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 Conf Pam 12mo #851 
 
EVAK0ELICAL TRACT SOCIETY, J \T n Qf> 
 
 Petersburg, Va. k * 
 
 A LETTER TO A SON IN CAMP. 
 
 My Dear Sou : ll may have seemed strange to you that a 
 professing Christian father, so freely gave you, a Christian 
 son, to enlist in the volunteer service. My reason was that 1 
 regarded this as a purely-defensive war. Not only did the 
 Southern Confederacy propose to adjust the pending difficul- 
 ties by peaceful and equitable negotiations, but Virginia used 
 again and again the most earnest and noble efforts to prevent 
 a resort to the sword. These overtures Laving been proudly 
 spurned, and our beloved South having been threatened with 
 invasion and subjugation, it socmed to me that nothing was 
 left us but stem resistance or abject submission^ to unconsti- 
 tutional po wcr, V b ri ivc ai i d g e n erous peopl c i • o old not for a 
 moment hesitate between such alternatives. A war in de- 
 fence of our homes and firesides— of our wives and children 
 — of all that makes life worth possessing, is the result. 
 While I most deeply deplored the necessity for the sacrifice, 
 I could not but rejoi|e that I had a son to oiler to the service 
 of the country, and if' I had a dozen, I would most freely give 
 them all. fully enduring the hardships 
 
 of the camp, 1 know you will listen to a father's suggestions 
 touching the duties of your new mode of life. 
 
 1. Take special care Of your health. More soldiers die of 
 disease than in battle. A thiu piece of damp sponge in the 
 crown of your hat during exposure to the hot sun — the use 
 of thick shoes and a water-proof coat in rainy weather — the 
 practice of drinking cold water when you are very warm as 
 slowly as you sip hot tea — the ^thorough mastieaiion of your 
 food — the avoiding of damp tents and damp grounds during 
 sleep — and frcfpicut ablutions of your person, are all the hints 
 I can give you en this point. Should you need anything 
 that I can supply, let me hear from you. I will do what I 
 
2 A LETTER TO A SON IX CAMP. 
 
 caii to make you comfortable. After all you must learn to 
 endure hardness as a good soldier. Having never slept a sin- 
 gle night in your whole life except in a pleasant bed, and 
 never known a scarcity of good food, you doubtless find the 
 ways of the camp rough ; but never iniud. The war, I trust 
 will soon be over, and then the remembrance of your hard- 
 ships will sweeten the joy of peace. 
 
 2. The rules of war require prompt and unquestioning obe- 
 dience. You may sometimes think the command arbitrary 
 and the officer supercilious, but it is yours to obey. An 
 undisciplined army is a curse to its friends and a derision 
 to its foes. Give your whole inllueuce therefore, to the main- 
 tenance of lawful authority and of strict order. Let your 
 superiors feel assured that whatever they entrust to you will 
 be faithfully done. Composed of such soldiers, and led by 
 skilful and brave commanders, our army, by the blessing of 
 God, will never be defeated. It is, moreover, engaged in a 
 holy cause and must triumph. 
 
 3. Try to maintain your Christian profession among your 
 comrades. I need not caution you against strong drink as 
 useless and hurtful, nor against profanity, so common among 
 soldiers. Both these practices you abhor. Aim to take at 
 once a decided stand for God. If practicable have prayers 
 regularly in your tent, or unite with your fellow-disciples in 
 prayer-meetings in the camp. Should preaching be accessi- 
 ble, always be a hearer. Let the world know that you are a 
 Christian. Read a chapter in the New Testament, which 
 your mother gave you, every morniugand evening, when you 
 can, and engage in secret prayer to God for his holy Spirit to 
 guide and sustain you. I would rather hear of your death 
 than of the shipwreck of your faith and good conscience. 
 
 4. As you will come into habitual contact with men of c\e- 
 ry grade, make special associates only of these whose inrlu- 
 ence on your character is felt to be good. Some men love to 
 tell extravagaut stories — to indulge in vulgar wit, to exult in 
 a swajrnferina' carriage, to pride themselves on their coarse 
 manners, to boast of their heroism, and to give utterance to 
 feelings of revenge against the enemy. All this is injurious 
 to young and impressible minds. If you admire such things, 
 you will iusensibly imitate them, and imitation will workgrad- 
 
\ I.ETTKH TO A SO» tN C i 
 
 ual but certain detriment to your character. Other men arc 
 
 refined without being affected. They can relax into occasional 
 pleasantries without violating modesty. They can be loyal 
 to their government, without indulging private hatred 
 against her iocs. They can be cool and brave in battle, and 
 not be braggarts in the absence of danger. Above all they 
 can be humble, spiritual and active < Jhristiaus, and yet mingle 
 in the stirring and pcrilons duties of soldier life. Let these 
 be your companions and models. Von will thus return from 
 the dangers of camp withont a blemish on your nai 
 
 5. Should it be your lot to enter iuto au engagement with 
 oemy, lift up your heart in secret ejaculations lo the ever 
 present and gc that he will protect you from sudden 
 
 death, or if you fall, that He will receive your departing spirit 
 cleansed in the blood of Jesus, into his kingdom. It is bet- 
 ter to trust in tbe Lord than to put confidence in prince-. — 
 Commit your eternal interests, therefore, lo the keeping of 
 the Almighty Saviour. You should not, even in the hour of 
 deadly conflict, cherish personal rage against the enemy, any 
 more thau an officer of the the victim of the law. 
 
 How ofieu does a victorious army tenderly care for the dead 
 and wounded of the vanquished. War is a tremendous 
 scourge which Vvw uses to chastise proud 
 
 and wicked nations. Both parties must sutler, even though 
 one may get the advantage. There is uo occasion then for 
 adding to the intrinsic evils of the system the odious feature 
 of animosity to individuals. In the ranks of the foe arc 
 thousands of plain men who do not understand the princi- 
 ples for which we are struggling. They are deceived by art- 
 ful demagogues into a posture of hostility to those whom, 
 knowing, they would love. It is against such men that you 
 may perhaps be arrayed, and the laws of war do not forbid 
 you to pity them even in the act of destroying them. It is 
 the more important that we should exhibit a proper temper in 
 this unfortunate contest, because many professed Christians 
 and ministers of the gospel at the North, are breathing out, 
 in their very prayers and sermons, threatenings and slaughter 
 against us. Oh ! how painful that a gray .headed pastor 
 should publicly exclaim, "/ loould hmig ttiem as quick as I 
 would shoct a mad dog" 
 
4 v LETTER TO A SOX IN CAMP. 
 
 0. Providence has placed you in the midst of thoughtless 
 and unpardoned men. What a beautilful thing it would be 
 if you could win some of them to the Saviour. Will you not 
 try 2 You will have many opportunities of saying a word in 
 season. T.ic sick you may comfort — the wavering you may 
 confirm — the back-slidcn you may reclaim— the weary and 
 heavy laden you may point to Jesus for rest to the sou!. It 
 is not presumptuous for a young man kindly and meekly to 
 commend tine gospel to his brother soldiers. The hardest of 
 them will n >t repel a gentle approach, made in private. And 
 many of them would doubtless be glad to have the subject 
 introduced to them. They desire to hear q{ Jesus, but they 
 lack courage to inquire of his people. An unusually large 
 proportion of pious men have entered the army, and I trust 
 they will give a new complexion to military life. Let them 
 search out each other, and establish a fraternity among all the 
 worshippers of God. To interchange religious views and ad- 
 'umistcr brotherly counsel will be mutually edifying. "He 
 that watereih shall be watered also bimse^£ ,, 
 
 And now, as a soldier has but little leisure, I will not oOOu* 
 py you longer. Be assured that every morning and evening 
 we remember yon, at the family altar, to our Father in Hea- 
 ven, We pray for "a speedy, just aud honorable peace," and 
 for the safe return of all the volunteers to their loved homes. 
 All the children speak often of "brother"-— and hear your 
 letters read with intense interest. That Grod Almighty may 
 be your shield and your exceeding great reward, is the con- 
 stant prayer of your loving father. 
 
 C, LERpI, riUNTER. R&G* 
 
 I 
 
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