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 Conf Pam 12mo #555 
 

 ADDEESS 
 
 OF THE BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION ( 
 VIRGINIA, JUNE 4th, 1863. 
 
 Lear Brethren :— Again have we assembled in our annua] con 
 *gfation with the cloud of war still- darkening the land. We humbrV 
 
 •i displeas- 
 ure against U3 for our sins; and although we. hare reason to adore his 
 gtfodness, that in the midst of deserved wrath He hath remembered 
 Kfercy, and saved us from the hand of those who hate us, not humbling 
 ws before our enemy, yet, how grievous has been our chastening I— 
 Thousands of once happy homes are made desolate; at thousands of 
 k&arth-stones tears are falling and anguished hearts are breaking.; 
 sair country has become the land of Rama ; throughout its borders is 
 h' \-d a voice of "lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Ra- 
 ifcel weeping for her children -and will not be comforted becauas;the/ 
 aa'e not." Still, whilst we "despise not the chastening of the Lord," 
 we take courage, and, in reference to the public welfare and the com- 
 mrjn cause, can say with his servant of old, "We are troubled on ev- 
 ery side, yet not distressed; we perplexed, but not in despair; per- 
 muted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed." We be- 
 fcald m the fiery trial, through which we are passing, that baptism ctf 
 •Ifferings by which men and nations are disciplined for the work ai>- 
 fdjnted to them. ^ 
 
 We have thought it meet, at this momentous crisis of our history, 
 m which the interest of our country and of the church are so deeply 
 Mfrolved, to address you, somewhat at length, upon the state of tna 
 - *"itry, the character of the war, and our duties as patriots and Ch^ 
 
 is. 
 
 hough God in scourging us has used the hand of a wicked nation 
 
 «irHis avenging instrument, we arc daily more convinced of the rights 
 
 jfcnsness of our cause, and have abiding faith, through Eis favor, of 
 
 «£imate, and we trust not distant deliverance from our ruthless ene- 
 
 T. We are contending not only for political liberty, but for righto 
 
 .conscience, assailed by fanaticism in the name of religion. Tl» 
 
 ,use and purpose of his atrocious war are no longer disguised. The 
 
 ask is thrown aside and the long-cherished purpose of the foe ; 
 
 ^avowed. We would speak here of the ^vj : J i j v ., u i, 
 
 Because 
 
Schjstory is ?o intimately connected with that of the church, and 
 caches such a fearful lesson of the danger of spiritual pride and Te- 
 dious intolerance. 
 Not designing politicians, but those who claim to be the follower^of 
 tie meek and lowly Jesus — ministers of the reconciliation — heralds' of 
 Ae gospel of peace, have sown the seeds of that; whirlwind which w 
 devastating the land. It is now many yeara since our Northmen* 
 brethren, in their fierce hostility to' the institution of domestic slaver j, 
 deaf alike to the voice of reason and the authority of Scripture, to tn® 
 pieadings of patriotism and ihe claims of Christian charity, by their 
 fiery and intolerant fanaticism, furrowed deep and broad the line *of 
 separation — thrusting us from their communion as unworthy to labor 
 with them in the fields of Christian benevolence and gospel enterprise. 
 Thus was planted the germ of certain and inevitable disunion. ¥jpr 7 
 how can a people harmonize as fellow-citiuens, who, because of discor- 
 dant moral standards, cannot co-operate either as fellow-Christians or 
 fealow-philanthropists ? Even the political philosopher could hav* 
 taught them that there is a sense of honor, a sentiment of self-respect, 
 which is with nations as with men, the strongest motive of action, and 
 mi insult to which admits of no atonement ; — that no ties of kindred 
 blood, no common inheritance of glorious memories, no community of 
 political traditions and ideas, no dreams of empire, no eafthly interest 
 €an induce sovereign and independent States to remain in intimate 
 league with those who have pronounced against them a decree of 
 moral outlawry. But to the Christian, who is proclaimed a fellon m 
 the house of his G-od, smitten at the very horns of the altar — -his name 
 cast out as evil, — the dear old Zion itself in which he claims his heav- 
 enly birth, denounced as a synagogue of Satan — there remains but tke 
 d&ternative, either to sit in sackcloth as a penitent for sin, or in con- 
 •cious innocence, casting from him the shackles of such a spiritual 
 bondage, to "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made hrm 
 free»" It were treason to the Lord that bought him to "give place 
 by subjection •' for an hour to such false brethren ; nay, it is a para- 
 mount duty to sever every tie which unites him with those who, in 
 calumniating him, dishonor the name of the Lord Christ. 
 
 At length the evil seed bore its bitter fruit — the natural and neces- 
 sary catastrophe came. But when Southern Christians, already re- 
 pelled from the fellowship of their Northern brethren, asking them- 
 selves, " how shall two walk together unless they be agreed," sought 
 by a peaceful political separation, and a new confederacy of homogene- 
 ous States, to end the ceaseless and mischievous agitation, and secute 
 to themselves the unmolested enjoyment of their institutions, their 
 rights of conscience, and Christian liberty, the Northern churches rose 
 in anger, and, with united voice proclaimed, like the Egyptian task- 
 masters, "TYe will not let this people go." Yes, those who for long 
 years had, from pulpit, press and platform, denounced the Union as 'a 
 ''league with sin," the Constitution -vs a " covenant of death,". nn4: 
 
groaned over the national flag itself as an emblem of the " stripes of 
 bondage," and who declared their consciences burdened because acOm 
 mon citizenship with us made them partakers' of our sin of slavery, now 
 enshrine that umou, that constitution, and that flag, as the very god? 
 of their idolatry, and refusing to let us, by a peaceful separation, re- 
 lieve at once their consciences and our own, incite against us a blood}-, 
 relentless and unscrupulous war. 
 
 Dear blethren, we lecord these tilings more in sorrow than in angwr 
 and under a sense of profound humiliation, at such an example of the 
 deceitfulness of the human heart. The history of Christian nations 
 we believe, furnishes no parallel. When hereafter, as apologists for 
 «ur holy religion,,we shall site the French revolution with its reign oi 
 terror, to show how all the philanthropic schemes of godless philoso- 
 phers and humanitarians are but a delusion and a snare, the sneering 
 infidel will point us to this atrocious war, waged in the name of Christ, 
 by decendants of the Puritans, by high-priests of philanthropy, tb* 
 once meek advocates of peace, who woujd scarce admit the lawfulness 
 of" defensive war. 
 
 . Let us study this lesson with heart-searchings for ourselves, stav- 
 ing to know what manner of spirit we are of; let us, whilst we con- 
 demn, pity the delusion of our brethren who have become' our perse- 
 cutors, — not in the spirit which says, " Stand aside, for I am holier 
 than thou," but, with humble hearts, earnestly praying for them and 
 for ourselves, lest we be also tempted and overcome of evil. "Let 
 us not be high-minded, but fear." 
 
 In addressing you upon our duties as Christians in the present cri- 
 sis, we Lure fist to our brethren in the army. 
 
 Soldiers — Brethren : Our hearts burn within us when we think of 
 ycu, our brave defenders, who have so' often stood, a living wall of 
 fire, between us and the ruthless invader. We cannot forget, — a 
 grateful country can never forget, your faithful services. When we 
 think of you, as with scant and coarse, soldier's fare, in tattered gar- 
 ments, Avit.1i unshod and bleeding feet, you toil along the weary marc*h, 
 scaling rugged mountains, threading tangled forests, lording rivers, 
 Struggling through miry marshes, shivering at the comfortless bi- 
 vouac, or tossed with fever on the hospital couch ; and know that you 
 '•ndure all this toil, privation and suffering, with a faith and patience 
 more heroic even than your dauntless daring amid the storm of battle, 
 we thank God and take courage j for we say, surely He hath caused 
 His presence to go with our armies. Brethren, you have place in 
 our hearts. We remember you in the sanctuary, and at the family 
 altar, mingling our prayers with the loved ones at home, that God will 
 have you in His holy keeping ; that your health and lives may be 
 precious in His sight; and that every battle-field shall inscribe your 
 banners with such victories, as shall wring a peace from Our'reluctant 
 foes, and restore you to your homes. But far more .earnestly than fqr 
 all. these, do we beseech Him to graciously keep you in the way or 
 
righteousness, and cause you to " walk worthy of the Lord unto all 
 pleasing." 
 
 Soldier of the cross! remember that you have a victory to achieve, 
 a reward to gain, an inheritance to enter upon, transcendently mote 
 glorious than any to which your country calls you. The captain of 
 our salvation has enlisted us for a warfare whose "weapons are not 
 carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds: 
 casting down imaginations and every high tiling that exaiteth itself" 
 against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 
 thought to the obedience of Christ. And there is no discharge fti 
 that war; neither does it allow any relaxation of discipline. Religion 
 "makes the same demands upon us in tho camp as at home. The per- 
 ils which environ us, far from lessening the obligation of Christian du- 
 ty, rather require us to walk more "circumspectly, not as fools, but 
 aS wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." 
 
 Bui, farther, dear brethren, have you seriously considered what a 
 field of labor lias been providentially appointed to you? how great a 
 Work lies before you? No pastor throughout the land has access to 
 such a plenteous harvest. Think of it; the ends of the Confederacy 
 meet together in the army congregation — it is as it were a gathering 
 of nations for you to plead with, and the missionary field lies around 
 your camp-fires. Not to the army chaplain, the occasional preacher, 
 or colporter, is it exclusively or chiefly given to leaven this great, mas^s. 
 The task is yours; upon you mainly will rest the responsibility : and 
 if the eves of the world are upon you as the champions of your coun- 
 try's cause, much more are you '• made a spectacle to angels and merf " 
 as witnesses for Christ. As soldiers, your individuality, yoar merits 
 or demerits, may be merged in the corps to which you belong; as 
 Christians, on the contrary, you are "like a city set on a hill which 
 cannot be hid." You profess to "have been with Jesus," and men 
 will note what you " have learned of him," for you are his "living 
 epistles, to' be known and read of all men." Seeing then that you have 
 received such a charge, and that your daily life is surrounded by* a 
 cloud of witnesses, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy 
 conversation and godliness? Watch- therefore unto prayer, giving afl 
 diligence .that you may approve yourselves -the servants of Christ, "by 
 pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy 
 Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of G-Oji, 
 by the armor of righteousness^ on th right hand and on tho left/' " 1,1 
 i& not enough that yon abstain from evil; you must do good: your 
 piety should be active and aggressive. • You can efficiently aid the 
 minister of Christ and. the tract-distributor in .their labors of love ; 
 and, more intimately and unobtrusively than they, can you speak a 
 word in season to your comrade, in the mess or on the. march, by the 
 Camp-fire or beside the sick-bed, — speak to him when his heart is 
 grateful in joy, or subdued by sorrow; wl^en his dewy eye tells you 
 that the letter from home has awakened touching memories, thought* 
 
 *• k 
 
perhaps of that holy thing, a mother's love and prayers. Many ate 
 your opportunities to speak, as others cannot, the fitting word at the 
 right time. Haye you a prayer-meeting in your company or regiment? 
 If not, seek till you have found, if it be but two or three, who can 
 Tglemnly meet together in the name of Jesus, to commune with each 
 other and with their Lord at the throne of the heavenly grace. Go<l 
 has already greatly blessed this instrumentality among our soldiers, 
 a£d if it more abounded, we doubt not the Spirit of glory and of God 
 Would descend' in Pentecostal seasons upon our armv. 
 
 Finally, brethren, we exhort you in the words of a holy apostle* 
 "JSe strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Take unto 
 you the whole armor of God. that ye may be able to stand in the evii 
 daj, and haying done all, to stand." 
 
 It is sad to think that this address may find many of vou prostrate 
 with disease, or disabled by wounds, in the hospital, or among stran- 
 gers, far from home. This is among your sorest trials. The sense of 
 duty, the active employments and responsibilities of the service, 
 which, in health, buoy up your -spirits to endure cheerfully privations 
 and toils, -stay not the languor aud helplessness of the sick-bed. And 
 though kind nurses may attend you, though some of those many no- 
 tj]e hearted women, who have relieved the darkest scenes of this hour 
 of trial by the beauty of their love, may hover like ministering angels 
 around your couch, still you feel a void is there. It is now that vou 
 would lean your head again, as in the hour ol childhood's weakness, 
 Upon a fond mother's arm, or upon that tender bosom which has hid 
 its life and love in yours; 3-011 long for a sister's gentle touch and 
 sweet soothing voice; or to hear the little prattlers at your bedside, 
 calling you father and brother. And yet,. clear Christian brother, 
 there is one standing by who loves you more than all these, saying to 
 you, "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid; " one who will place 
 around you his everlasting arms, and press you to his great loving 
 heart — the heart that bled fqr you. The Crucified One draws nigh to 
 you. Oh! lean upon Uim, for He is a "friend that stieketh closer 
 than a brother." It is He " who forgiveth all thy iniquities; who 
 hgaletli all thy diseases; who fedeeraeth thy life from destruction:" He 
 speaks to you m such words as these : " Can a woman forgot her suck-' 
 lipg ehtld', that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? 
 yea, they may forget, yet will I not for get thee."- Why then should 
 you doubt or fear? In the absence of earthly comforts find them all 
 in Jesus; and leave all with' Him; assured that He will richly sup- 
 ply your every need. Say to your troubled heart : " Why art thou 
 cast down, my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope 
 thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my 
 countenance, aflcl my &od." If the Shepherl and Bishop of your 
 soul be with you, the couch of affliction may be made to glorify Him i» 
 you, and if He goes before 1 , you can say with the Psalmist: "Yefa 
 though I walk through thevalley of" the shadow of death, I will fear 
 
no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staffj they comfor: 
 me." 
 
 Whilst onr much-enduring brethren in the army are standing be-, 
 tween us and the foe, we who remain at home have duties no less se- 
 rious and imperative to fulfill. We, too, have trials to endure, sacri - 
 fices to make, abuses to abate, and evils to encounter. Physical suf- 
 fering, the discomforts of the camp, and carnage of the battle-field, are- 
 not the most grievous evils of wa^. • History teaches vie the mournful' 
 lesson, that seasons of great public calamity are usually signalized al- 
 so by great public demoralization. Nor is this war destined to fur- 
 nish an exception to the rule. The worldly-mindedness, relaxation of 
 morals, and self-seeking which are wont to characterize scenes of qivil 
 war y pestilence, and famine, are rife among us. Painfully prominent 
 among the evils of the times is the eager greed of gain, fostering a 
 wide-spread and unscrupulous spirit of extortion. Yfith emphasis., 
 does the experience of to-day testify to the truth of the apostolic war- 
 ning, that "the love of money is the root of all evil • which while 
 some coveted after, they have erred from the iaith, and pierced them- 
 selves through with many sorrows." Christian brethren, can nothing 
 be done to rebuke this spirit, which is causing so many to "fall into 
 temptation and a snare," and thereby lessen those exhorbitant prices 
 of articles of prime necessity, which are menacing greater danger 
 to us than the arms of the invader ? It is evident that,, whilst there- 
 is no lack of provlsons in the land, yet this exaction is embarrassing 
 the government, impairing the public credit, depreciating thomrren- 
 cy, and creating distress among the people which may even result in 
 disaffection , for hunger knows no allegiance. There is a miserable 
 fallacy about the inexorable "law of Wade," with which men strive to 
 quiet their consciences — a law wholly inapplicable to a beleagered city, 
 ©r a blockaded country. We will not discuss here, however, the 
 laws of political economy. We urge .rather the claims of Christian 
 philantropy and patriotism. What are our obligations? Have we 
 not pledged each other •" our lives, fortunes, and our sacred honor,'' 
 in the public defence? It is a solemn compact — a partnership of na- 
 tional defence, in which the duties are divided. A half million of 
 our able-bodied men, the elect of the land,, in the flower of youth and 
 vigor of manhood, have agreed to leave their all, their pleasant homes, 
 wives and children, and the endearments of domestic life, to forego 
 the pursuit of gain, abandon the occupation which to multitudes wa-s 
 the sole means of livelihood for themselves and /Vnilies, to go forth, 
 not as mercenary soldiers,for their pittance of pa} suffices not for their 
 expenses, but as self-sacrificing patriots, endurin .all the hardships 
 and dangers of an ill equipped army against :ioe whose number 
 tripples theirs — all this they agree to do, that they may stand upOn 
 the borders of our country as a protecting wall, enabling you who re- 
 main at home to provide iri security the means of subsistence for your- 
 selves and them. Well and nobly have they redeemed their pledge 
 
:$ithe cost of thousands of precious lives ; and now, brethren, will you 
 eaeet your part of the obligation, and share the burden ? Or does the 
 "Maw of trade " mean that, because these half million of producers, 
 •by abandoning their pursuits and withdrawing from competition with 
 ycm, 'have left all the production in your hands, you will make- gain of 
 .*eir necessities ? Does this "law of trade" mean, that when yen 
 •psy your brave defenders tUsir miserable pittance, they shall receive 
 thejr $11 per month in Confederate money as at par with gold, but 
 when they or their families would purchase the means of subsistence, 
 She $11 shall be worth only $1 ? Is not this coining the blood of our 
 martyr-heroes and the tears ef their widows and orphans into sordid 
 fold — or rather, into the Nemesis of this grasping avarice may yet 
 caavent^into bundles of worthless rags ? Brethren, these thing ought 
 jiot so to be ; and a conviction both of their unrighteousness and im- 
 policy should induce every Christian and patriot to seek a remedy. Ifc 
 rs demonstrably for the interest of all, that by a reduction of prices our 
 «qrrency should be approximated to a par value. Many of our breth- 
 >3JBh have amassed fortunes during the war in the legitimate enterprise 
 «tf business, May we not ask of them, as the part of wisdom and 
 Christian charity, und as a thank offering to G-od, to seriously consid- 
 er how their capital may be used to check the monopolist, and restoie 
 m. our market something like a fair valuation ef articles ! Will not 
 €Hir brethren engaged in agriculture take this subject into prayerful 
 consideration, and consult together for the attainment of this end ? So 
 widespread is the sense of the grievance, that we are confident am 
 earnest effort made even by a few would find many helpers, and have 
 great results. Men of the world will pronounce an appeal like' this 
 to be a sheer Utopian scheme ; but we make it in the confidence that 
 out of 200,000 Christians in our State, many will be found both able 
 and willing to put forth an effort which cannot fail to draw down up- 
 ifa it a blessing from the greet Head of the church who loveth ns 
 all 
 
 We k^iw that we need not solicit your sympathy and hospitality 
 towards the homeless and pennilesss refugee who has given up all 
 rather than desert the cause of his country ; nor invoke your kind afc- 
 ten'jen to the sisk and wounded, nor your generous contributions to 
 supply the want of our soldiers in the field. Towards all these yOtir 
 B.^erality has abounded, and among the many glorious deeds which 
 the history of this war shall chronicle, there will be no brighter page 
 than that whijh records the story of this beneficence : and especially 
 x Will millions of hearts, in coming generations, glow within them as 
 lb ey read of their labors of love and do homage to the virtues of the 
 Tvdmen of "Virginia. We feel sure that not only will you continue to 
 give out ot your abundance, but that, shosld straitened circumstances 
 
 come, you will , share your scanty store with the needy-patriot.' 
 
 Whilst yon thus honor the claims of philanthropy and patriotism, for- 
 ;ct not your Christian obligations. We need not tell you that your 
 
pastor will require for his support greatly anlauged •owtri^utioBrs'.-— 
 JSven an increased salary may be found iBgwteqjiate. Let us then, 11* 
 &e fluctuating and uncertain state of things- which characterizes thes^- 
 jpesent evil times, recur to the primitive apostolic rule r &nsi the former 
 •sage of our churches ; and simply determine that the wants of otDR 
 . ministry shall be supplied. Let each, church authorize and by ife 
 bounty enable its deacous to provide for the comfortable support of ify 
 pastor, that he may freely and " continually give himself to prayer an* 
 the ministry of the word." 
 
 In conclusion, brethren, while we trust that none of our enterprises titt 
 benevolence will be neglected, we especially solicit your liberal sub- 
 port for the work of army colportage, in giving the word of life andu 
 leligious literature to our soldiers. And to this end, as we know of 
 mo more efficient organ for disseminating Christian influence, we re- 
 commend large subscriptions to our religious journals for distribution ih 
 r\j. Let every church determine that the soldiers who have 
 rone from its neighborhood shall be regularly supplied with a package 
 eithis healthy literature.. At home, let the most strenuous efforts b&. 
 made to sustain your Sunday schools, more needed now than ever fo 
 supply the want of other instruction, and to guard youth against the. 
 evils of the times. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves togeth- . 
 er, but esteem it of the last importance to maintain sactuary privileges, 
 the regular preaching of the gospel, and the ordinances of God'<&. 
 house, that you may "dwell in the secret place of the Most High, 
 and abide under the shadow of. the Almighty." And may grea'i. 
 grace be upon, us all,, both to do and to suffer His will in all thiags 
 
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