The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-05-16

sweeping revival spirit in great
armies 10 time Of active warfare.
Yet great revivals went on in the
Southern army in 1861. .G5. At the
North the uplifting revival of 1857 So
had aided that section 20 endure the
terrible strain Of the war; but at the
South it came in the camps, in the
trenches. hospitals. everywhere ia the
very midst of battle toll The mug
nficcnt struggle Of the South was
better sustained for the high religious
spirit reached. Their great leaders,
Lee, jackson, Hill, Davis, Hood and
many others-wcrc men Of deyout
hearts; while this example, folio scd
by lower officers, was also shared by
the common soldiers, presenting
armies 10 dcvoutness almost like
Cromwell's Ironsides. To the An
glo Saxon from far back in our racial
history down to the present time, pa
triotism and religion bave seemed
kindred principles. Soldiers both
from. the North aud South went into
the armies taking with them the re-
ligious life, reached in the homes,
both sections furnishing chaplaius
for the regiments, besides Bibles and
other forms Of religious literature.
Prayers when che soldiers went TO the
war asoended from homes, from
lonely trembling hearts, from tho
depuded churches, on days Of fasting,
beside the graves of dead forms some
times sent back from tho battlefield
and hospital.
The tremendous earn estness Of the
Southern soldiers was duplicated by
the ohaplains sent out. These SER
vante of God shared ell the hard
ships and exposures OF the troops,
marching, bivouacking, going into the
battle front, visiting the wounded and
dying, comforting, praying, and, in
the intervals Of field operations,
preaching to the men, visiting hos
pitfalls, burying the dead. Evangelists
and sioparies, oolporteurs, nurses,
hocked to the needs of the Southern
soldiers. Church gatherings, con
fersnoes, synods, conventions, mass
meetings, had the thought above all
others to sustain the courage and
spirit Of the armies. The eight con.
ferences east Of the Mississippi of the
Methodist Episcopal church south,
cent to the armies u chaplains and 19
missionaries. The Baptist Church
also did nobly in similar lines, as did
the Presbyterian and Episcopal
churches. Numbers Of these men,
from Bishop Polk 10 obscure ~eskke:se,
were niain on battIeGe!ds.
From the summer Of 1861, when q
revival spirit was shown in the east.
ern, armies, on through the four
years; the conversion of soldiers went
forward. Rude ohapela were built Of
logs or OF shaoks. and usually crowd
ed TO listen to preaching; or in move.
ments the eager men, when . day or
Two in camp gave opportunity for
preaohing, would come together at
call and crowd around the chap.aic,
who, standing on . box or stump, or
any uplift, would preach to them.
Tho singing of the grand hymns Of
the church by hundreds Of strong men
was soul'inspiring. Among the
fsvorite hymns sung were: "How
lirm a foundation, ye Saints of the
Lord" and "Am I q Soldier Of the
Cross? = When preaching was carried
on at night out Of doors,. the ground
would sometimes be lighted with
burning piles Of pine. kssss, 90 we'll
known as camp n,eetings. Not always
did they. depend on qniet days aud
protected places For religious services,
since in 'belaasured ,Vieksbars aud In
tho trsnohessof Petersburg and else.
where, preaching and prayer was car.
ried on. Prayer meetings held, by
little knots Of soldiers, in q retired
nook, under the Low spreading trsss,
in tho tents, everywhere, we're .
marked feature Of the revival spirit.
Experienced men, ss many OF the
ohsplaius we're, took steps to preserve
the products ot this revival apirit,
for aftera while they organised the
Converts ed ..he eteedfas. Christians
Of older experience into regimeiusal
churches and religious associations.
These, composed II man from all
scots, were Of Substantial: worth.
They. adopted some brief erssd or
statement that coversd che aeld OF
common rsligions belief, working
heartily together for eash other and
for the conversion of the unsaaved.
Now cne returning from The hospital
usnn1S As prs, he 49, - .AxjtSS =.