The gold leaf., 1910-01-27

| things about the war was the relig-
ious life in camp, especially during
the winter spent along the Rapidan
when not only on the Sabbath day
but all through the week, night after
night these services continued. Along
| the hillsides and in the forests wher-
ever a camp was pitched, the rocks and
woods rang with appeals for falth
and love and service, with praise and
thanksgiving for past mercIes and
prayers for future blessings.
Hyou could recall those scenes and
sit once more by the light OF the
camp fire, and if by some power Lee
and jackson could stand once morr
before you and permitted to speak
but a single message, or to give one
last commandment a word would
they speak of Charlottesville and
Spottsylvania, of Winchester and
Gettysburg, of the Wilderness and
Appomattox, but this brief message:
Follow the Lord Jesus Christ, rally
to His standard. fight the good fight
of faith, labor for the triumph of His
cause" VIII you hear them today?
CONCLUSION.
[ have taken you back today t"
those "timps that tried mems souls.
Many a heroic spirit poured out hi>
blood which sanctifies our soul
Each passing year has summoned
many more. Into their sacred TEL
lowship you soon must follow, but
before you do, you must face anoth-
er foe. An enemy awaits you with
FURNISHED sword His vision is clear
and his thrust is sure. Would you
conquer in this last encounter? Their
you must have the breastplate OF
Righteousness, the shield of faith, the
helmet of salvation and the sword of
the spirit.
Language cannot paint the picture
which onApril 8, 1866. was unveiled to
tie eyes of the soldiers of the COntedpr
ate Army. Turning your faces home
ward from AppOmattox, you turned
them to one of the saddest scenes
that ever greeted the eyes of man-tu
fields swept bare and desolate, to vii
lagos whose life had first languished
and then stood still; to towns with
out trade or industry; homes and
| fortunes and loved ones lost forever.
Worst of all to a future to be faced in
the pain of utter disaster and recol-
lectiOns of defeat.
This is no picture but only the
faintest illustration of the future that
awaits the man who lives and dies
without faith in God. In the words
of Jeremiah, "If thou hast run with
fOOtmen and they have wearied thee,
how canst thou contend with hOrses?"
If that morning broke with sadness
and disappointment and regret how
shall dawn the morning of eternity.
when clothed in the rags OF your i'm
perfect lives, in the recOllections of
wasted time and of mercy scorned.
with no treasures laid up in heaven.
you shall be called to face future to
be spent in the pain of disaster and
in sorrow and regret?
| hope and pray that this may
never be. But just as, one by one
the scars of war have disappeared;
the suffering and bitterness remaining
almost as a half remembered dream.
and in the common hopes and COM
mon interests of a united countr,
YOU are facing a future the very
brightest of our history, even SO
may each one of you by following
the Captain of your Salvation, with
faith in His promises, lOvefOr His per-
son, obedience to His commands, be
saved at last. So shall your last ell
counter become your greatest tri-
umph.
We read thatStOnewall Jackson in
the last hours of his life wandered in
spirit over the recent battle field
leading in person his victorious col
umns through the smoke and fire of
the conflict, until all at once his mind
seemed to emerge from the troubled
scenes, and in the calmest conscious
ness, catching glimpse of ''the sweet
fields beyond the swelling food" he
softly whispered, Let us pass over
the river and rest under the trees. y
! Aud then General Lee for awhile in
his delirium rode once more at the
head of his battle-scarred columns;
but later on his soul grew calm, and
in the silence of his death chamber,
the low burning lamp and the glow
OF the hearth fire casting halo over
the massive grandupr of his face,
having lost the power of speech, his
upW ard pointing finger declared his
souls hope and expectation OF re
ward.
Oh may you, when you close your
eyes one the scenes of this present
life and sheathe your sword from fur
ther earthly conflict, be welcomed
by these whose voices have long been
silent; and may you hear your Cap
tain say, "1ou have fought a good
fight, you have kept the faith; hence
forth there is laid up for you a crown
of rejoicing. Enter into the Joys of
your Lord" Your warfare over,
your glory will have begun