Year: 1861

The John Street Daily Prayer Meeting.


TRIALS BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE.


A brother said we could sometimes judge of
precious blessings God had bestowed upon us
by the depth, set Gritty, and continuance OF the
trial that he sent upon u.s. This was true in
his own experience, for God had carried him
through sore trials, and He oltentimes hid
smiling face behind frowning providence
Formerly, when the sunshine gave place to
clouds, it seemed as though God had forgotten
him, but he had gone through so many sore
trials and seen the hand of the Lord in con-
ncction with them, that now, the sorer the
trial the more clearly could he see the magni-
tude, richness, and sweetness of the blessings
that were to come The trial through which
the government, commerce. manufactures, and
! every interest was now passing was designed
to prepare the way for blessings upon the ma
tion, upon the Church. and upon individual
souls. He had not doubt but that this was
the design of God. While the waves dashed
against us, our heavenly Father would keep
our heads above the water. When the storm
arose on the sea of Gallee the disciples though
the vessel was going down, forgetting at the
time that the Savior was on board, and that
had the vessel sunk, he would have gone down
too. Was it likely that he would have let
his own storms take him down? God was
with his people in this time of national peril,
and ought we not to be willing that every
thing should 60 that he put no value upon ?
He wanted to stand with God in this trial,
and to get all the good he could from it.


A YOUNG PATRIOT AND SOLDIER OF TIE CROSS.


A brother said he disliked to alude to per-
sonal matters in a public meeting, but he
felt constrained to do so on that occasion. 1t
would be remembered that few months ago
he asked the prayers Of the John-street meet
ing Tor his son, that he might be converted
and made freeman in Christ Jcsus. Short


Iy afterwards he was brought to a saving


know ledge Of the truth as it is 10 Jesus in an


swer to the prayers of the meeting. When


the call was made for volunteers, said the


father, he was among the first 10 enroll himself


in the 18th Regiment to leave the city and to


throw himself in the van Of our advancing


army to sustain the integrity Of our country


aud its govt rnment. have had several let


ters from him since and in most of them he
desires an interest in the prayers of God''


people, that he may be kept faithful In the


last communication had from him he states
, that they were nightly lying upon their arm


on Arlington Heights, expecting an attach
from the adversary. | am striving to live


said he, that whether we meet again on thu


shores of time or not, we may meet in th'
brig ghter and better land. think that rcgi
ment will make their mark in more way
= than one In another letter he said g at
, tended the Methodist church in Washington
to-day, and had good time. After churcl
rnturncd to my hut and found the brehrel
engaged in a praycr-meeting. ] have no
spent more pleasant Sabbath since | LET
home than this past Sabbath has been to me-


While We who arc left at home pray, ant
while our army fight, our riberties are safe; l
at least, have no fear for the result. be


lieve our heavenly Father will bring u
through this confusion, that this fire Of troub
, les will purify u.s. that our virtues will shin
the brighter, and that God will take away tn
reproach that has been hanging upon the ma
, ton as an incubus, and place US among th
nations of the free and noble of the earth. Il
conclusion the brother urged the meeting t.
pray that the young soldiers might be kept.


HOW SWEARING CEASED IN THE CAMP.


| A young brother mentioned fact whicl


had come to his notice that morning. A pop
ular minister of one Of the Methodist churche
in the city, soon after the commencement o
the war excitement was so much Influenced b.
the spirit of Christian patriotism as to tende
his services as chaplain to Brooklyn regi
mont, which, after efperiod, were accept


ed. When the reg giment were assembled to


gether on one occasion the chaplain said h
had one favor to ask of the soldiers, whicI


they all agreed to grant. Let me, saic


their spiritual adviser, do all the swearing


in the regiment This request had the desir
cd effect, for the use of profane language ha,
s ceased among the men. On one occasion
i however, when one of the officers was yer,
, much excited he used profane language, an,
@ the chaplain hearing of it, Immediately caus
ed the officer to be brought before him, whel
he was addressed thus You have usurpe,
my prerogative. The officer did not compre
y hend the meaning of the language and its spe
cial application to himself, until he was re
minded that he had used profane language
He apologized to the chaplain, and was NOR
s guarded in the use of language in the futur
> The Memphis papers give glowing account