The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-16

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The work Of the Christian commits
sion is one from which the soldiers
may receive some benefit every day,
whether sick or well. This Is one
thing that makes 1t so popular with
them. The commission now reaches
nearly every camp in the country with
its work and will soon reach every ship
in the navy. 1t has distributed $4,000
hymn books, 10000 good books of a
Kind calculated to interest and benefit
young men, and thousands of pocket
testaments to the soldiers and sailors.
There are people who think that these
books will simply be torn up to light
pipes with. Those who have this idea
do not understand what kind of men
go to make up our army and navy.
Those who are in the best position to
know say that the books are thought
fully read and carefully preserved.
1t is not easy for a man to live
strictly temperate life in the army. 1t
is exceedingly warm and dusty in the
Southern camps and the men get very
thirsty. At Chickamauga a man some
times has to stand in line for half an
hour waiting for his chance at the
pump. Close by is the regimental can
| teen or saloon with plenty of ice cold
beer for a nickel q glass. 1t is served
by a soldier detailed by the colonel and
| has the sanction of the government
The men thus get the impression that
| their officers believe it will do them
| good, or at least no harm; and so many
a man learns to drink it who never
drank before. The commission realizes
this difficulty and now provides ice
water in its tents. The effect of this
on the canteen receipts can be noticed
| Immediately. The colonel of the Eighth
Massachusetts challenged the commits
sion to supply his regiment with dis
titled ice water, promising If they
would do so to abolish the canteen. The
challenge was accepted and the can
teen closed up. 1t costs about dollar
per day to keep one ice water barrel
running.
An important part of the labor of the
Christian Commission worker is the
visitation of the sick and wounded men
IN the hospitals. There are about 500
such at Camp Thomas. 1t is not easy
to be sick far away from home and
friends in an army camp. The other
day one of the commission workers
went to visit a poor fellow who had
|
account of the nature of his disease.
He was the son OF Christian parents
but had fallen into bad company in
camp and was to be discharged to go
home to die. He cried bitterly when
the worker incidentally mentioned his
mother. A few days ago while a song
service was going in the gospel meet
ing the commission holds several
| q iol in, hn
pital near by sent word for them to
sing Jesus Savior Pilot Me-" and died
while they We're singing the third
| verse
Fifty thousand sheets of paper and
envelopes are furnished to the COM
mission tents at Chickamauga every
week. 1t is only a little thing but il
shows that the men like to avail them
selves of the privileges the tents af-
ford. Colonel Chaffee, of the Second
Missouri volunteers. says that nothing
has so much contributed to the COM
fort, contentment and being OF
the men at Camp Thomas as the tents
of the Christian commission. A Chris
tian commission tent and two secre.
taries have gone with the troops to
the Philippines. Ten thousand good
| books were sent along also. General
Merritt said: 'I heartily approve OF
the object of this expedition" and
ordered his officers to do all they could
to make the work easy
| The question is sometimes asked
How do the soldiers regard the gos.
pei meetings?" DR.. A. c. Dixon, who
preached several weeks to the regulars
now before Santiago before they left
Tampa, says "The meetings were as
orderly as IL they We're in a church
never preached to such responsive
and appreciative audiences" d. l.
Moody says that he believes severa
thousand soldiers have already beer
converted. He is chairman of the evan
gelistic department of the commission
and is appealing for funds to help carry
on the work. His address is Eas
Northfield, Mass.
A directory issued by the Nintf
Street Baptist church of Cincinnati
O., and it's stations has been received
by The Tribune. 1t is the church O.
which Rev. Warren G. Partridge. for
merly of this city, is pastor. The bool
is profusely illustrated and gives &
comprehensive idea of the great worl
the church is doing.