to the con-
, grogation and said that the preacher
: had no money, as the congregation was
; scattered and those left at home had
no money to pay him and might never
S have any. He put up q good plea that
, touched the right spot.
l DIR. Landrum told him he could pass
9 around the hat and any body VINO felt
t like it could contribute. The old dea.
= con went around among the soldiers,
e nearly everyone of whom dropped in
: some money and it was good money at
Q that. The congregation was dismissed
and the next morning, with bea ne
Il face the old deacon called os il
i; pastor and reOorted the coll &C.
y amount to $40, princely sum In cst
J. days, and as the Old man counted t out
c TO the thankful preacher, he said with
a a tremulous voice: " Brother Eandrum
d would it be possible for you to lend me
g a little OF that money to get something
to eat for my family ?" OF course il
@ was possible and thus, by the thought
II fulness OF the young physician, those
e two families were made glad and were
d tided over the tightest period of tho
a war.