The National tribune., 1902-11-06
mon that gave them different view of

mon that gave them a different view OF
their duty"
Some of the enlisted men said grimly,
''The Chaplain's spelling for a fight" but
the current was too strong for any one
to make head against it. The sermon as
printed and distributed was entitled De
sirableness of Active Service" Months af-
terward, as we were campaigning in Vir-
ginia, while we were moving by night to
take our place in the Petersburg trenches,
we were overtaken by violent thunder
storm, so severe with its binding flashes
of lightning and its torrents of rain that
we were compelled to halt and drop down
in the mud, and wait for daylight. In the
early morning, as l moved along the wavy
line of reclining soldiers, 1 was greeted
goodnaturedly by soldier with the
words, that could be heard far and near:
Il suppose, Chaplain, this is what you
would call the 'desirableness of active SER
vice." Then lie chuckled over the gen.
eral laugh that greeted his sally.
When we had reached Virginia, from
Florida, for a part in the forward move
| ment Of the armies under Gen. Grant. we
had found evidence of intended operations
on scale beyond our anticipations OR
former knowledge. The New York papers
| were giving us, day by day, such details of
| the preparations for receiving and caring
for large numbers of wounded as were un-
pleasantly suggestive to old compaigners.
One day we were told of the thousands
of additional ambulances and hospital beds
being delivered at Washington and City
! Point, and the next day of the numbers of
extra Surgeons and nurses summoned to
the front. We we're hardly landed on Vir-
ginia soil before we began marching and
fighting. Weeks passed before it was pos
sible to gather the regiment for religious
service on Sunday. Our heads were fairly
dazed with the rush and whirl of active
hostilities that could not cease until the
end of the war had come in one way or
another.
By and by quieter Sunday came.
Those of the regiment who could attend
gathered, at the church call" of the
Coloners bugler, in lovely shaded ravine
near Deep Bottom, on the left bank of the
James River. My standing-place was a
rude platform of rails, on bowlder in the
gurgling brook that runs through the
ravine. A steep, but not high, bank with
overhanging trees rose Immediately behind
me. My audience was grouped pictures
quely before. on either hand, and above
tween. A beautiful vista of ripping wa
ter, sparkling in the sunlight which strug-
gled through the trees above, yet in the
cool shade of the deep rayine, stretched
away into the background at my right.
The sweet. soft music of our well-trained
band foated upward through the waving
trees, accompanying the full chorus of
manly soldier voices, in the familiar tunes
of Coronation" and Shining Shore
.'All hail, the power of Jesus name.
And crown him Lord of ALL
and
MY days are gliding swiftly by,
Those hours of toll and danger"
seemed never to have more meaning, or
to be spoken out of more earnest and ten
der hearts, than in that first complete SER
vice of the opening of that closing year of
deadliest conflict. God seemed very near
to us as we joined in simple prayer to him
at that time, and considered together the
teaching of his words in Luke 81 :2S-
"When these things begin to come to
pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh"
''These things" What things? A fair
sky? Sunrise glory? The brightness of
an opening Summers day? No, no.
Clouds and gloom. Storm and desolate-
ness. The chilly darkness of Winters
night. WARS and connections" The
holy city ''compassed with armies" 'Fear-
full sights and great signs" Days of
vengeance" "Great distress in the land y
Many falling 'by the edge of the sword -
Others ''led away captive. MEMS hearts
failing them for fear. and for looking af-
ter those things which are coming on the
earth" And when these things, said
Jesus, ''begin to come to pass. then look
up, and lift up your heads; for your re-
demption draweth nigh"
Strange prophecy! Marvellous words!
And yet neither strange nor marvellous; for
this is ever Gods way. No time of rest
without previous toll. No peace but after
strife No order except out of confusion.
'The evening and the morning We're the
first day." not the morning and the eve
ming, but the evening and the morning. So
it was in the beginning; so it ever will be.
Night first: then day. "The darkest hour
of the night is just before day." That
hour is on us. Daylight comes. Let us
lift up our heads. for the day of our coun-
try's redemption draweth nigh.
(TO be eontinuedD