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a body of soldiers is “casting pearls before swine,” that these men, exposed as they are to temptations on every side, are more eager to listen to the Gospel than are the people at home; that the few missionaries they have been kind and generous enough to
lend us for a
few weeks are preaching—not in magnificent temples, it is true, and from gorgeous pulpits on Sabbath days, to empty benches, but daily, in the great temple of nature, and at night, by heaven's chandeliers—to audiences of from one to two thousand men, anxious to hear of the way of life.
Suppose I tell them that many men of this army, neglected, as I
must say they have been by Christians at home, are daily professing religion—that men, grown old in sin, and who never blanched in the presence of the foe, are made to tremble under the sense of guilt, and here in the forests and the fields are being converted to God—that young men, over whose departure from the paternal roof and pious influences have been shed so many and bitter tears, have been enabled under the preaching of a few faithful ministers to give to parents and friends at home such assurances as to change those
bitter tears into tears of rejoicing.
Suppose I tell them these things and assure them of the great encouragement afforded every missionary now laboring in this field, will it arouse them to act?
or will each church admit the necessity of action, and yet conclude that “our brethren of the neighboring church ought to send their preacher, but really we can't give ours, even for a month?”
Let them beware lest, while they look upon the soldiers as too “demoralized” to be benefited by preaching, the soldiers ascertain that they are the “demoralized” portion of the army of the Cross.
I close by telling you, that in the last few weeks nearly two hundred in this single brigade have been added to the different churches.
Yours, etc.,
