William W. Bennett, A narrative of the great revival which prevailed in the Southern armies during the late Civil War

[267] in April at Macon, Ga., the wants of the army were seriously considered. After the presentation and advocacy of the plan of Army Missions by Rev. Dr. A. L. P. Green, Dr. J. B. McFerrin, and Dr. E. W. Sehon, the meeting appointed a committee to take into consideration the spiritual wants of the army of the Confederate States, and to report a plan by which the M. E. Church, South, through the agency of its Missionary Board, might, in some measure, supply those wants. The President, Bishop Early, appointed the following ministers as the committee: Bishop Pierce, Drs. McFerrin, Summers, Sellon, Green, L. M. Lee, Myers, and Revs. R. J. Harp and W. W. Bennett. In response to the report of the committee the Mission Board adopted the following plan:

Whereas information has reached this Board with regard to the destitution of ministerial service in the army of the Confederate States, and believing it to be the duty of the Church to supply as far as possible this deficiency: Therefore,

1. Resolved, That the Board of Managers of the Missionary Society of the M. E. Church, South, establish a branch of its operations in the army of the Confederate States of America, to be called the Army Mission.

2. Resolved, That the Bishops be and are hereby authorized and requested to appoint such general missionaries to the various departments of the army as in their judgment the demand requires and the funds of the Society may justify: Provided that they shall not appoint more than one general missionary to each army corps.

3. Resolved, That each general missionary appointed by the Bishops shall travel through the department assigned him, preach to the soldiers, visit those of them who are sick and wounded, and report to the Bishop having charge of his department the condition and wants of the army, and suggest proper persons to be engaged as laborers in the field.