Year: 1861

We fear, from the following statement of
the Washington correspondent of the Bos-
ton Traveller, that in the army religious
faith and respect for religious ordinances
are at a discount:


A large number of the army chaplains
met in convention, last week, for the pur-
pose of devising plans and recommending
measures fer the moral and religious i'm
provement of the troops Rev. Mr.. Alvord,
Secretary of the American Tract Society
of Boston, who has been for several weeks
engaged in visiting the various camps, was
present, and made an interesting speech,
full of valuable suggestions, pertinent to
the object. Resolutions were passed, among
other things, warmly approving Of the lib
eral efforts of the Tract Society TO furnish
suitable and attractive reading, and asking
for more general and hearty cooperation
on the part of the Christian public From
all that | can learn, / fear that in too
many cases the position of chaplain is not
regarded as it should be. Sometimes it is
the fault of the person himself, as soldiers
will always love conscientious and earn
est man who does his duty. Often, also,
the Colonels and staff throw ungenerous OBJ
stacles in the way of religious teaching, and
the work Of the chaplain is not only labor
ious, but even impracticable. This ought
not to be, as if the office is of any, account,
it deserves to be cared for, both in selecting
pious clergymon, and in ordering that they
shall be protected in the performance of
heir duties. l might mention instances of
most extraordinary conversation and con-
duct, on the part Of high military officials,
that would amaze the Christian sentiment
of the country, and would almost prove that
we fight as the heather do, without faith in
the God Of Battles; but it is, perhaps, better
| to pass them by with the hope that re-
form, radical and effective, may speedily
take place. Rev. John Pierpont found
military duty far too arduous, and has
resigned his position, preferring cozy
chair in the Treasury Department
to the hardships of camp life. 1 think
he was prudent in this, though it is
not exactly consistent with sundry patriotic
speeches made by the old white-haired hero
on his way here from Lynnfeld. Let not
| him that putteth on his armUr boast as him
that taketh it off"


1t is desirable that every New England
regiment should have Chaplain who will
stay constantly with it, for the temptations
to intemperance and vice of every grade are
wonderfully diminished by the presence Of
consistent minister No man can realize
the extent TO which profanity, whisky
drinking and gambling prevail who has not
visited the camps in Virginia. There is
hardly any moral influence. Rum is sold
every day-secretly and silly to be sure
but still it does its devilish work. 1t is
brought in boxes of other stores, and is re.
tailed at five times its price in the city, thu:
helping to impoverish as well as to injurC
physically and morally. Many brave
and sober boy when he left Boston, now,
fear, needs mothers caution or father:
remonstrance to save him from o fate more
to be feared than Imprisonment at Rich
mond or the steel of the Rebel Army-for i
hardens tine heart and the soul, as well a.
the mortal body. But l have writer
enough for Sunday-it may suggest wis


thought to some of our readers and lead t.


more efforts for the welfare of our gallan
young defenders. o. X.