Interesting religious News from the soldiers.
At the meeting of the Colportage Board, at the First Baptist Church, on Thursday evening, several very interesting reports were received from Colporteurs at the various encampments in this State.
As all classes of the community are more or less interested in all that pertains to the spiritual comfort and well-being of our soldiers, we will present brief extracts from several of these reports:
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Mr. J. C. Clopton writes from the
Lynchburg encampment: ‘"To-day I had a delightful visit to the camps took my stand at the tent of a pious soldier, and for more than an hour the soldiers flocked around me and bought Testaments and other religious books as fast as I could sell them.
One young man remarked that he would have a Testament if he had to sell his coat to enable him to buy one.
Another bought ‘"Come to Jesus,"’ and after reading it sent it home to a friend whom he had left behind.
All treat me with the greatest kindness and manifest a deep interest in religious matters."’
Rev. W. G. Margrave, of
Lewisburg, writes: ‘"I have been busy, day and night, looking after the volunteers, and am happy to say that up to this time I have been able to supply all of them with the Word of God.
We have now in the field from this county (Grotnbrier) six companies, and there are now two here on their way to
Gen. Wise.
O, that the
Lord may smile upon our Southern Confederacy."’
Mr. C. F. Fry writes from
Winchester: ‘"I have been here two weeks laboring mostly among the sick, distributing Testaments and Tracts, and holding religious conversation.--On visiting the hospital, two of the sick soldiers asked me to pray for them.
After reading a portion of Divine truth and commenting upon it, I bowed down and invoked upon them the blessing of God.
Never shall I forget how earnestly they prayed, and how the tears flowed down their checks as they thanked me for the interest I had manifested in their behalf.
How grateful I feel for being privileged to engage in laboring for the souls of soldiers so noble and brave."’
Mr. M. D. Anderson, of
Aquia Creek: ‘"I find the soldiers eager to have books, and in a few days have distributed among them 40 Testaments, 22 Bibles, and 4,000 pages of Tracts.
I am greatly pleased with the work."’
Mr. R. W. Cridlin,
Mathias' Point: ‘"I find the soldiers anxious to have good books, especially small copies of the New Testament.
Many are pious and consistent Christians."’
Mr. J. W. Williams, Matthews county: ‘"I have morning and evening services, weekly prayer-meetings, and preaching every Sunday.
I am out of Tracts, and am very anxious to have a supply as speedily as possible.
Our men are all well."’
Mr. Henry Madison,
Richmond: ‘"I find it very pleasant going among the soldiers distributing to them printed truth.
They are, in many cases, delighted to have books.
I find many who are pious.
One company seemed to be composed almost exclusively of religious persons.
As soon as I can visit a regiment, it passes away to some other point, and another takes its place, so that I have not much chance to get acquainted with the men."’
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