tfcis 
 
 Conf Pam 12mo #619 
 
 DTTlt,77TbB 
 
No. 8. 
 
 THE SENTINEL. 
 
 BY A LADY AT A MILITARY POST. 
 
 True religion is certainly calculated to inspire men with 
 courage, and is not unbecoming in a soldier. Why, then, 
 should it be imagined that the breastplate he wears neces- 
 sarily shields him from all serious impressions, or that the 
 fact of being a soldier should cause .him to be profane, 
 licentious, and to encase himself in the panoply of infidel- 
 ity? 
 
 • I would appeal to the soldier, -and ask, Are you not an 
 immortal being; and have you not an immortal soul ? And 
 if vicious principles have taken possession of that soul, 
 and you suddenly lose your life before your sins are for- 
 given, will you not carry them with you into eternity ? 
 
 Soldier, your business is to die. Eemember your expo- 
 sed situation, and your continual liability to death at any 
 period — but especially in actual service ; you may be cut 
 oif in a moment of time — your very calling is the place of 
 danger ; you must face the cannon's moufh, and stand bq-'' 
 fore a volly of fire. How necessary, then, for you to be 
 prepared ; and by a devotion to God, an enlistment into 
 
 "P72 U/> 
 
tlie army of the Lord Jesus, the Captain of salvation, fur- 
 nished with an armor that will make you secure under any 
 event. 
 
 A circumstance occurred a few years ago at one of our 
 remote military posts, which may be recollected by some 
 soldier whose eye may rest on this paper. 
 
 One morning, as usual, the guard appeared on parade, 
 and after undergoing the necessary forms attendant upon 
 such a ceremony, were marching to their proper stations, 
 and in turn were placed upon the posts assigned them as 
 sentinels. Before the expiration of their tour of duty, the 
 heavens gathered blackness, the win^ arose, and the calm 
 surface of the neighboring beautiful lake was in commo- 
 tion. 
 
 The poor Indian might be seen in his light canoe, ur- 
 ging his frail bark to escape the impending storm. He 
 might indeed, find a shelter in the gloom of the forest , 
 but not so the sentinel — his is an important station — ma- 
 ny hardships are his lot, and he must encounter them all ; 
 he must remain stnad/mt at liii iioU ; he must withstand 
 summer's heat and winter';! blast, hail and tempest, the 
 appalling thunderbolt^' and i/no lightning's vivid flash. 
 
 In such a perilous and trying situation was placed 
 
 at the period to which I allude. The thunder rolled heav- 
 ily over his head, accompanied by chains of ^ed lightning; 
 peal followed peal, and flash succeedod flash, yet still, he 
 stood apparently undaunted an. 1 unscathed. Whether his 
 confidence w.i-^ ni-i,^!^rl in ihe protecting power oi' ITimiuho 
 holch thr r/rcf / in his hand, and shakes and lights 
 
 the vault of iic<t\ ^^ when he pleases, or whether he looked 
 on and felt indifferent to the awi'iil .-cene around him, I 
 am not able to say; buh a moment came, when the electric 
 fluid touched the point of hi:; ])avonet, melted the harden- 
 <:d metal, ran down one pada of his body, tearing and bur- 
 
niny his ooat, and rending one shoe from oflF his foot, at 
 the same time striking him to the earth, a seemingly life- 
 less corpse. 
 
 Terror and consternation took possession of the minds 
 of those who were witnesses of the scene. The soldier was 
 conveyed to the hospital, where the surgeon of the post, a 
 skillful and efl&cient man in his profession, after a length 
 of time employed in faithful and persevering eiforts, suc- 
 ceeded in restoring suspended animation. 
 
 With what interest and excited feelings did his com- 
 rades gather around him at the time, lamenting his sup- 
 posed sudden exit from a world of joy and hope, to appear 
 before the great tribunal of the almighty Judge of quick 
 and dead. Some, perhaps, permitted the question to arise, 
 " Was he prepared V^ Others feared that he was cut off 
 without one ray of hope for happiness beyond the grave. 
 But how were their hearts relieved, when the first symptom 
 of returning life was visible in his beating pulse and throb- 
 bing heart. Then was the time when they maij have felt 
 that the mercy of God was great, beyond their expectation, 
 and adored him for his kindness in sparing a fellow-being, 
 who, but for the skill imparted to his valuable physician, 
 would, perhaps, never^ again have opened his eyes upon 
 this fair world, nor lived a n^onument of the power and 
 goodness of God. 
 
 When struck by the lightning of heaven, how happy 
 for this sentinel, if he was prepared to die ! — if nof^ and 
 if sensible of his apparent ne:i,rness to another world, what 
 would he have given in exchange for the assurance of the 
 salvation of his soul. 
 
 Happy indeed is the soldier who is disposed to raise his 
 thoughts to things eternal, and who has declared himself 
 to be on the Lord's side. God has promised to preserve 
 such as the apple of his eye, and to protect them as within 
 the hollow of his hand. 
 
Soldier, come, then, and enlist under the banner of the 
 Redeemer; engage in his service, and contend for the faith 
 once delivered to the saints — separate yourself, and come 
 out from the ranks of the enemy of Grod and of your soul, 
 and peculiar blessings shall be yours. 
 
 Christian soldier, you have important duties to fulfil, a 
 charge to keep, a heart to guard, and it becomes you, there- 
 fore, to be on the alert — declension in duty will produce 
 apathy of conscience, and a want of care and watchfulness 
 will extinguish the life of religion in the soul. 
 
 Be strong, therefore, and of good courage ; strenuously 
 maintain the honor of your King and Saviour; watch con-< 
 tinually, pray without ceasing, and nevtr desert the faith 
 by which you stand, and by which you are to overcome the 
 world aad all its temptations, nor lay aside the armor by 
 which you are to gain the victory over all your spiritual 
 foes. Let a constant and lively exercise of faith in the 
 Hsdeemer excite in you a disposition to be on jomx guard, 
 for the end of faith is the salvation of the soul. 
 
 Your warfare will soon be accomplished — and having 
 •• fought the good fight, and kept the faith, '^ you shall be 
 permitted to lay aside the tabernacle of clay, and be con- 
 ducted to regions of infinite refreshment, where awaits you 
 a crown of unfading glory and immortality. 
 
 " Eeligion is the chief concern 
 
 Of mortals here below ; 
 May I its great importance learn. 
 
 Its sovereign virtue know.^' 
 
 " Let deep repentaace, faith and love, 
 
 Be joined with godly fear ; 
 And all ray conversation })rove 
 
 My heart to be sincere. 
 
Hbllinger Corp. 
 pH 8.5