SINS ABSOLVED A ROMAN C ./y:^. <^?t>c /i-iK Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive in 2010 witli funding from University of Nortli Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.archive.org/details/sinsabsolvedromaOOgorr SINS ABSOLVED; A Romance. War, Reli™n and Love. BY DR. J. R. GORRELL. DES MOINES: The Kenyon Printing & Meg. Co. 1895. DEDICATION: To the remaining soldiers of lotoa, Ohio, Indiana, and Minnesota, who are familiar u'ith many of the facts in ''Sins Absolved,'' this book is respectfully dedica ted. Newton, Iowa, December 1. 1895. CONTENTS. PAGE. Chapter I. — The Fires Kindled 9 Chapter II.— Dick Dale ^ 20 Chapter III.— Hugging a Delusion 40 Chapter IV.— General Wallace and the Chaplain 53 Chapter V.— Happy in the Midst of Sorrow. 81 Chapter VI.— Unwritten History 98 Chapter VII.— Hell Ill Chapter VIII. — Wallace's Lecture on His Travels in the East 142 Chapter IX.— No Idle Phantom 173 Chapter X. — From Columbia to Nashville . . 187 Chapter XI.— That Chaplain Again 205 Chapter XII. — " Avenge the Death of Wal- lace " 231 Chapter XIII. — A Hallowed Reality 253 Chapter XIV.— The Facts in the Case 263 SINS ABSOLVED. CHAPTER I. THE FIllES KINDLED. "Twelve o'clock! Why, Agnes, I did not know it Avas so late : I think an apology is due you for overstepping the bounds of propriety, as I have done to- night. Give me your hand in token that my offense shall not be remem- bered against me." " Oh, certainly," she said, giving him her hand, "I am the most forgiving' of mortals, and I solemnly pronounce your ' sin absolved.' " Then, with an expres- sion of deep tenderness in her soft gray eyes, in lower tones continued : " Don- ald, I trust you will never again think of apologizing for staying too long with me. I have been happy to-night ; I am always happy when you are with me." I o .S rXS A BS(tL\ 'ED . The unexpected reply thrilled the soul of Donald Wallace like an electric shock, and for the first time in his life he felt the fervent rays of the dawn of an unknown emotion, Xot a word w^as spoken of love : a love that was to hrino' to both so much sorrow and so much happiness. He merely said, "Agnes, I thank you. Good-night." Donald Wallace and Agnes ]\Iurray were both of Scottish ancestry. Their parents, in whose veins flowed the blood of some of Scotland's bravest and noblest men, came from the Highlands of that country to this at an early date. Having been friends and neighbors in their native land, they bought residences adjoining each other in a flourishing Puritan village in Massachusetts. Donald and Agnes Avere their only children, and, being possessed of ample wealth, no expense was spared in their culture. Private teachers, the best that money could procure, gave them instruc- WAR, RKLIGIoy AAD LOYK. I I tions together at Agnes' home. They were, therefore, playmates and school- mates, but appeared more like brother and sister than members of different families. Donald was two years older than Agnes, and was at all times her superior in scholarship. He graduated at Harvard College at the age of eigh- teen, with the highest honors. After his graduation he spent four years in the best colleges in Europe. He en- joyed the personal acquaintance of Max MuUer, Herbert Spenser, and the vener- able Humboldt. After the completion of his college course in Europe, he spent two years traveling in the Orient, where he became familiar with the languages, the customs, the legends and the theo- logical learning of Budha, Brahma, and Confucius. In personal appearance, on his return to his native land, which occurred on the first day of February, 1861, he pre- sented the appearance of an athlete and 12 N/.VN .■iiisi}[,rKri. scholar. lie stood six feet in his stock- ings, was broad shonldered and full chested : his massive head and his hu'ge. blue eyes were not forgotten after hav- ing been seen. He was reserved and refined in his demeanor. The Scotch strength of cliaracter was a[)parent in every word and action. Agnes Murray was at this time a trille above medium size, with a physique as perfect as that of Yen us. Her Grecian face combined sweetness and true wo- manly dignity. Her native modesty, superadded to the highest culture attain- able in the institutions of learning that admitted women, and two years of in- struction in music by the best teachers in Italy, gave to her a charming person- ality, and a womanly grace not often possessed by anyone, at that time. It was Donald's intention, after a few months' rest, to enter the legal profes- sion. During the two months after his return from Europe he spent many WAR. RELlaloy AXD LOVE. 13 evenings in Agnes' company at her father's home. It was on the evening of April 11, 1861, that for some reason, unknown to himself, he had tarried longer than usual, which necessitated the apology at the beginning of this chapter. On the day of the 12th the thrilling- news flashed over the wires that Fort Sumter had been fired on. The whole neighborhood was aroused; no subject was mentioned but war ; even on that day there were trembling lips and tear- bedimmed eyes ; enlistment was on every hand the subject under consideration. Late in the afternoon Donald rode rapidly to the Murray mansion, and was met at the gate by Agnes. As he dis- mounted he gave her his hand, to which she clung as she had never done before. " Agnes," he said, " as soon as I heard Fort Sumter had been fired on, and I had determined to raise a company and enter the service, something said to me. I/}. SZ.TS ABSOLVED. ' Go and see Agnes,' and I am here. I suppose I am here to have you urge me to raise a company quickly, enter the service, and if need be, give my life a willing sacrifice to my country." She still held his hand, and Avith a quiver of her lips which she could not conceal, said : " I can't urge you. I know you will do your duty, and what- ever that may be, I shall always feel a deep interest in your welfare." They lingered for an hour at the gate, and then walked slowly and thought- fully to the house. [le said, when taking Mi*. Murray's hand, '"I have found it somewhat diffi- cult to make up my mind, but I have reached a conclusion and shall act at once. I shall call a meeting at the court house to-morrow night and ask for volunteers. Any aid you can give me in publishing a notice of the meet- ing will be appreciated. I am now ready to say good-bye." iVAR, TtELIOKiX AXD fjni-:. 15 Mr. and Mrs. Murray "'ave him an affectionate farewell without emotion, but Agnes' hand trembled and her eyes filled with tears as she said, " May Heayen bless and protect you." He hurried to the gate, mounted his horse and rode awa3\ The meeting at the court house was more than a success. The fires of pa- triotism were already burning in eyery home and the whole people were aroused. The court house was filled to its maximum capacity. Donald spoke for an hour, surprising all with his deep earnestness, his patriotism, and his thrilling eloquence. He began calmly, in a tone that was hardly aboye a whisper, but as he proceeded the whole man was gradually absorbed and transfigured, as in a fountain of fire, which then poured forth in one tumultuous and oyer whelm- ing torrent of melody, the splendor of appeal, of pathos, and inyectiye, and sar- casm, and beauty, till those present lost 1 6 N/XN .\iis(i!.\'h:i). consciousness of self, and were borne away as on a ''golden river flowing to the lands of dreams." I lis eloquence had in it the allluent potentiality of the ris- ing- sun ; of the lonely mountain ; of the lono" successive surii'es of the resound- ing sea. His periods were as lucid as the light ; his logic was irresistible ; "his words were crystal clear;'- his magnificent person towered in dignity, and seemed colossal in its imperial grandeur; his voice gi-ew in volume as he became more aroused, and his lan- guage glowing with the fire of convic- tion, rose and swelled, and broke like the great ocean wave that shakes the rock-bound shore. His speech was ad- dressed to the reason, and not to the imagination, but you seemed to feel the rush of the tempest, and to hear the crash of bi'eakers and the howling of fi-antic gales and sobbing wail of home- less winds '' in the bleak and haunted regions of perpetual night/' Several ^VAU. RELKUny AXD LDVH. 17 time^ he brought the entire audience to their feet, and when he reached the climax — the duty of the American citizen in the hour of his country's peril — the wildest excitement prevailed. At the close of his address volunteers were called for, and Donald's name headed the list. Within thirty minutes the necessary number of names were added to fill the company, and Donald Wallace was elected captain by acclamation. A telegram was sent to the governor tender- ing him the company, and his acceptance was received before the expiration of an hour. A second telegram from the governor to Captain Wallace, furnishing transportation for^ his company, and directing him to report at rendezvous with his company at the earliest possible moment, was received in a few moments after the first. Captain Wallace directed all those who had enlisted to meet him at the depot the next morning at 11 o'clock, as the train left at 11 : 30. SLVS ABSOLVED. The morning came, and with it a large and entluisiastic crowd of people. Ev- erybody wanted to see the first com- pany leave for the seat of war. The old and the young, the infirm and the strong, men, women and children, many of them having arrived before sunrise. And such scenes ; such joys and sor- rows ; such mingled emotions of hope and fear, of partings and of blessings. Aged parents parting with only sons, mothei's' last farewells, and the deep suppressed sob of lovers, gave emotions before unknown to me, and reminded me of the final judgment, when loved ones are to be separated forever, if orthodoxy proves to be the religion of Jesus Christ. In less than ten days the requisite number of companies had arrived at the regimental rendezvous. The regiment was organized and Capt. Donald Wal- lace of Company A was elected major. In a few days after the regimental organization was completed, it was or- WAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. I9 dered to the front, and box-cars trans- ported the precious freight. Less than thirty-three per cent ever returned. Sixty per cent of as noble young men as ever died on the battle-field were bnried among strangers. The life of the soldier now begins in earnest. The regiment goes into camp within twenty miles of a Confederate force of superior number. While in this camp and before they had been in an engag-ement the follow- ing letter came to Major Wallace : Major Wallace : ^^^^^' ^^^^^^ ^^P^''^ -- ^^^l. Mij Dciir Friend, — You will probably be surprised to receive a letter from me, as you did not ask me to write to you. 1 bave determined to spend a sbort time witb my relatives in Scotland. Wby I go I will explain to you if we ever meet again. I leave New York on the earliest steamer bound for London. I will write to you again as soon as I reacli my desti- nation, and give you my address. I liave no right to ask you to write to me, but as 1 once felt justified in saying to you, " I shall always feel a deep interest in your welfare."' it appears tome not improper to let j'ou know just what I said, and tliat I meant it then, and I mean it now. Your friend, Agnes Murray. CilAPTEK II. DICJv DALE. The routine duties of camp life had continued less than ten days. The col- onel, lieutenant-colonel, the major and the adjutant were at dinner, when the colonel remarked : " I saw in a i^ew Yoi-k pai)er this morn- ing that a large ocean steamer had been wrecked in a storm at sea and all on board were lost except three persons. A young- fearless fellow whose name was Dick Dale was one of the survivors. I remem- ber his name for the reason that I knew his father. Dick, the captain, and the first mate only were saved. They were the last to leave the vessel in a lifeboat, and they alone wei-e picked up. Dick, like his father, was a man of remarkable coolness in danger, and personal courage far up toward the border line of reckless- • WAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 21 iiess, and he behaved like an old seaman. It became apparent to the crew in a few moments after the storm of great violence strnck her that she could not survive, and the passengers became wild with fear, and in defiance of the orders of the captain and the earnest protestations of Dick Dale they launched the lifeboats and hurried into them, in a sea in which no lifeboat could live. By the way. Major, a favorite among the passengers, described as a sweet-faced, sad-hearted girl, though a special effort was made to save her, was lost. Her name was Agnes Murray, and her home was where you enlisted from. I suppose you w^ere not acquainted with her ? " The major stared wildly at the colonel, his face grew deadly pale and his voice trembled as he said, '' Have you the paper ? " It was apparent to the mess that some awful emotion stirred his soul. The colonel rose in dignified silence, brought 22 S7iVS ABSOLVED. the paper and handed it to liini. The major left the table and went to his tent. The account of the storm and its results were as follows : " (ireat storm at sea ; the steam ei" L — . believed to be one of the safest ocean vessels, is lost and all on board lost, except three persons. A gale of great fury struck her at 7 :30 a. 31. ; man_y of the passengers were in bed ; the signal of danger was given and the wildest excitement ])revailed. The life- l^oats wei'e torn from their places, launched and filled with excited pas- sengers, only to be swallowed uj) by an angry sea. The boats were launched in defiance of the captain's orders, whose strong, firm voice rose above the roar of the storm, • Xo boat can live in such a sea.' One of the passengers, whose name was Dick Dale displayed the cour- age of a true hero ; he declined to go into the lifeboat while there were others on board who were more anxious to live than he was. He walked quietly among WAR. RELKUdX AXD LOVE. 23 the passengers and urged them to be cahn, with a coohiess that surprised even the ca])tain. The only female passenger who exhibited neither fear or excitement, was Miss Agnes Murray. Twice before she consented to go into the lifeboat she had declined, saying, 'It's no matter about me.' When all had left the ves- sel and the relentless billows of a wild and boisterous ocean had swallowed them, the captain, the first mate, and Dick Dale stepped into the only remaining and least seaworthy lifeboat, just as the vessel sunk. They were picked up six hours later by a vessel bound for ]N"ew York.'' What the major's emotions were as he read the account no one will ever know. An hour later he sent a note to the colonel, asking to be excused from duty for two days. He did not go to supper that evening, nor to breakfast or dinner the next day. At 2 o'clock the colonel in person went hurriedly to the major's tent, and said, "Scouts have just come 24 •'^'^-'^'•'^' ABSdLVED. ill and tliey have informed me that riumphrey Marshall is coming down ?*[iddle Creek Vvith a force of twice our number, and we shall have to fight within an liour or retreat, and I came to ask you if you wished to be excused from duty." Wallace sprang to his feet with the ])ound of an athlete and exclaimed, "Ux- (■n.-^ed from dntij! No. Colonel, I shall be ready for business in three minutes." The whole man was in an instant trans- formed from a dejected, heart-broken fellow to a man of the most soldierly bearing I ever saw. "Colonel." said Major Wallace, ''let us meet him, and if it is to our advan- tage, let us choose our battle-field, as W^ellington did at W^aterloo." The long roll was sounded and in ten minutes the regiment was marching up Middle Creek to meet the enemy. It is probably not an exaggeration to say, that no ofhcer during the w^ar presented a finer or more soldierly appearance than iVAli. RKLIGTOX AXI) LOVE. 25 did Major Wallace that day. His mas- sive and finely proportioned physique, his faultless dress, and his magnificent plume made him a conspicuous mark. He was happy almost to hilarity. They had marched less than half an hour until Confederate cavalry was in their front. Tlie regiment Avas halted for a few minutes and a council of war held between the colonel, lieutenant- colonel and the major. The major said, "Colonel, I am fami- liar with this whole neighborhood. I can take 300 men, go up this ravine, cross that low spur of the mountain, and in thirty minutes can have my men par- tially concealed, and be in position to deal a destructive blow when they least expect it. I hope you will excuse me for this suggestion, and I am at your service.'' The colonel took his hand and said, •'Major, I thank you. Make your selec- tion and proceed at once."' 3 26 .Sf.VN AliSliI.VKD. AVitliin five minutes the major and 300 picked men disap])eared \\\) the ravine. •"The point at which I hope to make an attack," said AVallace, before leaving, '• is less than half a mile distant, and I knoAv at the first gnn you will come to my assistance." The colonel made his iirst speech to the remaining" TOO; he explained the danger in which their comrades were })laced, and the necessity for prompt action at the signal of firing in their front. " This will l>e your first engage- ment, but I expect from you the coolness of veterans. Every man can cover him- self with glor}' or disgrace. Less than heroic duty on our part will result in the same fate for the gallant Wallace and his noble three hundred, as came to Leonides at the pass of Thermopyhe, and they will go down as did the Spartans.'" The speech was scarcely ended until the roll of musketry was heard and quickly followed by the thunder of a ^VAR. RELIGION AXD LOVE. 27 battery. The major had not succeeded in getting his men in just the position he desired. As he readied the summit of the low range of mountains his keen eye observed a force of more than twice his number less than 400 yards distant already in line of l)attle supported by a battery of six guns, and the advancing Confederate skirmish line opened fire at once. Every man grasped the situation. The battery opened with grape and can- ister. The major saw the moment was fearfully critical, and with his sword flashing in the sunlight, his eye blazing like that of IN^apoleon's at Austerlitz, he dashed the whole length of the line in an instant and shouted in a voice that echoed from hill-top to hill-top and sounded like distant thunder, " That hattery must he taken. Courage, hoys, charge! '' And such a charge ; with the fearless- ness of Roman soldiers they rushed to victory or death ; such relentless fury ; NLVS AIiS(iLVi:i>. tlie coiirag'c ot'de^^pair seized exevy man ; the line was rapidly decimated by volley after \olley of grape and canister at short range ; the line for an instant "wavers; the major re-forms them in an instant; his horse is shot under him; his orderly falls dead l)y his side ; the color-sergeant is mortally wounded : still undaunted he bade them charge ; fear was banished, pity w^as forgotten ; like a cyclone they swept forward, leaving death and destruction in their track, ^o human beings could stand such a charge ; the gunners were killed at their posts ; the infantry fled ; the victory was com- plete, — but at what a cost. Of the oOO who entered the engagement one-third were gone. The colonel and the 700 made every efl:ort in their power to reach the battle-field, Init they were too late. It Avas fought and won before they arrived. The next morning after the battle a young man came into camp and asked WAR. HELIGIny AXD IJJVE. 29 for Major Wallace. He was directed to the major's tent. The major and the colonel were sitting in front talking of their victory and of the casualties of the day before. The young man saluted them and said. "I am Dick Dale ; I am -one of the sur- vivors of the ill-fated steamer L — , and I would like to join your regiment if you have a place for me.'' The colonel took his hand and said, " My dear fellow if you have the coolness and courage of your father we need you, we made a place for you yesterday ; " and he added sorrowfully as he walked away, ''You need an orderly, Major, as yours was killed ; better give the boy a trial." The major and Dick went into the tent and were seated. A painful silence followed, neither one knowing how to begin a conversation that both expected would bring heart-sobs to one and per- haps to both. 30 'V/TS ABS(ir.vt-:r>. At last before a word was spoken Dick took from his ])ocket a locket and handed it to the niajor, saying. "Miss Agnes Murray gave it to me and re(jnested that if she was lost to give it to yon. 'and yon may say to him," she said, 'my last thoughts were of him. If I survive return it to me.' '' The major opened it with trembling hands pressed it to his lips and sobbed aloud as if his heart would break. " O, Agnes I If I had told you what you were to me you would not have gone.'" After a long silence, and he had some- what regained his composure, he said, •• Was she afraid to die ? " *' I saw no evidence of fear. She and I were together on the deck when the storm struck us. We were discussing the threatening appearance ; the thick black clouds, vivid lightning and terrific thunder and the apparent anxiety of the sailors gave us apprehensions of dan- ger. Suddenly the fury of a storm at II'.IK. HKLKiloy .l.\D LilVH. 31 sea Avas upon us. The engine was dis- abled and the wheels stopped, and the great ocean steamer seemed to drop a hundred feet into a trough, the waves rose far above us on either side and we were helpless in midocean. The vessel was swept with waves and we Avould probably have been carried overboard, but for our firm hold on the railing. It was then she took the locket from her neck and gave it to me with the request already referred to. She also said with absolute indifierence, as far as I could see. 'As to danger, you are an expert swimmer and your apparel being less cumbrous than mine you will probably be saved and I lost.' At that time the wildest excitement prevailed, and consternation seemed to be in every heart. The life- boats were torn from their fastenings and launched wholly without judgment and in defiance to the orders of the cap- tain. The captain said she left the steamer in the third lifeboat before the ■/.Y.S AIiS(il.Vi:D. one ill which I left. She was one of twelve, he said, and before their boat was ten feet away it ea})sized and the ang'ehs came and took her. She was not afraid to die, and I think she did not care to live." Dick rose and left the tenl. The major was in his place on di'ess parade that evening, as il' no forest fire had so lately swept his soul, leaving desolation in its track. The next morning when the orderly came for instrnctions. the major said, ''Dick, what is the matter, you are not yourself this morning ? '' '• jSTo. major, I am not : I cried all last night. I fear I am not doing my duty. I have a secret which would prohnibly make you more ha])py than you are, but if I tell you, it will certainly make me miserable ; what shall I do ? "* "Don't tell me unless lam mortally wounded. I will not commit suicide by purposely pntting myself in danger, but I will not step out of the way of a bullet to save my life. I will be killed within a year and then I will meet Agnes in heaven, and there will be no more heart- aches for either of us. Don't cry any more, Dick, it's nnsoldierly,-' and the tears came into his own eyes. " Good-morning, Major,*" called the chaplain from the door of the tent. '' Come in. Chaplain.'' " ]^o, thank you ; J merely called to ask you to announce on dress parade this evening that there will be preach- ing at 11 o'clock next Sunday from the colonel's tent." ''All right. Chaplain, I will do so with pleasure." At the appointed time, the chaplain preached a typical orthodox sermon from the text : '' The potter hath power over clay to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor," interspersed with lengthy quotations from the Pres- bj^terian confession of faith, teaching 34 •'^'?-V>-' -\ns. and tlie literal ti'an^lation of many other passages in the Bible : its inliuence is, therefore, in favor of irreligion/' "Mr. C'liaplain, your })remises ap])ear to me defective, your reasoning falla- cious and your conclusions eri'oneous. The human mind is naturally religious, and only rebels against that which a])- pears unreasonal)le. Thinkers draw the line between those higher facts of con- sciousness, which ti'anscend any exer- cise of the faculties we now possess, and that are likely ever to lie concealed in the unexplored labyrinthian jungles of the human soul, and of the alleged facts that are beginnino- to be reco«'- nized to be in defiance of human reason. You seem to foi-get that the thinking leaders in theology have begun to accept the conclusions of science, and have given a liberal and i-ationalistic explana- tion to the myth and legend of many statements in the Bilde. Xow, has any harm been done to the Bible ? On the WAR, RELKilOX Ayi) LdVK. 37 contrary, it has been made all the more precious to us by these new divine rev- elations through science. From these myths and legends, caught from earlier civilization, we see an evolution of the most important moral and religious truths for our race. Keligion has thus been lib- erated from the thralldom of theories which thinking men saw could no longer be maintained. Where is the irreligion in the knowledge of the fact that the accounts of creation, and of many other earlier events in the sacred books, were remembrances of lore obtained from the Chaldeans ? The beautiful story of Joseph is derived from . the Egyptian romance, of which the hieroglyphics may still be seen. The story of David and Goliath is poetry. And Samp- son, like so many other men of strength in other religions, 'is probably a sun myth.' What evil will result if it is known that the inculcation of high duty in the childhood of the world was em- 38 N?VS AnSOLVKD. bodied in such quaint stories as those of Jonah. Balaam and Lot? And Avhat is tlie harm in having learned that the blessed founder of our religion viv/x (t mail / What matter if those v.ho in- cor])orated the creation lore of J^aby- lonia and other oriental nations in the sacred l)ook of the IIel)rews mixed it with their own conceptions and deduc- tions ? AYhat evil is to come from the fact that Darwin changed the whole aspect of our creation m3'ths : that Lyell and his compeers placed the He- brew story of the creation and of the deluge of Xoah among legends ; that Capernicus put an end to the literal accei)tance of the sun standing still for Joshua ; or that Halley, in pro- mulgating his law of comets, put an end to the doctrine of signs and won- ders ; that Pinel, in showing that all insanity is physical disease, relegated to the realm of mythology the witch of Endor and all stories of demoniacal U'AU. RELUiliiy AXI) LOYK. 39 possession ; that the Rev. Dr. Shaff and a mnltitnde of recent Christian travelers in Palestine have put into the reahn of legend the stor}^ of Lot's wife trans- formed into a pillar of salt ; and that anthropologists, by showing how man has arisen everywhere from low, brutal beginnings, have destroyed the Avhole theological theory of the ' Fall of man.' The great body of sacred literature becomes more valuable to us, as we grasp the law of evolution, that through myth, parable and poem we are ap- proaching a reasonable religion, taught by Jesus Christ. Unitarianism is the crystallization of the teaching of the mrm of Galilee, with a full recognition of the eternal fact that the laws of na- ture have never been interfered with, and that a personal exemplification of His teaching, which w^e believe to be not only possible but the sensible thing to do, is life in Christ.'' CHAi'TER III. IIUGGIXG A DELUSION. Tlie routine of camp life continued for several months with l)ut little to inter- rujH its nionotonv. Their communication with the base of supplies was occasion- ally cut oil', necessitating foraging. Dick Dale soon established and main- tained the reputation of a reckless forager and his daring several times came near costing him his life. On one occa- sion he left the camp early in the morn- ing. ex])ecting to return in time for dinner. One, two, three, four and five o'clock came and he had not returned. General anxiety was felt for his safety. The major had his horse saddled, his carbines and his revolvers in their places and his liorse standing at his tent. For the iirst time in his soldier life he appeared nervous. II is held glass had 40 WAR, RELKilON A^D LOVE. 41 been to his eye for an hour, looking in every direction. Suddenly he dropped his glass, mounted his horse, plunged his spurs deep into his sides and was off like the wind. Less than half a mile brought him in full view of Dick closely pursued by four mounted Confederates. Dick's horse, though the best in the regiment, impeded as he was by two turkeys and seven chickens, w^as not a match for the Kentucky thoroughbreds. Instantly the major Avas by his side and as he approached, pitched him a carbine, and the next moment two of the Con- federate saddles were empty and the other two pursuers fled. Dick remarked to the major, with a twinkle in his eye, as they rode back to camp, each leading a horse, "I don't know what I am to do for feed for two horses ; I have had to divide my rations with one for the last ten days." On the following day, the colonel's health being poor, he tendered his resig- 42 N/.YS .UiSiiLVHI). nation. The lieutenant-colonel was a man of reniarkal)le niodesty. and he requested that Major Wallace be com- missioned colonel. The major had steadily grown in the estimation of the men. His uniform kindness to them, his courage, and liis persistent unwillingness to receive the ])est of that which was brought in by the foragers, and his dignified soldierly i^ear- ing was their ideal of a military hero, and they almost worshiped him. In a few days after he was commis- sioned colonel he received marching orders, and in less than a month they were under fire more than thirteen hours in one of the bloodiest battles of the late war, whicli lasted two days. Kai'ly in the battle the brigade com- mander to which his regiment belonged, w^as killed, and he being the raiiking col- onel at once took command of the brigade. He had two horses shot under him, and was shot through the calf of the leg, but WAR. RELIGIOX AXD LOVE. 43 remained at his post of duty under fire until the victory was won. He was brevetted brigadier-general " for unsur- passed gallantry on the battle-field." lie remained on his horse and under heavy fire for six hours after he was wounded. Twice a superior officer said to him, ''The rear is the place for a wounded man, and while your country needs you right now, I fear you will faint from the loss of blood." The colonel said. '' I must be with my brigade when the final charge is made.'' and he was. "My dear General."' said the chaplain, " I am glad your wound is no worse, you will be in the saddle in a few days, but as you are a man of great personal cour- age and expose yourself to shot and shell that is sometimes believed to be needless, it appears to me to be a proper time for you to seek salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. A vicarious atone- ment is needed by all, and those of a pure 44 S/.VS AliSOLVKl). life are prone to l)e self-righteous and therefore need it more even than those having led a wicked life."' •'The hlood of JrsKs!" exclaimed the general. " Well, Chaplain, I am not a coward on the battle-field, and I am not afraid of my record. As I am now in the hospital, snn*onnded by soldiers suf- fering with gangrene, and though my wound is slight it may be attacked with gangrene and I be mustered out to ap[»ear before the bar of God in a few hours, it is neither immodest nor bombas- tic in me to say what I believe to be the truth of myself." " Hello, Dick ; here you are again. I su])pose you are going to dress that leg. Mr. Chaplain come again, I want to have a longer conversation with you upon the subject under discussion to-day." " Dick sit down on the edge of the bed near me ; I want to talk to you. I like the surgeon ; he is a jolly, Avhole- soul, good fellow, and he is very kind to WAR. RNLltiloy ASD lJ)Vt:. 45 me, but I do think your touch is lighter than his, and I know you pull the lint out of that rat hole in my leg with less pain than he does. I don't know what I would do if it was not for you. I think you would steal the Southern Confed- eracy blind to get me something to eat. But, Dick, you are a bold, reckless fellow ; you take chances that are not demanded by the highest soldierly bear- ing. I was watching you when you car- ried that box of cartridges through that awful storm of minie-balls. sweetened with grape and canister, and I saw your horse fall. A shudder came over me and T said to a corps commander who was near by me, 'My God! Our best orderly is killed.' We saw you spring to your feet, grab the cartridges, and on the dead run, take them to the captain through a storm of lead and fire from which we saw no hope of escape. He directed me to put 3'ou in the line of promotion, and he brevetted you major 46 s/_vs Ans(iL\'i:i>. for gallantry on the battle-iiekl. By the way, Dick, do yon knoAv that if yon had been killed when yonr horse was shot nnder yon the battle wonld have l^een lost, and the whole conntry wonld to-day l)e in nionrning over the defeat, instead of reioicing- as it now is over a g-reat victory, and defeat in that battle wonld have prolonged the war at a cost of millions of money, and thonsands of lives."' '■ AVhy. rxeneral,"* said Dick, "'what have I done that yon shonld slap me in the face with snch scathing ii'ony? no- body bnt yon pays any attention to me ; they say I am prond becanse I am yonr orderly. I am scarcely spoken to once a day. and no one comes to my tent. I might as well be in a great wilderness as here. Jnst yesterday the cook called me a damned stnck-np dude, becanse I couldn't bring him a pail of water when I was coming to dress your leg, and when I told what I was going to do, he ii'.i/.'. hi:ltgi(ix Axn i,nvi:. ^-j said, ' Oh, hell ; vuu dress his leg. that's too damned thin ; let the surgeon do that, and you bring me a pail of water, or I will put a head on you/ I never heard such language in all my life ; it fright- ened me: And now if you turn against me I will go home/' "'Well, Diet, in the first place, you have no home ; in the second place you are an enlisted man and can't go home ; in the third place you are the best orderly in the army, and in the foui'th place I meant just what I said, and there was no irony in it. When you came back to me after delivering the cartridges, I felt then as I do now, that I would like to embrace you as Napoleon did Marshal Xey.'' "Well, General, as you are in earnest, you haTe my permission ; for, if I could be hugged into the delusion, for a few moments even, that I was like Marshal ]S'ey, I would be happy. Even that would beat no hugging, and I have ob- S/.VX AliSdLVHI) ser\ed that in army life tluM'e is a great dearth of that kind of entertainment/' '' Yes. Dick ; von. my oi'derly, Avas, in the providence of God. the cause of the great victory, and you [)revented defeat. I do not mean a special provi- dence, for that would mean a i-lniiiyeahlr Oi'ity, a special adjustment of some- thing that had not been anticipated and provided for. and that was not in the original plan, but I mean in the grand sweep of (iod's plans you were the key- stone in the arch. You know the last desperate charge of the enem}', that was so magniiicently repulsed by our brig- ade, occuri'ed within ten minutes after that company got the cartridges from your hands. You also know that the company was out of ammunition, and that it was in almost the mathematical center of the brigade. And you know that brigade held the post of honor, and of the greatest danger in the line of battle. You know our who^e line was Tl'.lfi, RELKilny AMi LitVE. 49 advanced, and the final charge all along the line, that resulted in rout and vic- tory, occurred twenty-three minutes thereafter. If that company had given way at that awfully critical moment, as they would have done in five minutes, what then ? For no amount of valor will hold men in line without ammuni- tion. Even Eoman soldiers or Xapo- leon's old guard would not attempt to repel a charge without means of de- fense. Xot even the invincible Grecian phalanx, commanded b}' Alexander the Great, could have withstood such a charge as that without the necessary Aveapons of war." "'Dick, I like you for your kindness to me, for your courage, and for your unvarying dignified bearing. I have observed your every action since you came to the regiment from that awful wreck at sea, in which all that was dear to me went down, and no time, in camp, on the march, or on the battle- 50 .i.YS J i;S'i[.VKD. Held, have vou (Idiie ;in_vthiiig' excei^t that which woiihl be coiniiiended if (lone by the most schohii-ly Christian gentleman ; and more than that, Dick," and something came into his tliroat and tears came into liis eyes, ''if my poor h)St Agnes had ever had a brother. I wonld think yon were he, yon are so nineli ]ik<> Iter. Kxctise my emotion, Dick, and y(jn mnst not cry ; we ai'e soldiers now. and we are not snp])osed to have hearts.'' •• (reneral," said Dick, " I am only a ])oor ontcast. I have neither friends nor home. I have nothing out of the army to live for. The only person I evei' loved I then sn])posed did not re- turn my love. I was saved from death at sea, at the time of that wreck, almost against my will, and I determined to go into the army, and. if necessary, throw my life away in battle. All I can now do is to thank yon, and to assure yoti that I will prove worthy of TI'.IR. RELT(rlOy AXD TJ)VK. 51 your respect and confidence if I have to die to do it. I said, when yon ap- pointed me yonr orderly, that I would perform all duties imposed upon me in a fearless manner.*' •• Yes, my dear boy, and you have more than kept your promise. But, Dick, what have you to say about the major's commission ?'* •' I would gladly accept it, and I would not bring dishonor upon the shoulder-straps. You will, however, lose an orderly." "But I will get a major for my staff,'' said the general. '' Hello ! there comes the chaplain. You may remain, Dick, and hear the conver- sation. I am going to do my utmost to drive him into an impenetrable theologi- cal jungle, and then I am going to hammer the brush. After all, the best man is merely the product of ancestral influence and his environment, and, if it be true that humanity as a whole is to the stream 52 .S7A"N Ai:SnLVi:]>. of creative enero-y at^ is a hu1)ble on the surface of a river out of wliicli it but recently came, and into which it is soon to go, even then a ])iire life pays an annual dividend of fifty \)ev cent on the investment/' CHAPTER lY. (lEXERAL AVALLACE AND THE CHAPLAIN. "CTOod-morniiig, General," said the chaplain, " will yon have a cigar ? " "!N^o, thank yon. Chaplain, I never smoke. When we last parted, Mr. Chap- lain, I had jnst said, in view of my present surronndings, it Avas neither im- modest nor bombastic in me to say the trnth, and that I am not afraid of my record. And yon had said, " ISTo matter what my record had been, that I mnst obtain salvation throngh the blood of Jesns, in a vicarions atonement, or be doomed to endless perdition.' A personal reference to myself is, therefore, proper under the circumstances." ''Yes, General," said the chaplain, "I have been informed that your life has been exceptionally free from vice ; that 54 S'LVS ABS(iLVi:i>. you never gave your })are]its a moment'^ uuliappiuess : that you wereahvay^^ o1)ed- ient : that you were at all times kind to your playmates, and that you never stood less than 100 in dei)ortment in school or in college ; that you never used tobacco in any form ; that you never drank a drop of spirituous liquors ; that you never told a falsehood : that you ne\er have sworn an oath : that your association with women has been of a cliaracter that it would not bring- a l)lush to your mother's cheek, nor to yotir own. if she had seen it all : that yon never declined to give lib- erally to the needy, and that you exem- plified in your daily life your belief in the brotherhood of man and the father- hood of God. The only accusation I ever heard against you was. that yoti were proud of youi" ancestry." •'Well Mr. Cliaplain;' said Wallace, •• that appears to me to be overdrawn : if you are not mistaken it is strange that I did not die vouni>'. What I was about WAR. UKLKllOX AND IJiVi:. 55 to say of myself was that I have iieN er for one hour forgotten the pale angelic face of my dying mother. I was fifteen years old. As the death dew gathered on her brow she beckoned me to come to her. As I knelt by her bed, she put her hand on my head and said, ' Don- ald, I gave yon to God before you were born, and I have given you to him every day since, and I know he accepted you. Continue to do your duty fearless of consequences, and you will meet me in heaven,' and her sweet soul passing away, was received by angel hands and welcomed by angelic hearts to a home in heaven. My mother, in my early child- hood, taught me this poem, and there have been but few days in my life that I have not repeated it, and it has been the mainspring in my conduct : '"Courage, brother, do not stumble. Though the path be dark asnight, There is a star to guide the humble: Trust to God and do the right. 56 >'/ v> Aiss(ij.\i:]i. I'''ii>li ii!i!ic\' and crniiiiiig. i'("ri>li all that tVaf^- t!ie lij^lil. Whet Iht InsiiiL;'. whetluM- wiiiiiiiiy. Tnisi {(> { i()(l and do I lie light. 'J'hcre art' thusc wdm iircd niir heliuiii;'. TlKisc who listen for mii- song. <)nly those who have Ih'cmi lorturdii and 1, And will not stand back like cowards While the world is moving \i\." " l^nHaridii, .•an election? " said the general, •• who accei)t him? " ''Mr. Chaplain, did Jesus suffer on those occasions as man, or as God ? Was not Jesus executed in the usual Roman mode of execution ? Was he recognized aftei- his alleged resurrec- tion by Mary Magdalene, and others ? Was not he supposed to l)e the gar- dener ? Did he not say in the gai'den 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. not my will, but thine be done ? ' Could he have been addressing himself when he said thine? Is it not true that WAR. HHLKIIOX AXn LdVE 59 'Jesus was born as other children are born, and that his father Joseph was suspicious of illegitimacy ; ' for he was minded to put her away privily?' Is it not true that the only evidence of a miraculous conception ivas a drecnn ?>// a man, his father Joseph? Is it not true that nine other sacred religions have all had similar alleged God origin, and that you reject all of them? Is it not true that Jesus 'grew in stature and increased in knowledge ' as other chil- dren do? Is it not true that he had the physical weakness, the secretions and excretions of other children? Is it not true that his mother said to him, ' Your father Joseph and I have sought you sorrowing?' Is it not true that Jesus disappeared from Palestine at the age of thirteen, and did not reappear for eighteen years? Is it not true that the Golden Rule — the central truth of The Sermon on the Mount, and the highest teaching the world ever knew — was 6o >'/-V>-' .n;siiLvi:ii. iittei'od by ( "oiifiK'ius in a nc'nalive form six hundred and fifty ^cai's JK'fore Jesus Avas born, in a s(i-/uo/t od ///p moiiiit / Is it not true tliat profane liistorians assert that it was no uneoninion event for nien to disa|)pear and rea])])ear after many years? Is it not reasonable nliat Jesus visited India and obtained the saered lore of oriental eountries? Is it not true that durin<4- all the years between the birth of Jesus and his alleged I'esur- reetion, that superstition and not reason controlled the peojde';:^ Is it not true that any phenomenon, however in defi- ance of reason, was accepted as true if accompanied with signs and v,on- ders ; and is it not true that Jesus Christ was a carpenter after liis reap[)ear- ance until a short time before his execu- tion? '' '' Yes, (reneral, the Bible is full of mys- teries, and of statements that appear to be unreasonable, and I. with m}' name- sake, Calvin, admit the decrees of God WAR. UElJdKiy AXD L- outside of pure math- ematics. It is a fact the wily and h3^po- critical Emperor Con stan tine, who had been both a Unitarian and Trinitarian as best suited his purpose at the time, finally became a Trinitarian, and gave the col- oring of Trinitarianism to the teaching during his reign, which was the immedi- ate cause of the bloody dissensions that followed, and the remote cause of the blood-shed that has disgraced Chris- tianity since. Much of the dark and bloody record of Christianity, and its in- tolerance ; the massacre of St. Bartholo- mew, and the Spanish inquisition, which in Spain alone sacrificed in the most bloody and brutal'manner a thousand a S/.VS AllSdl. \'i:i>. year for tliree centuries, of lier Ijest men, should l)e ree<)i>-nize(l as the h:^.!j;itnuate fruita^-e of Ti'iuitai-iiinisni, and its intol- erant do,ii'inas thrust into the pure teaeh- inys of flesus by Constantine, <(//'?-V><- ADSfiLYEh. son of the u'od Mars. Alexander the (ireat "had a human mother, but his father was tlie ,^'()d Jupiter. The miraeulous l)irlh stoi'ies about 'lesus iWQ fodiid onlij ill Mdtflni!' (1 11(1 IjiiVi', they are not found in Murk, eertainly the oldest (M)S|)el. This faet is sus|)icit)us. <^)uite as suspieious, too. is the faet that Jesus hiriiself never refers to any sueh miraeulous birth. Nobody during* his life-time appeai-s to have known any- thing about it. If (rod. and not man. was his i'ather, and if his birth was heralded by angels, and attended by mira- eulous presenees. why were his brothers and relatives so long in believing in himV Even his mother seemed not to haye known the story, that he had no human father; for she said when he was lost in the temple, ' Thy father Joseph and I have sought thee sorrowing.' Those miraeulous birth stories are the legendary accretions that gathered about the history of Jesus long after his TI'.IZ.', liELTGKiy Ayn TJJVE. 69 death ; after the compilation of the Gospel of Mark. It would be a marvel- ous thing- if the histories of Abraham Lincoln left out the fact that he was president of the United States during this awful war, and yet, it would not be a thousandth part so marvelous or so unaccountable as that the su]n'eme God of the universe should incarnate him- self in Jesus of Xazareth and dwell on the earth thirty-three years for the pur- pose of making himself and his salva- tion knoAvn to men, and then should allow the histories of the time and the biography of the man in whom he was incarnated to be so written as to convey to the future ages no clear idea of who he was and what he had done. In the most authentic gospels — Matthew, Mark, and Luke — Jesus clearly and repeatedly states that he is not God. Very grave doubts are entertained by the best scholars whether the Gospel of John came from his pen, or from any .ii!s<>rA'j:i> disciple, and some of the most learned believe the evidence is irresistible that it did not, ]My own investigations lead me to belieN'e it is not gennine. Jesns" own declarations found in all the gospels, that he is not (rod, onght to be accepted as final. Among them are found such passages as : ' ]N[y leather is greater than I. I can of mine own self do nothing ; the words which I speak unto you I speak not of myself. I^ut of the Father that dwedeth in me. lie doth these works. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me ; of that day and hour knoweth no man. no. not the angels wdiich are in heaven, neither the son. but the Father.' 'Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, that is God.' ' I ascend unto my Father; to my (iod and 3'our God.' Jesus always prays to another as God, and teaches his disciples to pray to God and not to himself. When a youth he Avas spoken of as ' increasing in Avis- TTMR, RELIGKiy AyD LnVK. -J I dom and stature, and in favor Avith (rod and man/ He was tempted ; he mingled with men as himself a man; he snflers as others suffer ; he weeps as others weep ; he is disappointed as others are disappointed, as, for example, at the fig tree. Jesus had his hours of discour- agement and gloom, as other men have. On the cross he exclaimed : 'My God, my God, Avhy hast thou forsaken me ? ' The alleged miracles of Jesus have no weight as evidence in proving him to have been God. All remarkable per- sons in those days wrought miracles, and the Bible represents Elijah as rais- ing the dead. There is no evidence whatever that the disciples regarded Jesus as more than a man. At one time Peter rebuked him ; in the garden of Gethsemane all the disciples forsook him and fled ; during the trial of Jesus, Peter denied him ; on the day of Pen- tecost, Peter coolly began that remark- able discourse, 'Jesus of Nazareth, S'/.YN .ir.SoLVEIi 'I UKiii a|)|)roved of (iod, among you, \)\ mii'acles and signs and wonders, which (^(xl (lid II II III III.' The alleged miracles of the resurrection of the body of •lesns, in the orthodox sense, must be rejected. The resurrection of a human l)odY is a scientilic impossibility, and. as the laws of nature have never been departed fi'om. it has always l)een an impossil)ility. The prophetic view — the scientific use of the imagiiuition, as Tyndall would say — of i*aul when he referred to the spiritual body, may have embodied a great truth lying at present among the unsolved problems, which, when solved, may clear u}) some of the inconsistencies of orthodoxy. There are reasons for believing that there exists an attenuated, ethereal, material l>o(hj, the exact counterpart of the visi- ble body, and that this spiritual body is evolved at death, and that it carries on the complex order of motion that con- stitutes physical life. There are unmis- WAR. RKLlGluy AXD LOVE. 73 takable evideiices of cataclysmic evolu- tion ; the most beautiful butterfly is evolved from the most hideous worm. It is, therefore, neither unreasonable nor unscientific to believe that this spiritual body may be so attenuated that the laws of inertia may not affect it. The inertia of matter diminishes as its density diminishes ; thought is with- out inertia. In imagination I go to the moon ; I step from mountain range to mountain range ; I descend into the deepest crater, and ride the stream of lava as it belches forth and flows down the mountain side. I go to the planet Saturn, and accompany its moons in their rapid revolutions ; I walk its rings, I explore its mountains and find the sources of its rivers. I am at Alcyone, the grand center of our stellar system, and contemplate the harmony of the millions of suns and their planetary systems. I am at that magnificent con- stellation, Orion, and explore it in its j^. N/.VN AliSiiLVHD. minutest details : all without the viola- tion ot" natural hiw. if llie ethereal Ijody is suhiciently attenuated to l)e li!)erated fi'om the thralldom of inertia. •' AVhile it is true that the gospels, the epistles and the Acts portray Jesus not as (iod, but as a being whom we, in our less imaginative, less dreamy and more clear thinking, find some dithculty in ahvays putting in the category of man. but he is never I'epresented as God. vllim hath (iod ordained: him hath (iod sent forth: him hath (iod raised up,' Paul says there is one (xod, and one mediator between (iod and man, the nun/ Christ, Jesus. The old passage in I John, 'There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy (ihost, and these three are one,' is an interpolation, and ought to be re- jected as spurious.'^ " Mr. Chaplain, there is probably noth- ing in the whole Bible that sheds such a * The revised version omits it. Tl'.lK. RKLKiKiX AXD [.OVE. 75 flood of light on the deity of Jesus, as the Epistle of James. James was no doal)t the brother of Jesus, brought up in the same house, and tlir^re is not even a Innt in the epistle that Jesas iras God. A fact of such transcendant importance, the most important in all the history/ of the world, ivonld not havf^ heeri left out if the facts had justified it. '' Herodotus tells us that the Egyptians believed their god, Osiris, had incarnated himself in the human form, and dwelt among men. " The Chinese believe that Lao-tse ex- isted from all eternit}", but descended to earth, was born of a virgin, lived a human life and at death ascended to heaven. Brahmanism is full of the incarnation idea. Vishnu is believed to have been incarnated nine times. Buddha was an incarnation of God. In the Cxreek and Koman world, too, in the midst of which Christianity had its birth, and early de- velopment, we find essentially the same 76 N/.vs AissiiL}h:h. thoiiii-lit evei'ywherc. The theological lore of the East had ohtainetl a foothold in Palestine l)efore 'lesns' teachings began. The minds (» not misunderstand me. I have })rofound re- spect for jn'ayer. I often pray, and I am always helped and strengthened h\ it, but I have never derived any percept- ible help from j)ublic jirayers. I })ray as my mother and Jesus did. in secret."" " Of course }()u pray to our Lord Jesus."" *• i^o. I never [)ray to Jesus. I would as leave pray to Buddha, from whom Jesus learned much of his teaching. I pray to (xod to enable me to live like Jesus. I suppose I am selfish in my prayers, for WAR. HKLKiKJN AND LOVE. 79 I rarely talve anyone to God but myself, and I never make snggestions to Ilim."' After the chaplain was gone, a Con- federate colonel, who occupied the cot on the other side of the aisle, said : " General, I have been deeply interested in your conversation. I wish to thank you, and I hope such feasts will come often. I have not given the teaching of the Bible careful study as you have, but I have thought a little along that line, and I have been even more surprised at the prayers of the chaplain of my regi- ment than at yours. How God is able to answer prayers on both the Union and the Confederate side I can't understand, any more than I can comprehend how God is able to give favorable winds at the same time to two vessels at sea go- ing in opposite directions. On the morn- ing of the day on which we were both wounded, my chaplain requested prayers. In his prayer he said : ' This Godless and lawless mob from the north, more vile in So ■'>''-VS AliSilLVED. every way tli;m tlie (roths and Vandals who swept down npon and destroyed Iiome. must be treated as enemies of God and man. They have erossed our sacred thresliolds and are si)readino- desolation over our fair land. They nuist fall by th.e sword, and (t(k1 will help yon bring upon each and all of them just retrilnt- tion. S})are'them not, an angry God will support you in the Ijloody work of anni- hilation." I did not think much about it then, Init it shocks me to think of it now, for von ap|)ear to me like a younger brother, and I would not only not shed a drop of yoiu' Idood, but I wonld stand between you and hai-m at the peril of my life.*' CHAPTER Y. HAPPY IX THE MIDST OF SOEROAV. " Well, Dick," said Wallace, '• I have never known 3'On quiet so long at one time before ; are you sick or are you thinking of something important'?" '"I am well. General, and I have been thinking of your theological discussion. I think the subject a very important one, but very unin^portant what I think about it. I have been much more pleased with your scientific and philosophical discus- sion of the ethics of Christianity than I am with the whiz of minie balls. I am pretty well satisfied with my surround- ings, and I am not in a hurry to leave this hospital. Of course, I know my good grub and nice quarters are because I am your orderly, and I am grateful to you for both." 82 .S/-\S AliSdLVi:]!. ''Xo. Dick, we cannot remain here ninch more tlian a few days ]on,L;"er. My leg i> almost well, your commission as major came yesterday and you must l^e mustered to-morrow. We shall l)e in the front in a few days. ]>ut. Diclc. did you hear what was said on the subject of i)rayer ? " *'Yes, (xeneral. and T was especiall}^ interested while that subject was under consideration. ] never thought much about who I jtrayed to, or what I ])rayed for; I just i)rayed, and I always felt better ; that was all I knew about it. I sn])pose I am awfully selfish and narrow in my prayers ; although I pray every day, I onh' remeud)ei- to have prayed for myself and one other person since I came into the army." " AVell. Dick, I am curious to know who that person was." '' Well, General, as you ask, of course I must tell you, and if I have done wrono- I will not do so again. General, WAR, RHLKilOX AXD LOVE. 83 3"on have been everything to nie since I came to your regiment ; I said to you once before, no one noticed me but you. Without your kindness to me and my daily prayers I could not have lived, and more than that, your high ideas of right and your fearless and uns>yerving adherence to your exalted ethics has strengthened me day by day, and as I was not able to return to you anything for so many kindnesses and favors, I could only remember you in my prayers, and I always ask God to bless and pro- tect you.-' " Dick, come and sit near me and give me your hand. Why, it is as soft and plump as a girl's. I thank 3^ou with all my soul. One of your prayers more than pays for all I ever did for you. Your prayers go straight to God and carry with them a benediction. But, Dick, have you really been happy dur- ing the two months we have been here, surrounded by the suftering in this hos- pital ? I'he lii'oaiis of the suti'ei'ing ami the dying, and the pitiful hjoking fur letters from home and the tearful disap- pointments, has often moved me to tears." '■ A es. (ieneral. ii(,)twithstanding all, 1 have lieen eomparatively ha])py. I sometimes think it is wicked to I'eel so. l)ut it is true. I have been with you all of the time exce})t when 1 was writing letters for some one to their friends and loved ones at home, I have dressed your leg every day. and you never scolded me. not en-,/ once, and you almost every time said, 'thank you. Dick,' so kindly that I almost forgot my surroundings. 1 have had a good room, and, as you know, have had my meals at the officers' table. My heart has been almost broken every day, but 1 have enjoyed writing letters for the poor boys. The death of that Confed- erate nuijor yesterday was deeply affecting. The captain of the same WAR. UKLIGJoy ASD LOVE regiment, Avho occupied the next cot to his, tokl me that the major was affianced to a beautiful and accomplished south- ern lady, whose name was Helen, and they were to have been married in a few months, and that she died a few days before the batile. It was believed that her death was the cause of his needless recklessness on the battle-field. He sulfered intensely from the wound in his spine, and was delirious a large part of the time. Even when almost Avrith- ing in agony, he often urged me to write to Helen ; when I asked for her address he said, ' She is in heaven ; write to her quickly and I will take the letter to her.' When the icy fingers of the grim monster were upon him, in his delirium he seemed to see her near him, and he exclaimed, ' O, Helen, I am so glad you are here ! ' He extended both arms, embraced some imaginary object and pressed his arms firmly to his breast, a smile of peace and serenity 86 N/.YN Al',S(,Lyh:D. eanie oxer his face and his soul left the bcxly with Helen in his arms. I know, General, of the \?>'l who were in this ward after the ])attie, only twenty-three now remain ; the} are gone, not to their regiment for duty, nor to loved ones longing for th.eir return at home, but to a home in hea\en, and their remains now lie in that hallow^ed s|>ot in the rear of the hospital. I walk among the newly made mounds every day, and the saddest thouiiht su<>-i'-ested to mv mind is by that word, • unknown." written in chalk or kale on a board standing at the head of the mounds. But the thought comforts me that that word, • unknown," is only of earth, and that it does not reach to heaven, and that there is to be in the sweet bye-and-l)ye a reunion of loved ones. Such sadness will not be permitted to exist forever in God's do- main, will it. General ? " " Xo, I believe you are right, Dick ; though the mysteries of life and death TT'.IK. BEIAGION AND LOVE. Sj bewilder and sometimes appall me, I cannot think at the end of the great sweep of God's plans there will be unhappiness anywhere. All suffering is for a purpose, and is reformatory when viewed from the throne of God. It will not be eternal. All we can do is to reverently bow in willing submission to the demands of the unknown. It requires three hundred and fifty millions of years for our solar sj^stem to com- plete a revolution around its grand center iu the Pleiades, and it may re- quire a longer time to fully develop a human soul. But, Dick — no, I must say Major now — I believe that a right life in this world ought not to have any dependence upon our belief in a contin- uation of life elsewhere. Virtue ought to be, and is, its own reward. The origin of man on the earth is shrouded in thick darkness, and on his final des- tiny there are but feeble rays of light, and even if it be true, as some scientists 88 S/.YN ABSnLVKD. l)e]ie\L', that the physical organism through which life is manifested is returned to the material universe at deatli. never again to be recognized, and if all the forces of the mind and soul are re-al»sorbed 1)v the genei'al store of force, never again to exist as an entity, it is still a fact that there exists a deep and abiding sentimental- ism in the strongest man : the recollec- tion of mother, sweetheai't and wife |)i'oduce an ecstasy of feeling and love for the right, beautiful and good to which all other influences and forces are secondary. In my gloomy and despondent moments, I s})eculate that all mental force is derived from and co-related with the inorganic forces, and must share the fate of all else in nature — eternal change without annihila- tion — which in all its manifestations, whether in organic or inorganic nature, even in the highest realm of thought, obeys the laAv of equilibrium of matter ^rAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 89 and force. The same force that wells up in a man as consciousness is seen in the gentle rivulet as it flows onward toward the ocean, and in the rushing torrent; in the ocean waves as they dash against the rock-girt shore ; in the gentle breeze, in the trade winds, and in the incalculable force of the cyclone and in the lightning flash. Even if that be true, man's intellectual and moral hon^ ought to be far up among the snow-capped peaks of purity, honor and culture, so that all will ex- claim, ' £Jcce Homo .' ""' "Well, Dick, there comes our com- mander, the general who brevetted us on the battle-field." " Good-morning, General Wallace ; I am glad to find you out of bed ; how are you? " "Thank you. General, I am almost well. My wound is healed, and the bone is quite strong. I yet have a little pain when I walk, but I will be ready for duty go S/.YS ABSOLVE] I. in a few days. General, do you remem- ber my orderly. Dick Dale, whom you l)revetted major for li-allantry in action? — his commission has arrived and he is a fully developed major now."" •• Yes. Major. I remember you well, and I will not soon foru'et your girlish face. I am glad to see you. as I am always glad to see soldiers of courage and dash in action. You merited your promotion and you will not stop j^vith the rank of major."" The major blushed like a girl in ac- knowledgment of the compliment. " But, Wallace."* said the General, "I see that hole in your pant leg has not healed, if the hole in your leg has."" "Xo, General, it has not, and the sur- geon would not let me go to the tailor to have my measure for another pair, so that this is the best, and all, I can do at present." '■ Don't apologize," said the general, " for that rent in your pant leg ; you have WAR. RELIGKiX AXD LOVK. 91 no cause to feel ashamed of it, I saw you when it was made ; your face was to the foe and the bullet entered from the front and at short range. That's a souv- enir of the battle of Pittsburg- Landing-. "• Well, General Wallace, you have been housed up for more than two months in this hospital, and Avhile I suppose you have read evervthino- to be fonnd in the papers you could get hold of, and as I have not found time to come and see you, you cannot knoAV the contemplated movement in the near future, for the ob- vious reason, that we keep the real ones out of the papers if possible. The Union and the Confederate generals observe the Xapoleonic tactics of trying to make the other fellow believe he is going to do just what he does not intend to do. We are sure, however, that the Confed- erate forces are concentrating at a point about forty miles beyond our late battle- field. There is a movement on foot, in the air, which when perfected, and if 92 S/.VN AIISOLVHD. successful, will give it a place iu history as graud sti-ategy ; it does not fall below gigantic iu coutemj)latiou. The enemy iu our front hold an important line to the south, between the extreme east and the west, and they must not be given sufficient time to perfect their en- trenchment, so as to defy our jirogress south through the center of the Confed- eracy. They must be dislodged at an early date. A matter of almost vital impoi'tance is that the Mississippi River be opened so that we can communicate with the (xulf. All of the force not needed here are to be sent to the west, and you are to command a divison, and for the present to remain with the army moving south through the center of the Confederate States. As soon as you are able I want you to come to the front and get acquainted Avith 3'our division. You will be delighted to know that your old brigade is in. and forms the center of the division.'" WAR. RKLKUOX ASD LOVE. 93 '' General,"" said AYallace, ''I am ready now. I can start in an hour. What disposition do yon wish to make of Major Dale?"' " I leave that matter wholly to you ; you know him better than I do. Give him the position best suited to his ability, and what will best subserve the country "s needs. My judgment is, how- ever, that he would be invaluable on your staff. There is nothing he will not do that can be accomplished by man.'" •'Well, Dick,"" said Wallace a little later, " I have glorious news for you. I have been given the command of a divis- ion, and I intend to make it a corps in the next battle, and I have also been authorized to assign you to whatever duty I wish. You will be on my staff, with the rank of major, and I trust after the next engagement it will be colonek We are needed at the front now. How soon can 3'ou be ready to start?" 94 s/.vs AiiS(ii,\h:ii. '•I am ready now." saicl I)alo ; ''after all I like the smell of jjowder as well as I do the odor of the hospital." When (ieneral W'allaee an-ived at camp, the division was in line. Every soldier recoi^-nized him on sight, and they knew he was to he their commander. His old brigade was in the center. As he a]>j)roatdied and I'ode the length of the line with the corps commander, who introduced him as ''(renei-al Wallace, your commander." the wildest enthusi- asm jn-evailed. and the recej)tion given him was as c«)rdial and enthusiastic as would have been given to Napoleon by his Old (jTuard. after an absence of three months. From all along the line came cheer after cheer, and shouts of " Long live (General Wallace I" One enthusiastic soldier froui Iowa, with moi-e zeal than ele- gance in language, Avhose voice rose above the tumult, shouted : " We can storm hell and Gibraltar before breakfast with General Wallace as our leader I Tr.lZ?. RELlGIoy AXD LOVE. 95 The general rode back to the center of the line, removed his hat, and said : " Comrades, I thank you for this mani- festation of friendship and confidence. It shall be my constant endeavor to live worthy of a continuation of it."" In a few days marching orders were received, and on the evening of the third day they were in line of battle, with a strong picket line thrown out in fi'ont of a strong Confederate force, commanded by an able and intrepid Confederate generaL General WaUace, at a late hour in the night, walked the entire length of the picket line. All of the pickets were walking their lonely beats, except one, who was asleep, and his gun lying by his side. The general took his gun and walked his beat until he waked. He recognized the general at once and was badly frightened. " General,'' said he, " I know I will be court-martialed and shot and I deserve it, for I know the danger we are in. I am not afraid to die 96 >"/.^'>' ABSOJ.VRD. on the battle-field, Init to be shot for neg- lect of duty will briiiii' awful soitow to my poor old father, aud disgrace upon me." The general handed him his gun and said, •' Don't worry. Of course you did a great wrong ; not only your own life, but the whole army was in danger of a surprise 011 account of this post being vacant, but you had made a long, hard march, and you were very tired. I will excuse you this time and will not report you. Vou will not do so again."" At da^dight the whole line was ad- vanced, and before 8 o'clock the battle was on. ( reneral Wallace's division held the center of the line, and his old brigade the center of the division. He rode from one end of the division to the other every few minutes, and his horse was never twenty feet in the rear of the line, dur- during the entire battle. At one time, during the fiercest part of the engage- ment, three Confederate batteries were hurried into position directly in his front. ]VAR. RKLIGKJX AXD LOVE. 97 supported by three lines of infantry, for the obvious purpose of breaking- the center of the Union line. Wallace strengthened the line in the center, and they moved forward \yith the steadiness of veterans, and never wavered or fal- tered. After four hours' hard and con- tinuous fighting, which was little less than one continuous charge, the Con- federate forces were routed and fled in every direction and the victory was won, but the dead and dying attested the valor of the Confederate soldiers. Major Dale had not a[)peared so happy since he entered the service, as on that day. He rode from the general to any and every part of the line in an instant. His face wore a smile, even when the three batteries were belching forth grape and cannister on the center of the line, and in a hail-storm of minie balls, his smiling face was everywhere to be seen. He was nicknamed the " Smiling Major," and was ever after known by that name. CIIAPTEK yi. r N W i; ITT EX 1 1 1 STOJ t Y. Duriny the next year and a half, up to tlie beginning- of the most remarkable campaign in the history of wars, ancient or modern, with the possible exception of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, if tliat disastrous retreat can l)e called a campaign, the same scenes were enacted on four otlier bloody battle-lields. At no time in the military life of Wallace, as major, as colonel or as general, did the men under him fail to accomplish all he, as their commandei', asked them to do, except in one instance. He was always with his men ; his headquarters were in the saddle in every engagement, within speaking distance of the line of battle, lie was a firm believer that sol- diers would always do their duty if their commander did his, and it is known that 98 WAR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 99 during his military life he never showed the slightest temper, except when he saw a brigade, division, or corps commander establish his headquarters far behind the line of battle in a place of little danger. Before the commencement of the mem- orable campaign before referred to, which begun on the fourth day of May, 1864, he had been twice brevetted gen- eral and Major Dale had been brevetted colonel. There are soldiers now living in Iowa who know the facts, and future and im- partial history Avill develop them. It is a historic fact that early in the Atlanta campaign General Sherman directed McPherson to pass through Snake Creek Gap and strike the railroad in the rear of Resaca, which was then strongly for- tified by Confederate forces, commanded by the able and intrepid General John- son, whose force was at that time, and continued to be during the entire cam- paign, nearly one-third less than Slier- S/.VN jnSdLVKI). man's. It is also a historical fact that though ^NlcPherson was Sherman's favor- ite general, he was at least mildly criti- cised by Sherman and others in the army for not doing- that Avhich appeared pos- sil)le and very desira1)le. The inevitable consequences of that movement, which would have gone into history as grand strategy if it had l)een successful, would have been to have seriously crippled fjohnson, if not have ended the cam- paign at once. The roads from Kesaca to Atlanta were almost impassable from heavy rains, and if transportation over the railroad had lieen cut off disaster to Johnson and his army was at hand. The author was in the army and jjassed through Snake ( 'reek Gap among the first of the forces and he believed then, and long rejections since, and a careful analysis of all ascertainable facts, — the relative size of the Union and Confeder- ate armies and the fact that Johnson did not anticipate such a movement by Sher- WAR. RELIGION AND LoVK. lOI man, there being almost no Confederate force at that point, — confirms him in the belief that Sherman did not ask an nn- reasonable thing from McPherson. Of conrse if something had been done that was not done, the results of that some- thing cannot be known definitely, but the logic of events points to the proba- bility of the attack having been success- ful. The unwritten history is, that on the morning of the first day of the bat- tle of Kesaca, while there was heavy skirmish firing in front of Resaca, about two or three miles to the left of the point of which I am speaking, General McPherson, General Wallace and a part of their stafl:' rode to an elevated point from which could be seen with their glasses the tressel bridge on the railroad three miles south of Resaca, and while they were looking a heavy freight train passed over the bridge going to Kesaca. General McPherson saw the importance s/.VN AnsdLvr.n. of the destruction of that l)ridge, l)iit he was uiulecided as to what to do. If the attack was made and Johnson should evacuate liesaca and throw his whole army on the Union forces about the l^ridge it would be crushed, and all killed or captured. General McPherson was one of the best generals in the army, and his usual custom was to ride out to the front, view the surroundings with his glass, and at once determine upon his plans and promptly give his ordei-s. Never before, nor after, up to the memorable 22d of July, Avas he known to hesitate. Wallace l)eing a subordinate general, though highly esteemed and appreciated by McPherson, sat quietly on his horse waiting for orders. After a silence that appeared painful to both, Wallace said : '■ I can burn that bridge in half an hour, and if I and my whole division die in doing it. it will save the lives of many more than there are in my command." WAR. RKLIGKlX AXD LOVE. IQT, General McPherson, after a few mo- ments, said: "'I believe you can burn the bridge, the small force now guarding it would be no obstacle for your divis- ion, but we can't spare you and your di- vision. The question is, have we the right to do that which would certainly imperil all your lives in the liope of ac- complishing even so important an object. Your division is invincible with any or- dinary force in their front, but you could not withstand the shock of John- son's whole army. I cannot sacrifice you. I see your anxiety ; there are tears in your eyes, and I regret I can't give the order.'' What the result would have been can only be speculated upon, beyond the fact tliat the bridge would have been burned if the order had been given. In speculating upon the immediate and the remote results if the bridge had been burned, several circumstances must be taken into consideration. General Wal- I04 ■'^'/■'\'>-' -inSOLVKD. lace'?^ command iij) to that time liad never failed to accomplish all of what- ever they had undertaken. They had nnbounded confidence in his sagacity and g'eneralshij). as well as in his cour- age. Johnson's force was inferior to Sherman's and was then engaged with Sherman at Kesaca ; that Johnson would have evacuated liesaca and hurled his whole force ujjon Wallace to protect his rear, there is scarcely the shadow of a douln. McPherson's three corps were within easy reach, and at the first gun would have been thrown with destructi^'e force on the Confederate flank, and when the roar of the musketry and cannonading was heard at the bridge, Sherman would have hurried the Union army through Kesaca and attacked Johnson in the rear. Even if Johnson had crushed Wallace and killed or captured his en- tire command the hridge loovld liavc been gone, and it would have been absolutely impossible for Johnson to have taken WAR. RKLKlloy AXD LOVE. 105 his wag'OB train and his heavy ordnance over any other road than the one leading south along the raih'oad. The in e vita- hie result would have heen to seriously eripi)le Johnson, with the prohable result of eai)turing a large ])art of the Confed- erate force under him. It is highly prob- able that even a complete success of the Union force at the bridge would not have ended the campaign at that point, but it would not have been, as it was, a battle that lasted one hundred and twenty days, and a battle-field one hundred and thirty miles long. That desperate, im- proper and disastrous charge on the Confederate works about Kenesaw, in which Sherman admits he lost a thou- sand a minute for ten consecutive min- utes in killed, would never have been made. The criticism of that charge is not made without foundation, for what was done after could have been done be- fore. Kenesaw was evacuated when it became apparent to Johnson that the 8 I06 >>'/.^>; AISSdl.VHli. railroad in his I'ear was in dang-er. The same tiling was done at .Vtlanta. when Sherman's movement on '}onesl)oro was discovered. The battle ofJuly 1^2d l)et*ore Atlanta was neither desii'ed nor expected by Sherman, bnt was due to Hood's want of generalship. It was on that day that (General Sher- man said: ''Johnson is a sensible gen- eral, and I can generally know what he is going to do, but Hood, being a damned fool, I never know what he is going to do." I had a rare opportunity on the 2:^d to observe the great Sherman during the whole of the battle, rendered especially memorable by the death of McPherson. Ilis headquarters wei'e at the How"ard house all day, and my duty also kept me at or near the general from early morn- ing until the close of the battle. I was at leisure most of the time, and there was not ten minutes at any one time WAR. RELIGIOy AyD LOVE 107 -that I did not see him. Early in the morning, between seven and eight o'clock, General McPherson rode np to the Howard hou«e. Very soon John A. Logan, General Wallace, General Dodge and General Blair came. Nothing of importance appeared likely to happen. Picket firing in onr front and to onr right continued as usual, to which no at- tention was paid ; for we all knew our works were invulnerable to the Confed- erate force in Atlanta. About half past nine Generals Sherman, Wallace, Mc- Pherson and Logan were sitting on the porch and Generals Blair and Dodge were standing in front of them ; they were joking and laughing; I was near enough to hear every word spoken. At this time quite a heavy musketry was heard to our left, at a point where there was not known to be any Confederate force. The generals appeared to be sur- prised. General Sherman said : " What does that mean? " loS s;.vs I i!sni,vi:ii. (TeiuM'al ^fcPhcrson saiil : •• 1 will tiiul out."" lie iiioiiiitod Ills li()i'>(' and mdv into the woods ill the direction of the lii'inL^'. He was followed hv Lo^an, Dodi^'e, IJlair and Wallace, ami in half an hour the i^-reat hat tie of Atlanta was on. The hattle I'a^'ed, with occasional lulls, all day. The thunder of th<> artillery and the I'oll of the inu-^keti'v came nearer and then receded, auain and ai^'ain. so that the awful pi'ohlem a»^ to who was to l)e victorious was not sol\cd until late in the evenin_u;". That day appearetl to me the longest day of my life ; I thouu'lit of Welling'ton, ''Oh. for IJlucduM or niu'ht ! " and of the sun stamliim'stdl I'nv Jo-;hua. The sun a])peai'ed to he standiuL;- in the lieavens. Late in the afteruoou our lines w'ere temporarily di'i\en iKudv. and the outlook was that the Howard house and the teinp(U"ai"y hospital would fall into the hands of the Confederates. We were so near the line of hattle that many Il.li,'. Ill'.JJdloy AMI LOVE. 109 stray bullets struck the house and fell among the wounded. General Shei'inau's great soul was tempest-tossed all day aftei' the battle begun. He was nervous and uneasy ; he walked the poi'ch and looked toward the battle-tield with an expression of awful anxiety, but no word came until the body of ]McPherson was brought in on a stretcher. The final charge was made by Wallace's division, and it was like the mad I'ush of the tempest, as irresistible as the cyclone. The battle of the 28th was disastrous to the Confederate army foi- the same reason that the charge on Kenesaw mountain was disastrous to the Union arm}" — they charged ample fortifications. The 3(5th Alabama regiment lost every field and line officer, and more than two hundred in that charge. Sherman's subsequent evacuation of all the works about Atlanta ; his movement back to the Chattanooga river ; his flank move- S/AS AliSoLVED. meiit and the capture of Joiiesboro. ended tlie Atlanta cain])ai<;n. The Atlanta cam])aiy A yn l o vk. 113 was washed away in the blood of Christ. Without conversion, which was a mirac- ulous chano-e of nature, wrouo-ht by God himself, and the creature was nothing more than a recipient of the divine favor, not on account of anything he had done or could do, but on account of a prede- termination on the part of Deity, a lit- eral and eternal hell awaited all. He gave extensive quotations from the ser- mon by Jonathan Edwards on ''The sinner in the hands of an angry God,'' because the final doom of the impeni- tent was described in stronger language than he could command, (xod's eternal truths were the same to-day as when Edwards preached ; the same Bible taught the same awful fate of the unre- ligious. '" They deserve to be cast into hell : So that divine justice never stands in the w^ay ; it makes no objec- tion to God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. They are already under sentence of condemna- I 14 .S/XS AJlStil.VED. tiou to hell. They are now the object of that verv same anger and wrath of God tb.at is expressed in the torment of hell. God is a great deal nn)re angry with great numbers now on earth, yea with many now in this congi'egation, than he is with those who are now in the tlann^s of hell. The devil stands ready to fall npon ami seize them as his own at any moment (xod shall permit him. The (rod that holds }on over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathesome insect over the lire, aldiors yon and is dreadfully provoked ; His wrath toward you burns like fire ; He "looks u])on you as worthy of nothing- else but to be cast into hell fire. That God will execute the fierceness of His anger, implies that he Avill inflict wrath without pity, (xod will have no other use to put you to but only to suft'er mis- ery. It is the everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to sufl^er this fierce- ness and w^rath of Almighty God one ^rAR, RKLunoN a ad love. 115 moment, but you must suifer it to all eternity. Millions of millions of years you will writhe in the sulphurous flames of hell, because of the merciless ven- geance of an angry God. But this is the dismal call of every soul in the con- gregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious they may otherwise have been." At the close of the sermon, which had been listened to with stolid indift'erence and disgust, he asked a brother chaplain of another regiment, in the same brigade, who was an enthusiastic Methodist, to make a few remarks. He began by say- ing : "The fiery indignation and wrath of an insulted and angry God has been as forcibly portrayed by the brother as language could do it, but words utterly fail to represent the fierce- ness of the flaming fury of an angry God. The most appalling picture by the most vivid imagination can at most be only as a shadow to the substance. I 16 N/.YN .!/;so/.i7;/». The dm-atioii of hell ]ii\^ not heeii dwelt ii})oii as its ini])()rtaiice demaiuis. Even a million of years eannot be gi-asped liy the lunnan mind, hut when T say to yon that if a bird were to take a leaf fi-om the forest and carry it to Kurope, and retnrn and take anothei', and eontinne until every leaf in all the forests on the western continent had been removed and that each tri[) required one hnndred yeai's to com})lete it. and that aftei" that it should take a '^•rain of sand and carry it to Anstralia, and I'eturn and get an- other, and so on until the Avestern hemi- sphere had been removed, that at the expiration of that inconceivable period of time //rif liodonlii Ikuiiui, — you would have oidy a feeble rei)resentation of the duration of the misery of the damned! The intensity of the heat that envelopes the damned nniy l)e feebly rei)resented by the illustration often used lyy the early fathers in the chnrch. If a sonl would be taken from the flames of hell IT'.4ri', RELlaloy ASD LOVK. 117 and transferred to a cauldron of red-hot potash, the change Avould be so great that he would freeze in a few moments. But all the danger to which 3'ou are exposed and all the consequences of a wicked life, however vile and depraved you may have been, and are, can be and Avill be removed in an instant if you re- pent and ask God to forgive you. A pure, honorable life is no aid in securing forgiveness : on the contrary it is a bar- rier." On the afternoon of the day on which the sermon Avas preached Grenerals Lo- gan, Blair and Dodge called on General AVallace at his headquarters. They were very cordially received by Wallace and Colonel Dale. "Gentlemen," said Wallace, "I am especially glad to see you at this time. Colonel Dale and I were talking of the many noble qualities possessed by Gen- eral McPherson, and his tragic death, and we both became almost melancholy." I iS .'^7.V>' -'iI!SnL\i:D. Loo'aii said: ''The suliject under consideration Avas a grand one, but there are some unfortunate circum- stances in connection with his death, well calculated to nuike his friends des[)ondent. 1 came very near riding into the same gap. As von remeiidjer, we left Shernuin's headquarters at the same tinH\ I rode with him until we Avere near the line of battle, as we sup- posed ; for the bullets were falling around us, but our own troops were not to be seen. I was snrprised not to come upon oui- own soldiers, and I think McPherson also was surprised. lie said to me, ' Hide to the left and I will go on to the frcuit.' I did as directed and came in the rear of my corps. lie, as Ave kn(MV, rode foi'ward into the gap l)etween the corps, and the first troops seen was the Confederate skirmish line, lie Avas halted, but he wheeled his horse, ])lunged spurs into his side, expecting to ride out of danger. It is highly prob- WAR, RELIGIoy Ayn LilYE. Iig able that his first conception of his situation was when he was halted by the Confederate skirmish line, as there were no Union soldiers in sight, to the right nor to the left. Oh, he was a grand man I One of nature's noblemen ! He could not do a mean thing, nor anything that was unkind to any one. He had a heart as big as humanity, and as fearless as a lion, and yet as easily touched in ten- derness as a woman's. He was the only regular army officer who did not at some time at least hint to me that he pos- sessed some military qualifications not to be found in any civilian general,'' "Yes,"' said General Dodge, "nature was prodigal to him in bestowing her choicest gifts that constitute the highest type of the American citizen and soldier, and I have found myself many times since his death saying, ' If he had rode twenty rods to the right he would have been in the rear of my corps. Even if he made no profession of religion, he S/.VS ABSDLVHIJ. came as near being g-ove'i'iied at all times bj the great central truth ot^ the Sermon on the ]\[ount as any man I ever knew."" " I ne\er saw him exhil)it the slightest temper, except on one occasion," said (reneral Blair. '"We were walking leisurely through the camp. and. as we passed the guard-house, a tine, maidy looking soldier was being rathei- roughly forced cjuite against his will intr) it. (ieneral McPhei'Son said. 'Is that man a good soldier? what has he done?" ' Ves, general, he is a good soldier, but he has Ijeen I'oraging without orders ; he brought into camp last night seven chickens." ' (_)ppii tJiaf (Joor ! " thundered McPherson in a rao"e, ' aiid srn!(iLVKD. "I did not,'" said tlie chaplain, 'have the honor of a pei'sonal acquaintance witli tiie g'cneral. I am informed, how- ever, that he was one of the noblest of men ; that he was all any unconverted man could be ; but, gentlemen. God will not change His plans of salvation even for General McPherson. I understand that he was not only (id auconrert'd man. but that he did not even believe conver- sion was necessary to salvation : that he trusted in a right life. He therefore gave no evidence that he was one of the elect. It is not I who shall judge him, but God. Sad as is the thought to me, and even more sad to you, his personal friends and admirers, there is no hope for him. There is but one way of sal- vation, and that he rejected. He is beyond doubt at this moment bewailing his awful fate." •' General McPherson in hell ! " said Wallace, the fire of indignation flaming from his eyes. •' Outrageous I infam- IVAU. RELIGIOy AND LOYK. 125 ous ! damnable I He lived a Christian life unconsciously ; he was an heir of heaven by birthright, and he never for- feited that right by a wicked life. True, he never made any profession of religion, nor was it necessary ; he lived it. He was one of the ninety and nine who had never gone astray. Such a man in hell ! The thought is enough to make angels weep and the damned rejoice. That greatest truth ever uttered by man, viz. : 'Whatsoever ye would that man should do unto you, do ye even so to him," was the inspiration of his life, and would have been evolved by him if it had not been given to the world before. Was that loving apostle, James, the brother of Jesus, ignorant of what constituted religion? Is it a fact that pure, unde- filed religion before God is to visit the widows and the orphans in their afflic- tion, and to keep one's self unspotted before the world? Or is it a snare and a delusion given to the world by Jesus 126 S7.YN ABSdLVKD. and hi^ apostles? Are we to have any respect for the statement made by Jesus Christ when he said. 'By this ye shall know that yon are my disciples, if i/ou lore oiK (inotlnr/ " Does the broad state- ment, larg-e as humanity, that, 'in every nation he that feareth God and Avorketh righteonsness /•>• acce[)ted of him.' mean nothing? "" '' (Tenei'al,"" said the chaplain, " it re- qnii'ed great courage to preach that sermon, and at this time, in the presence of the generals of this army, holding as you do. the welfare of the nation in your hands, requires more courage than I of myself })ossess, but aided as I have been, and am. from above, I am able to say, I cannot retract a Avord of that ser- mon. On the contrary, it is my duty as a minister of the gospel to emphasize the statements then made. Depend upon it, gentlemen, the Bible is a holy and infallible book, written every word and line by the hand of God; it must WAR. RELKiWX AXD LOTK. 127 be accepted as it reads, literall_y ; not with the alleged rationalistic inter- pretation given by some modern schol- ars, whose rendering in some instances encourages a skepticism more dangerous than the avowed infidelity of Thomas Paine and Voltaire. I refer ])articularly to the scholarly, but pernicious, teach- ing of Theodore Parker, and the brilliant star, James Freeman Clark. The Bible justifies the fiery denunciation made by Jonathan Edwards of the impenitent — the non-elect — and the same personal devil is impassioiiately Avaiting to claim his own." "Mr. Chaplain," said Wallace, ''the belief in the infallibility of the Bible has been one of the leading causes in producing the spirit of intolerance manifested by all orthodox churches. It has made the history of Christianity a history of bloodshed ; it was the cause of the brutal assassination of the loving Servitis by the cold-blooded and intol- I 28 ^''^^'>^ ABSOLVHD. lerant Calvin, and of the fierce conllicts 1)etweeii science and religion in the domain of })hilosophy, and geology, ^vhich resnlted in the slow and inhuman punishment of Galileo, rendered doubly so Ijecause of his age and infirmities, and of the infamous burning of Bruno. '"No sentence ever uttered l)y man has caused so much misery and death as that found in the Bible, viz., *• Suffer not a witch to live.' ]S either Xero, Kobes- pierre nor Bloody Mary ever uttered language that equaled it in producing wholesale miu'der. "Mr. Chaplain, I admit the truth of your oft-repeated statement that the ' Catholic Church has been intolerant.' And it is also true that this intolerant spirit has been transmitted to her Prot- estant offspring in a most aggravated form. " Protestantism has been the deadly foe of mental liberty, and of progress in many instances. Beneath the cloak of ^rAR. RELTGKIX AND LOVE. 129 friendship Christianity has carried the assassin's dagger and the fagot, for any bold thinker who attempted to burst the bars of an imprisoning creed. Bigotry tortured and the church murdered. *' Scarcely had the Reformation gained a foothold in Grermany before Protes- tants began their work of bloody perse- cution agaiust Catholics ; and when they became stronger and divided into sects, against each other. It was Protestants who at the point of the sword made the people of Saxony and Bradenburg re- nounce the Catholic faith ; it was Prot- estants who drove the inhabitants of Munster from their homes in the dead of winter. The fanatical Munzer over- ran Germany, preaching and plundering, baptizing and butchering until forty thousand perished in his mad attempt to make Anabaptists of Lutherans and Catholics. The tables were turned. Munzer was captured and put to a bloody death, and his 'Religious Revival' I 30 .S7.VN . I llSdL VKD. was succeeded by a ])roti'acted effort on the part of Lutherans. ' As long as there is a drop of l)lood in your veins, pursue as wild beasts and consume like wolves these miserable ])easants,"' Avas the command of Mai-tin Luther. For months the bloody work of an effort at annihilation continued at AYernsbnrg, ^Vlsatia. liande, and thousands of peas- ants fell victims to their relentless fury. "The violent dissensions between Luther and Zwiugle, and subsequently between Luther's disciples and Calvin, and the bloodshed which those dissen- sions produced is known to every stu- dent of history. '•In the Xetherlands the Calvinists destroyed the Catholic churches, butch- ered the priests, and even dragged the bodies of the dead from their graves. • For three nights and two days,' says the history, ' did the havoc rage nn- checked through the city of Antwer[) and all the neighboring villages. Scarcely WAR. HELIGION AND LOVE. 131 a work of art escaped destruction. On every hand were the ruins of churches, broken statues, torn pictures, and mur- dered priests.' "In Holland, the Protestant leader, Sonoj, imprisoned, tortured and slaugh- tered thousands for no other crime than that of being Catholics. "Motley, in his 'Rise of the Dutch Republic," cites the following among many other instances of Sonoy's cruelty : " ' JS^anning Koppczoon was a man in the full vigor of his years. He bore with perfect fortitude a series of incred- ible tortures, after which, with his body singed from head to heel, and his feet almost entirely flayed, he w^as left for six weeks to crawl about his dungeon on his knees. He was then brouo'ht back to the torture-room and ag-ain stretched upon the rack, while a large earthen vessel, made for the purpose, was placed inverted upon his naked body. A number of rats were intro- 132 .S7.YN AliSoLVHD. dueed under the cover and hot coals were heaped upon the vessel until the rats, rendered furious by the heat, "•nawed into the very bowels of the victim in their agony, to escape. The holes thus torn in his bleeding ilesh were tilled with red-hot coals. lie was aftei'ward sul)jected to other tortures too foul to relate ; noi- was it until he had endured all this agony with a forti- tude which seemed supernatural that he was at last discovered to be human. Scorched, bitten, dislocated in every joint, sleepless, starving, perishing with thirst, he was at last cruslied into a false confession by a promise of absolute forgiveness." " But if Koppezoon believed that a spark of honor existed in the breast of this Protestant persecutor, he was soon convinced of his error. He was per- mitted to live long enough to see his aged father die upon the rack, when his own heart was torn from his bosom and Tr.4 7?, RELIGION AND LOVE. 133 thrust into his face, his head was taken off and placed on the church steeple of his native village and his body quar- tered and exposed upon the towers of Alkamaar ! '' The Protestant Church of England was probably the most intolerant of all churches. Its footsteps ^ are marked with blood ; its victims were put to the most frightful tortures before they were executed — tortures that for their fiendish refinement would have brought a smile of satisfaction to the face of Torquemada. " The following is one example of daily scenes that were enacted while Protestant power was supreme*in Eng- land during many years : "A Mrs. Clithero perishes at York. She is a lady of high character, and her sole offense is having afforded refuge to a famishing priest. The mode of death is as follows : She is placed on the floor on her back, with her hands and 134 SLYN ABSnl,Vi:i). feet finnly Ijoiind. A heavy door is laid upon lier. and eiioniions weights pUieed upon tlie door. Sharp stones have been put nnder lier l)ody, and the weiglits pressing down foree tliese through the flesh, breaking her i-ibs. causing liours of intense agony and finally death. It seems scarcely possible for heartless cruelty to be carried farthei" : and yet these Protestants, not content with in- humanly murdering this poor mother, brutallv beat her weeiun^- children that stand around her lu'uised and mangled corpse, and throw the eldest, only twelve years old, into prison."' •' Yes. General," said the chaplain, '•the history of Christianity is a history of l)arbarity and bloodshed from which angels would turn away with tears in their eyes, haf tJnit hhicl- record is the Jii^torij of ilie octs of men, prompted to, and sometimes goaded on, by former persecutions not in any instance in keep- ing with the teaching of Jesus Christ." WAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 1 35 '' Mr. Chaplain, there is no difference between us upon that point. The pure and loving- teaching of* Jesus never caused a tear, and will redeem the world, if accepted, but the fact remains that the atrocities of history were done in. the name of Christianity, hecause the jjerpetrators of those crimes heliered THEIK interj^retations of the BiJjle to l>e infallihte. " The belief in the existence of a personal devil, — whose machinations and plans have thwarted God in the care of the ninety per cent of the hu- man family, who goes around roaring like a lion seeking whom he may de- vour, — is still dear to the clergy who have been side-tracked while the train of progress passed them. No fact of science is better established, or more universally accepted by the scholars of the world, than that there is in the en- tire universe of God hnt one original force, God. The law of the conserva- 1-6 ^'^A'N AliSOlA'HD. tion of energy is a demonstration of the eternal trntli that the controlling' and directing pow'er is in oi/r personality, or in one entity above personality, and not in two. "(letting religion,' Mr. Chap- lain, is nothing l)ut emotional slush, often depending upon a morbid stomach and liver, in other cases a morbid brain, poisoned in early years by false and pernicious teaching. The great doc- trine of the Atonement, as you dignify it, is referred to but once in the whole Bil)le, and the proper rendering of the word used in that place means, at one with Jesus Christ, nothing more ; and the same ])rinciple of a right life per- vades the entire Xew Testament. Xo honorable man ought to desire or expect anything beyond what he merits, and it would require as high manhood as I have ever seen to prevent, at least, in- ditference about our conduct if some other person, whom we had never seen, was to suffer the consequences of our WAR. RELIGIOX ASD LOVE. 137 sins. Where, therefore, is there any authority for the emotional gush called a change of heart, or conversion, which is generally exhibited by those of a cowardly nature, conscious of having lived a wicked life? And where was there ever a shadow of a foundation for that infamous doctrine of ' election,' when the Bible specifically states, ' God is no respecter of persons?' The be- neficence and the eternal justice of the inviolable law of heredity embodied in that wonderful passage — wonderful be- cause of the time it was given to the world in the Bible — viz., ' Be not de- ceived : God is not mocked ; whatso- ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,' is confirmed by the observation and experience of every thinker. Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, and though he sought it diligently with tears, he never found it again. Every account run with retribution must be settled in this world, or in some other 10 I3S N7XS ABSOLVKD. world. ( Jod never encouraged a wicked life with the assurance that an innocent })erson would suliVr the legitimate con- sequences thereof. The wliole thread- woru theory of convei'sioh or a chang'e of heart. end:)racing the fall of uian and salvatiou through the hlood of Christ, is an irrational dogma, tlirust into the pure teaching of the great Master, more than 300 years after his death, by the Council of Nice. Thei'P nfvpv iras a fall. An- thropology has demonstrated that man has ai-isen everywhere from low and brutal conditions, and the unmistakable teaching of the Bible, approved b}^ com- mon sense, is that salvation is obtained in no other way than by a" right life. The God of heaven and earth never intended that any person should find license for sinning in the belief that future rcjientance will wipe out the Avillful transgressions of the past. The law tlnit a man shall reap what he sows is a law of infinite blessing, because it WAIi, RELIGlny AND LOVE. 139 fosters good and warns against evil. It encourages the formation of character. There should be no ditference of opin- ion that the life-work of Jesus was to redeem man from Ju's sins, and not to re- move the consequences of sins. Mr. Calvin, the religion of the future will recognize the fact that man is on the earth for discipline, and that all pain and suffering, in this or any other world, has a preservative function. The benefi- cence of the pain produced when a child, unconscious of the fact that fire burns, puts its dimpled hand against the hot stove is easily understood to be a lesson in an education, and to be pre- servative in its influence. The secret of pain is progress. Look where you please, and you will find gleaming through the shadow of suffering the light of a gracious purpose of progress through pain. Science unites with philosophy and religion in revealing this goal of our costly progress. Mr. 140 .s'7.Y.s' AliSdLVKD. Darwin declares, in his ' Origin of Species.' as natural selection works, solely by and for the good of each in- dividual, that the ])hysical and mental endowments will tend to progress to- ward i)erfection. Tt follows that all evil must gradually disappear from human life, as imperfection grows out toward perfection. Mr. Herbert Spen- cer looks forward to the diminution of human ills, and to their entire disap- pearance in the far future. The vision of science and [)hilosophy is of a coming man, redeemed by pain from pain, educated through suffering out of suffering, not because of any arbitrary decree, but by and through the contin- uous operation of the law of evolution. All of the suft'ering, therefore, of individuals and of aggregations of in- dividuals is simply the penalty for violated law, and is always reformatory^ and as the entire domain of (lod is governed by law, not in conflict with WAR. RKLKil ON A ND LOVE. 141 what we recognize around us, the same is true in all worlds, now and in the future. Our inability to see more than a short segment of the circle in the great sweep of infinite goodness de- mands of us a modest faith, based upon reason, or, as Professor Tyndall would say, ' the scientific use of the imagina- tion.' '■ A loud rap is heard at the door. A colonel from General Sherman's staif enters with the following order : Headquarters: Generals Howard, Blair, Logan, Wallace, Dodge — GenoA'ixl Hood iinc] the Confederate army are moving to the north. Come at once. Sherman. CHAPTER Tin. Wallace's lectukk ox tiis tkavels ix the east. The followiiig- conversation between Genernl McPherson and (General Wal- lace occurred, early in July. lS()-i, near Atlanta, Georgia : General ^NlcPherson said: ''You know from my fre(|iient calls, often without business, that I am delighted with your company. As a conversation- alist you possess rare gifts. Your charming talks of your travels in the East are to me especially interesting. With your permission, I will ask Gen- erals Slierman, Logan, Dodge, Blair, Howard and a few of my favorite colo- nels to my headquarters some evening to hear a lecture from you upon that subj ect. Personally I would be delighted with a repetition of your reasons for 142 WAR, RKLIGION AXD LOVE. 143 believing Jesus to have spent the time he was absent from his native land in oriental countries/' " General MePherson," said Wallace/ " I appreciate the high compliment, and as it is your request, it shall be granted. You may designate the evening." THE LECTURE, " Mr. President and Gentlemen, — The honor of addressing a select audience composed of the generals and colonels commanding the Union army, in the midst of one of the remarkable cam- paigns in the history of wars, with Gen. W. T. Sherman in the chair, is an honor I never dreamed of, much less ever expected to realize. In presenting myself before you, I deeply regret that I am not better prepared to talk to you on the subject indicated. Had I access to the many notes taken during my studies in the East, and the many valu- able works of reference by eminent 144 •'''^-'^'■"'' -iii^<'t-yi-:D. scholars that are now l^^ing packed in my trunk at home, I might have been enabled to make mv talk more interesting in point of data and scholarly research. "Knowing (ieneral McPherson's in- vitation to talk to you this evening to be the result of sevei'al conversations with him on religious subjects, I wall not burden you with a description of the majestic scenery, the strange people, their ([ueer manners and customs, and the numy thrilling and pleasant experi- ences I met with on my travel through the countries of the Orient, but will endeavor to confine myself to the relig- ions of its peo})le, and give you some of the points of contact and comparison between the religions of the East and that of Jesus, as I gathered them by my own personal study and observation. " It is natural for man to be religious. It was born in him. lie breathed it w^ith the breath of life. Away back in the mystic ages, at the very birth of WAR. EELIGToy AXD LOVE. 145 human intellect, we find men impressed with the belief in the existence of a divine principle, power or being, or in other words, the belief in the existence of a Cxod, and to whom he sustained the relationship of dependence, obligation and hope. " To the primitive man with untrained mind, surrounded by dangers and difii- culties that he could not control, by the various phenomena of nature that were to him inscrutable, it is not strange that he should feel his insignificance, his helplessness, his dependence upon the Supreme Power, and be moved to rever- ence, to worship, to curiosity and hope. " Their idea of a God was, however, very crude and vague ; as time rolled on and the mind began to develop, their means of observation to increase, the power of abstraction and generalization began to appear. He was given a per- son and personalities, functions and attributes, very similar often times to 146 >/,A.S AliSiiLVEli. their own ])eculiar ideas and passions, until we lind even at an early date, the Divine })rinei[)le completely covered up with all manner of theories, olocj'ies and isms, more or less mysterious, corrupt and complex. And at this later date we have all manners of relig-ions, more or less surrounded by the mystical sn- ])erstitions of the primitive mind, mis- conceived, distorted, and misapplied l)y speculative ])hiloso})hers and dogmatical religions. For a peoi)le living under ditferent and various circumstances and environments, such as climatic influence, dift'erent degrees of intellectuality, moral accountability, and })olitical government, it would seem not an easy if a possible thing to formulate a religion that w^ould meet all of the special demands and needs peculiar to each brauch or nation of the people. " God has given to no one people, to no one nation, to no one religion, a monopoly of the truth, and how" errone- TT'.l/?, HKLIGIoy AND LOVE. 147 oiis for any one religion to gather about itself the mantle of self-righteousness, and cry out in a voice of scornful intol- erance to all the other religions : ' You are heathens, you are sinners, you are in the wrong ! Lo, here is the only true religion ; come, and learn of me.' As to the probabilities of a universal religion in the future, it is hardly safe to speculate. We have much to hope from evolution and progress, but I doubt if at any time will the world ever as one people know any other universal redeemer than God himself. ' Who at divers times and in sundry manner spake unto the fathers, has in these last days spoken unto us by the Son?' To the student of comparative theology, as he turns over the pages of the books of religions and reads with impartial mind, there can be but little doubt as to how many and who ai-e the spiritual fathers through whom God has spoken to each nation of this people. 14S N/.vs .\iiS(ii.\'i:i). '•To my old tVieiui and teacher, Max Mnller, I am indebted for this axiom : ' lie who knows l)nt one religion knows none,' the ti'uth of Avhich is at once ap- parent and impressive. To know a religion one nuist be enabled to get away from himself and look at it through the eyes of the people by whom it is professed. He must know their language, and become acquainted with their manners and customs, must feel the iuHuences that surround and control their lives, must know the su- perstitions and traditions of their fath- ers, and look with impartial eyes and honest })iirpose upon the seeking of his fellow-men after (lod. When, having learned of all religions, let him bring- home the golden truths he has found and as searchlights use them in study- ing the religion that (lod has sent him. •' As to the idea of Jesus having vis- ited the countries of the Orient, from the time of his disappearence from his- WAR, RKLKiloy AND LOVE. 149 tory until he began his ministry in Judea, I have to say, that as far as I have been able to discover, there is abundant evidence in proof of such a statement other than the many striking- similarities between his teaching and those of the religions of the East, espe- cially those of (Taiitama, the great In- dian teacher, whose religion is the religion of near five hundred millions of people. '' In the time of Jesus there was suf- ficient means by Avhich the Oriental doctrines of religion could have reached Palestine. As early as the third cen- tury before Christ, we know that there Avas a well estal)lished commercial rela- tion between the East and the countries of the Mediterranean by which the pearl and the gold of the land of Ophir found its way into Palestine and the Bible lands. Again we read that, during the reign of Asoka, king of India three centuries before Christ, a council of at I50 S/.VS UlSiiLVKD least a thousand religious scholars was convened at Patna. At Asoka's com- mand, wlio was of the Buddhist faith, the proceeding's of this council were engraven on the rocks and scattered ahout through the whole land of India, The Buddhists were great i)ropagand- ists, and many missionaries were sent out to preach the religion of their beloved teacher, across the Himalayas, into the far olf xVsia and the surround- ing isles. Strange if these zealous missionaries neglected the land of Pal- estine, hut we have no word that such was or was not the case. I prefer to believe that what Jesus knew of the religions of the East, that he journeyed thither by caravans and studied them personally in the land where they were best known and revered. "In the religion of Jesus there is so little that is new and so much that originally belonged to the great teach- ers who went before him, that the TTM/.\ RELKIWN AND LOVE. 15 i scholar who reads with a knowledge of Oriental literature must surely see at times that which will lead him to regard the Bible of the West as but a new version of the Bibles of the East. '' Zoroaster, many hundred, perhaps a thousand, years before Jesus trod this earth, taught a religion that believed in the existence of a supreme God, ' the Creator of the earthly and spiritual life,' ' the Lord of the whole universe, at whose hands are all the creatures of this world,' ' and whose promise unto those who believe in Him is everlasting life ;' ' who showed the sun and the stars their way,' 'who caused the moon to w^ax and wane,' 'who holds the earth and skies above it,' ' who is in the wind and in the storm,' ' who grants to the pious who are pure in thought, in word and deed the reward of eternal life, and to the wicked eternal punishment.' " The cultivation of truth, purity, obedience, temperance and industry are 152 >V.YN AIlSdLVKlK indeed the foinidation atones of the religion of Zoroaster. • Purity." said he, 'is the best thing for a man after l)irth, and good tli oughts, good works, good deeds are a safe guide to the gates of ])aradise.' The Zoroasterian jn-actice of passing eonseei'ated l)read and a cui) of soma wine to tlie worshipers l)ears a striking outward resembhmce to the Lord's supper. The disciides of this sect were also taught that the washing in pure water was an essential factor in cleansing their bodies of moral and spiritual uncleanliness, as was that of prayer. The rite of the Xew Testa- ment — ba|)tism — is, liowever, of an- cient Essenian origin. " At least five hundred years before Christ, the great religionist of the Flow- ery Land gave to the world that leadiaig princi})le of law known as tlie (lolden Kule, Said Lao-tsze, ' Recompense in- jury with kindness,' and Confucius in the same great age gaye it in the words, WAii. RELKiioy Ayn LDVK. 153 'Do not unto otliei'8 whatever ye would not that others should do unto von.' "He also laid great stress on what are known to his followers as the five con- stants, viz., benevolence, wisdom, right- eonsness, worship, faithfulness. ' Those,' said he, 'who multiply good deeds will have joys running over, those who mul- tiply evil deeds calamities to overfloAV- ing.' ' Honor thy father and thy mother,' was the most forcibh^ taught by Confucius in his rules to social life. The. Logos idea is from neo-platonism, and the mart}^' Justin affirms that the 'Logos had worked through Socrates as it had been present in Jesus,' and also .tells us that the seed of the Logos was 'implanted in every race.' " The doctrine of the Trinity or Unity in one is of very ancient origin. Lao-tsze puts it thusly, 'Two in one and three in two,' but his disciples say, 'Three pure ones in trinity,' and Con- fucius talked of the ' absorption of the 11 I ^4 sLVs .i/;sMLi7:/_>. trinity in the iiiiite/ Buddha })uts it, 'One in nnion and tlrreo in division.' "The docti'ine of the atonement, or the delivei'anee of many by the virtues of one, though somendiat erude and mys- terions, was known to all anti(jnity, as were the doetrines of rewai"d and pun- ishment for deeds done in this life. '' Of death, Confucius taught that. ' When llesh and bones die. the material beconn^s dust, but the immaterial rises above the grave in great light, has odor and is very pitialdc. This same,' he says, ' though unseen, still continnes to intluenee the lives of those in this world for many generati(jns, or, in the words of our religion, they rest from their labors and their works to live after them,' '' ' Love thy neighbor as thyself.' has an oi'iginal in * look upon all as upon your ownself,' of Ancient Advatia. " The idea of worshiping God through love came from the Vedas of the ancient Hindus, In one of its many hymns we n'.lR, RELIGK.iy A^D LOVK. 155 find him spoken of as the 'one beloved, more dear than anvthino- in this or in the next world." ' It is good to love Cxod for the hope of reward, but better to love Him for the sake of love.' ''Again, from the same source we are told that as a ' lotus leaf grows in the water and never is wet by the water, so should the man live in this world, with his heart to (iod and hand to work.' Here we find the same thought as expressed by Jesus in his saying, ' Let not the right hand know what the left hand doeth,' and many others of similar character. "How familiar are these words taken from one of the most ancient of Hindu books, known as the Laws of Manu, written probably nine hundred years before Christ : ' And for whatever pur- pose a man bestows a gift, for a similar purpose he shall receive a like reward." " ' Let not a man be proud of his righteous devotions, let him not having sacrificed, utter a falsehood." 156 S/-YS JlisiiLVHri. " ' Having made a donation, let him not proclaim it abroad," •' ' By falsehood the sacrifice becomes vain, by pride the merit of devotion is lost, and l)y proclaiming its largeness its fruit is destroyed. For. in his pas- sage to the next world, neither his father, nor his mothei". nor his wife, nor his son, nor any of his kinsmen accom- pany him.' '' ' Single each man is born ; single he dies ; single he receives his reward of his good, and single the punishment of his evil deeds.' " But the most striking similarities are, however, found in the religion of Gautama, who six centuries before the man of Galilee, appeared in Palestine, went with his band of disciples through the whole land of India preaching the laAv of holiness to his fellow-man. It is said that during his ministry of forty- iive years he preached not less than eiiiditv-fonr thousand sefmons. and was TIM J?, UKLUlIoy AND LOVE. I 57 familiar with doctrines of eiglity-two religious creeds or sects. In the char- acter and religion of Buddha there is so much of charity, love and compassion for his fellow-beings, so much of toler- ance, patience, self-denial and all lovable attributes, that one cannot become ac- quainted with his religion and history without a feeling of the greatest love and veneration. Though wrapped about with complex metaphysics and tedious narrations and ancient legends of the East, it is not difhcult for the student to trace in his teachings an inspiration that is Divine, ^or to see truly as the Hindu Krishna exclaimed, ' Grod is in every religion like unto a thread run- ning through a string of pearls. And when thou seest extraordinary holiness connected to extraordinary power, rais- ing the purity of mankind, know ye that God is there.' " Nowhere in all ni}^ travels have I ever met with so kind, so gentle, so I 5-3 N/.VS AUSiiLVFA). hospital)le or tolerant a people as are the Buddhists. It is a j)art of their reli^'i- ous duty to be hospital)le to strangers, to take care of the sick and the needy, and to exercise great patience and tol- erance for the religions of all people. ••As far as human suftering is con- cerned the records of IJuddha are stain- less. They tell of no holy wars ; no inquisition ; no burning of heretics, or witches, or scholars, nor l:tanishnient of unl)elievers from their native land. Their conquests were all made without persecution or bloodshed. " In teaching the peace of man and his salvation. Buddhism appeals to the rational mind of man and the better impulses of the human heart. Shall not we give them the honor due them for their religion that has made them so mild, though not without its errors and super- stitions, its symbols and relics, its beads and bells, its monasteries and shrines, its pilgrimages and processions, its TT',1/,'. RELKiloy AND LOVE. 159 candles and incense, its robes and idols, shall not we, who make use of many of the same symbols and ceremonies in the worship of our God, and look upon it all as but the visible means of worship and not the being worshiped, shall not we extend to them our sympathy, our tolerance and our charity. The Saint Josaphat of the Catholic Church is no doubt none other than the loved Bud- dha of India. When Buddaa came into this world he saw what Zoroaster saw, saw what Confucius saw, saw what Jesus saw, saw what we see to-day — human misery, human sorrow, human suffering and sin. All life, the very earth seemed to him to be loaded down with an ever- present ever-changing cycle of Iiuman suffering. His great, tender, loving heart was filled with compassion for his fellow - sufferers. He Vv'ould that he might relieve them from this bondage. I need not recount to you the story of his birth, nor give you the details of his l6o N/.YN AliSOLVKD. sevei'c (liscii.tliiie, the .self-mortification, and the long stages of contemplation, through which lie j)assed before he ar- I'lNed at the solution of the proljlem of human pain and miser}'. IIow at last it came to him. when sitting beneath the spreading ])oughs of a bo tree, that /(/i/onn/cr was the cause of it all, and linallya little later on that frufJ/ Avas the great emancipator. " 'All sull'ering," said he, " ai'ises from ignorance. You shall know the truth and tlie truth shall set you on fire."' "l->oth Buddha an'/-VN ABSOLVKD. and 1 will give you rcr^t/ 'Peace I leave with yuii, my peace I give unto you,' said Jesus. '^'It is difticult for the rich and the noble to be religious/ said Buddha. "It is easier for the camel to u:o throui^'h the needle's eye.' said Jesus, ' than for a I'ich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.' '''Better far with red-hot irons put out both your eyes, than to encourage in yuni-selves lustfal thoughts,' said Buddha. 'If thy right eye offend thee, ])lack it out,' said Jesus. " ' At certain times and })laces some- how do leaders a})pear in the world, just as the blossom of the glomerous tig tree is rare, also beautiful and far more wonderful is the law I proclaim,' said Buddha. It is a strange coincidence that Jesus should make use of the same symbol in speaking of the signs of the comino- of the Son of Man. WAR. UFLKlIoy ASn LOVE. 165 " Ho^y curiously familiar are these Buddhistic passages. I need not repeat their similarities. "'Take then the bow of earnest per- severance and the sharp arrow point of wisdom.' "'Cover your heads with a helmet of good thoughts and fight with fixed pur- pose against the fi.ve desires.' " ' He who turns his pound into five will be set over five cities ; he who turns it into ten, over ten cfties.' ' Touch not a woman's hand with cor- rupt thoughts.' ' Commit no adultery.' " ' What men call treasures, when laid up in a deep pit profit nothing and may easily be lost, but the real treasure is that laid up by man or woman through charity, piety and self-control.' ' Let us live happily together, not hating those that hate us ; let us live free from hatred among men.' ' He that observes the law and is compassionate is my dis- ciple.' I 66 N/-VN AliSnl,VEP. '" ' Look not to any one for a refuge beside youi'selves.' '' ' Let man overcome anger by kind- ness, evil by good." ••']\[y law is a hnv of gi'ace for man.' "'lie ye kimps to yoiii'selves.' ••'Xeither aljstinenee from eating, nor going naked, nor shaving the head, nor diet, nor rough garments, nor sacrifice will cleanse a man from his delusion." "'Fools i'ollow after vanity, the man of sense after wisdom." •••To abhor and cease from sin, absti- nence fi'om sti'ong drink, not to be weary in well-doing. Heverer.ce and lowliness, contentment and ij'ratitude, the hearino' of the law at due seasoji. to be long- sufferin<2' and meek, is the "'j-eatest bless- ing.' "'Strive on and thou shall soon be free from impurities." •'In almost the very same words of our religion Buddha taught that we should love our neighbor as ourselves ; WAR. RELIGlOy AXD LOVE. 167 and enjoined npon the rich that they should devote one-fourtli of their abund- ance to the poor. Virtue is frequently compared to living Avaters, and religion to the pearl and jewels. 'It is also,' said he, 'like the salt of the ocean, one in taste throughout.' 'Do not let it fall into the hands of fools.' The world he compared to a city of sand. 'Its foun- dations cannot endure.' " Let me give you Buddha's ten com- mandments ver}^ brieily : '"Do not destroy life. Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Do not tell a falsehood. Do not speak evil of others. Do not be greedy. Do not indulge in intoxicating drinks. Do not be cruel. Do not indulge in passions. Do not be intolerant and uncharitable.' "Another strange similarity that is strikingly pathetic is the last words of these divine teachers. ' Everything that Cometh into being passeth away,' said Buddha, as he passed peacefully away i6S N/-VN Ai',siii.vi:i). in the arms of his l)est liehjved (lisci[)l(;'. Ai'anda ; l)ut liow sadly different were the surroundings from which came the death-cry of Jesus as he hung upon the Koman cross : 'It is finished.' "It is said that l^uddliism knows no God, no existence for the soul after death. '' Buddiia's teaching- was more for the man of this world than the world to come. His religion is to show man h(jw to become perfect in this life, or to attain and enjoy Nirvana, the state of peaceful tranquillity, on this earth. I do not believe that Nirvana means utter annihilation of the soul, but rather utter annihilation of the body, its passions, its evil dis])ositions, through which the soul becomes at y^eace or rest with the world and his fellow man. "If Buddha believed this state of Nirvana to mean utter annihilation, why do the Buddhists pray to him? If there is no God, no Buddha, why is this prayer? Why pray at all? WAIi. RKLKiloy ASD LOVE. 169 " ' Thou, Buddha, victor over the hosts of evil, thou all-wise being, come down to our world, made perfect and glorified by bygone evolutions ; alwa^^s pitiful, always gentle towards all crea- tures ; look down upon us, for the time is come to pour out thy blessing upon the people. Be gracious to us from thy throne built in the heaven. Thou art the eternal redeemer of all creatures, therefore bow down to us with all thy unstained heavenly societies.' " In accounting for the similarities in the teaching of Buddha and Jesus, only a few of which I have given, I cannot but believe that force of conditions and the circumstances account satisfactorily for it all. In some way or other Jesus must have come in contact with the religion of Buddha and noted its influ- ence for good to humanity. " Another singularity in the history of these two religions, and Avhat may be regarded as the connecting link, is the N/.YN AUSULVbirt. fact that Buddlia foretold of the com- ing of a Baddlia who would be called Maitreya, or the teacher of love. May it not be that his pro])hecy had refer- ence to Jesus of Galilee? May it not be that his mission was to com])lete the works of Buddha, or was he a re-incar- nation of the great teacher? The answer is yet to come from the ages yet to be. " In conclusion, gentlemen, I fj-eely admit there is no ])ositive proof that Jesus was in the East during his ab- sence from Palestine. As he astounded his teachers at the age of twelve, it is improbable that he was idle mentally during the following eighteen years, and there is such a chain of circumstan- tial evidence that he did spend the time in oriental countries, that I have no doubt u})on the subject. ''It is not denied by any scholar that a similarity of belief, and inventions aiid the conduct of the people remote from each other is no evidence ^^er se of WAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 171 intercommunication. The evidence fur- nished by the ages of stone, bone, iron and bronze having extended over the world is a demonstration that a certain stage of mental development produces a similarity in conduct among people never having had any knowledge of each other. '' It is also true that men in different nations, remote from each other, appear to be merely a mouthpiece or instru- ment through whom the same thoughts or beliefs burst forth, and the beliefs or discoveries are simply concomitants. The discovery of the planet Uranus by Levarier of France and Adams of Eng- land is a striking example, but when there is a striking similarity of the teaching throughout the lives of tAVO or more individuals — nay, almost absolute sameness — other than natural causes must be sought for in explanation. There was absolutely nothing taught by Jesus that had not been taught cen- 172 ^/^'N ABSOLVED. tiiries before by Zoroaster, Confucius and Gautama, ajtd in aliiio.'^t the same ivord.s ; the .'^aine puriildf^s were used, and the same allegories. The Buddhists" ten commandments are in ahnost the identi- cal hmguage of those given by Moses, and the Sermon on the Mount by Con- fucius and (rautama have in them substantiallv the same language found in the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus. " The commercial relations subsisting betAveen India and Palestine would not have brought the savants learned in • theological lore, but men interested in the material things of life. Jesus' knowledge of the teachings in the East must have required years to obtain it. It was acquired during his long absence from Palestine, in India. I believe fu- ture investigation will demonstrate it. '' Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha and Jesus were alike able to intei-pret the language of a tear, and hear the voice of a groan." CHAPTER I X . NO IDLE PIIAXTOM. Soox the noise and bustle of break- ing camp became evident, and with the marching- order of that day began that memoral:»le countermarch of over three hundred miles. March, march, march, onward they press, still onward, toward the north and home. The rest was of short duration. Hood made a flank movement, and his army pushed to the north of Atlanta, in the neighborhood of Rome, Georgia. Of the movements of Sherman's army, his pursuit and his unsuccessful eft'ort to force the Confederate army to battle, the division of the Union army and his march to the sea with the larger part of it are matters of history. Hood's ob- jective point was far to the north, perhaps !N^ashville, or even further north. 173 174 N/.VN AnSdLYED. Less than two corps of Sherman's entire army were left to follow, or be followed by the Confederate ai-my. Hood in his march north made a desperate bat nn- snccessfnl attempt to carry Altoona Pass by storm, then held and com- manded by one of Iowa's bravest men, Gen. John M. Corse. The generalship displayed l>y Coi'se, and the gallantry by his men on that occasion was not snr- passed during the war. Their feet tread the same paths as they retrace the scenes of their recent victories. They recross the battle- helds where so lately the ground was stained with the lifeblood of their com- panions, and where the thousands of nameless graves tell pitiful tales of widowed hearts, of fatherless children, of mothers" longing arms, of vacant chairs at home. The indifference of the soldiers at that time is something almost incompre- hensible. They made no moan over the WAR, RELIGION AND LOVE. I 75 loss of comrades, sought out no graves, shed no tears. Their actions and words attested their indifference to death on either side. On one occasion as they camped on the site of one of the battles of a few weeks before, a sturdy-looking soldier, with a bullet-hole in his hat, pointed to a single tree that stood a few rods to his left, and with a look that betrayed no feeling, scarcely even interest, re- marked, "There is just where I stood when I sent that rebel major to the front parlor of the Xew Jerusalem with his boots and spurs." Viewed from the age of patriotic enthusiasm, we wonder their hearts did not burst with pent-up feeling, or that their thirst for vengeance had not over- stepped all bounds and resorted to the atrocities of barbarous nations. As they passed the point in the line of battle about Kenesaw mountain, oc- cupied by his division when that disas- 176 >'/A".V AnSdLVKTi. trous charge \yas made a few weeks before. Wallace removed his hat, and said to Coh^nel Dale, as they rode for- ward : "• Here is where so many of my boys answered to the last roll-call, and are now at })arade rest. They have passed from the strife and conflict of earthly life and rebel shot and shell to the quiet scenes beyond the cold surges of the mystic river. Xo more shall reveille or battle disturb their repose. In the serenity of death they won ever- lasting victory. Heaven's doors stood wide open." The army halted for dinner near a beautiful spi'ing that poured out of the hillside. A log house, minus much of the '' chinking and dobing/' and the roof having the appearance of having seen better days, stood near to it in a clearing of about fifteen acres of land, situated on a steep hillside, surrounded by a rail fence that gave evidence of the camp fires by both I'nion and Confeder- WAR. RELIGIOX AXD LOVE. l-JJ ate armies. As Wallace and his staflf rode lip to ask about the missing gourd at the spring, a typical southerner of about sixty-five years emerged from the shanty. " He wore a gray suit, that would have been improved by several Cleveland badges, a slouch hat with a broad brim, and a pair of cow-hide boots with ample means of ventilation, into which his pantlegs were tucked. Both his unsocked great toes were plainly visible. His hair was long and cut square ; his beard had the beauty and simplicity of nature untouched ; his shirt was open far down for want of buttons ; his pants were cut barn-door fashion, and the button on one side necessary to retain the flap in position, was absent. Two crippled horses, left by the Confederate cavalry, limped up the hillside, and a cow that was no temptation, even to soldiers living on short rations of salt meat, was tied to an old wagon without a bed. He said. IjS S'/.VS ABSOLVED. as he squirted a mouthful of tobacco juice over the bare heads of four or five of his children tiiat had followed him out of the liouse, — a part of it remaining- on his mustache and beard, — " Well, (rineral, youens is here agin." "Yes," said WaHace, ''and I su})pose you are glad to see us. You are a Union man? " '"Yes, (rineral, I am a good Union man. I told the old woman just yester- that youens had treated us a derned sight better than Aveuns had. Y^ou see, (xineral, I am not what the college chaps call educated. I can't read nor write, l)ut the old wonuin says uater did a power for me, and she's a purty good, sound thinker, I tell you. Y ou see. I catch onto things right smai-t. I heard Gineral Jackson say. ni' twenty years ago, that a wise man could change his mind Avlien it was necessary, but a fool couldn't do it at all. When Johnson's army passed here. I didn't think as I do Tr.4jR, RKLIGiny AND LOVE. lyg now. Yes, Gineral, I am solid for the Union." "Xoii seem to be pretty well fixed, and to be happy and contented," said Wallace. ''Yes, Gineral,'' he said, "'I came here thirty years ago a poor man. Me and the old woman has worked hard, and we have saved what we made. 'Pears to me nearly everybody makes lots of money, bnt the p'int is, they don't save it. All you see, Gineral, is mine, and it's paid for, too ; '' and, taking another chew of tobacco, he continued with a knowing- smile, "it hain't ornamented with a mortgage, e'ther.'' "Have you a large plantation?" said Wallace. " Yes, Gineral, purty large — about thirty acres, but I got it by industry. I have not been out of the county since I came here, and I have only been to Cassville, seven miles, once in fifteen 3^ears." I 80 S/:\'N ABSOL VED. ''Are there any Unitarians in this neighborhood?" said AValkice. '• T don't know, sah ; I never seed any ; but some varmint has carried olf what few chickens we liad left after John- son's army passed through, and. if they like ch.ickens, I reckon that's Avhere they have gone."' The chaplain had I'idden up in time to hear what the planter said, and he, in a grave and serious manner, said: '"My dear sir. I know all about I^nitarians ; they have infested the state in which I live for years, and I say to you they are awfully dangerous. They are even more to be dreaded on account of your children than your chickens, a//(f tJieij (ire alarniinyhi fond of clricJiens." "Be they big varmints?" said the planter. '' Biy/" said the chaplain, "I saw one not a mile liack in the timber that would Aveigh two hundred pounds dressed." The old man looked around to see if WAR, Rf:LIGIOy AND LOVE. l8l any of the children were gone, and, as he squirted a mouthful of tobacco juice, part of which fell on Wallace's boots, said nervously, " Lord, children, run to 3^our mother." Slowly but steadily the army pressed on till the days grew into weeks and the weary weeks dragged on to months. ISTo battles, no skirmishes, no opposition of any description broke the monotony of their long tramp. They almost longed for the smell of powder, the roar of the artillery, the crash of the musketry. But though Hood's army moved northward at the same time, almost parallel with our line of march, and at a distance of from ten to fifty miles, our troops sought no encounter, for his men numbered three to our one. The fare was poor and the men showed little relish for their daily ra- tions of bacon, beans and hardtack. ISTot a few sickened and died. I 82 >'/-V.s- AI}Sint where Hood did not cross nor attempt to ei'oss, fntui'e liistory will de- termine. Hood cro.-sed the river two miles below, and at or abont the time Schotield crossed at ('olnml)ia. Several Confetlerate batteries were hurried into Colnml)ia as soon as it was evacuated by the Union forces ; for the shelling con- tinued from that side of the river until we were out of range of their guns. When a half a mile from the river, General Wallace was taking a cai-eful survey of the Confederate batteries with his glass, and his orderly was standing near him. A solid shot from one of the Confederate guns struck the ground al)out twenty rods from where they stood ; it ricochetted. and on its upward motion struck the orderly on the side of his head and took it off down to his lower jaw. The Genei-afs clothing was spotted with blood and WAR. RKLIOIOX ASD LOVK. 189 brain. With tears in his eves, the Gen- eral said : '' A strange fatality comes to my orderlies ; this is five I have had killed in battle. That shot, however, was intended for me." The march for Spring Hill, situated midway between Columbia and Frank- lin, and ten miles from either, was begun. When about three or four miles on the way, Greneral Wallace sent an order to Colonel Dale, who had com- mand of his regiment, to go back and guard a cross-road leading over to the stone pike, running almost parallel with the one on which the Union army was moving. The road was soon found and a strong picket line established. Within an horn- after the pickets were on duty our en- tire army, wagon train, ambulances and ordnance had passed ; the only sound to be heard was the rumbling made by Hood's army, less than two miles to our right, on the stone pike leading to igO >7.\S AllSdLVHD. Spring- Hill. After an hour Hood's entire ai'iny had passed, and no sound was heard ; the stillness was painful. The entire regiment excei)t the })ickets, Colonel Dale and myself, slept as soundly as if they had been at home. The ( 'ohniel and I walked back and forth ahnig the ])ike, expecting to be captured l)y the Confederate cavalry, if he did not receive order soon reliev- ing him from duty at that point. ]S^o order came. He was not known to be nervous dui'ing his army life except on that occasion. He said: "1 fear the Confederate cavalry are now between us and our command, but I dare not leave this place without orders, especially so as it Avas (General Wallace who gave me the order to gtiard this road.'" After an hour's consultation, he de- termined that an order relieving him had probably been sent, and that the mes- sena'er had encountered the Confeder- UAH. UKLKiKiy ASD LoVi:. igi ate cavalry and had been killed. AYe learned fi'oni AYallace, the next day, that such an order was sent, hut it was not received and the messenf''er is a mono- the "missing." The regiment was waked, the pickets called in. and in a few minutes we were marching at a rapid pace toward Spring- Hill. Every man then appeared to a])- ])reciate the situation. Our own com- mand at least six miles away, and it was probable that Hood's army was in cam]) covering our road. We had gone less than two miles when we were fired on by cavalry in our front. The regiment was deployed in line of battle. The command to charge was given by Dale in a shrill tone that rang through the forest, and its echo came back two dis- tinct times, followed by a roll of mus- ketry that I seem to hear yet. A volley at night is very dift'erent from a volley in the day. The cavalry disappeared,, the march was resumed and no other 192 N/.VN AllSliLVHI) obstacle was found in onr way. We reached Spring- Hill at 2 o'clock in the morning-. When we came in sight, there ap- peared to our riglit what appeared to me like ten thousand cani})-iires, extend- ing u}) to within twenty rods of the road on which we were marching. We did not know whether they were Union or Confederate soldiers, and we came near going straight to them Avhen we came to Spring Hill, which I suppose had in it thirty or forty houses. The night was dark ; our infantry was asleep lying along the road ; the wagon train, ambulances and artillery were mixed in such a confusion that an at- tack by Hood at that time would cer- tainly have been disastrous. A¥e did not find (leneral Wallace that night, but continued our march until we were at the head of the column. When orders to move were given, we were in the front, and we were the first into Tr.4i?, EELIGloy AND LOVE. I93 Franklin about 8 o'clock the next morning'. We at that time believed General Cleburne cried because Hood would not give the order for a nig-ht at- tack. I have heard in the last year that Hood gave the order and it was not exe- cuted. What the facts were may never be known, as General Cleburne and nine other Confederate generals were killed the next day at the battle of Franklin. General Wallace and his command arrived about an hour later, at 9 o'clock, and Colonel Dale reported to him in person, expecting a reprimand, or even more severe punishment, for disobeying his orders. The General took both of his hands and said: "Colonel Dale, God bless you. I am so glad to see you. I have been in torture all night, fearing you had fallen into the hands of the enemy, or even something worse." " But, General, I disobeyed orders, and the order was in your handwriting. and it wa-^ IjL'causc it war^ yoin' atinij;' in the bret^ze. and their arms at right-shoulder shift. As they a[)[)roaehed our skirmish line the ( 'onfedei'ate yell was heai'd all along the line : they struek the double quick and ])ressed forward with the determination of heroes. ()ur skirmish line was swept back on the two brigades; the bris'ade gave way and were hurled back on our main line in utter confusion. Our tlying brigades, our skirmish line and the Con- federate lines struck our fortification at the same time. The firing from our line of works was })revented by the approach of our own men. The charge was so impetuous that many Confederates fell headlong over the works and were bay- onetted before thev regained their feet. WAi!. i:i:L[(ii(ty jyo love. igg A hand to hand eonfiict to death took place in the rear of ont entrenchment. A superior Confedei'ate force was over- powering our line ; it wavered, and for a moment our works to the left of the center of our line was in Confederate hands. Those were awful moments. A yell of victory with increased despera- tion came from all along the Confeder- ate line. At this moment General Wallace, General Stanley and Colonel Dale rode their horses right up to and into the fiercest part of the conflict, re- formed the line and, with their swords, dealt death around them and drove the Confederates out of our entrenchments. Genei'al Stanley was shot from his horse just as the repulse was complete. They retired sullenly beyond the crest of the hill in our front and reformed their lines. Their loss had l)een very great. General Gordon was captured with over one thousand prisoners, and many battle flags. General Adams and his horse S/.VN AUSdl.VKI). were killed while hi^ hor^e was astride of our works. In a few minutes another desperate ehai'ge was made all along our line, and was repulsed with tei'rible slaui;'hter. Between 4 oYdoek and midnight twelve eharges were made, and were every time I'epulsed with heavy Con- federate loss, 1 think it no exaggera- tion to say the most desperate lighting of the war was at the Ijattle of Frank- lin. The Confedei'ate generals led their men with great desperation and unsurpassed personal courage, and paid for their rashness Avith their lives. Here fell the Confederate Generals Scott, Quarrels, Strahl. (iist, Cochrell, Alanin- wault, Cleburne. Ci'anbury. and General Carter who fell from his horse mortally wounded and died within sight of his own house, lie was found early next morning by his sister. The loss of the Confederate ofhcers was so great that in several instances a captain was the n:iR. BKLUlION AXD LoVE. 20I ranking officer in a brigade. General Cleburne was killed in the second charge, while his horse was astride our works. The especially sad and tragic death of General Carter, within a few rods of his own palatial mansion, was regretted even by the Union soldiers. By reference to the records, it w^ill be found that the Confederate loss in killed and wounded in the battle of Frankin w^as greater in proportion to the num- ber engaged than in any other battle of the late war. The rapid and precise firing of our men was not equaled in- any other battle. The}' stood up three deep in the rifle-pits, and the rear rank& loaded while the front rank did the firing. The Confederate army lost in the battle of Franklin, in killed, wounded, prisoiTers and missing, about 13,000 men. A calm and dispassionate reflection, after thirty years, upon the cause that led to victory and prevented defeat — N/.VN AliStiI,\-i:ii a defeat that would have been as de- plorable as a defeat would have l)een at Gettysbur<>\ and in the same way, of an invasion of the Xorth l)v the Confeder- ate army — was largely, if not wholly, due to the ])ersonal gallanti-y. and ]jer- haps unequaled true heroism of (ieneral Wallace and Colonel Dale, (xenei-al Schofield's headquarters, during the entire battle and before it begun, was at the fort on the other side of the river, a mile and a half distant. It is true General Stanley rode with Wallace and Dale into the most deadly ])art of the conflict, but he was early in the first charge shot in the neck and fell from his horse. In every one of the tw^elve separate and distinct charges made by the determined Confederate army, led by brave »nd reckless gen- erals, they were in the saddles and as near the trench in the rear of the breast- works as it was ])ossible to be. The unbounded confidence in General Wal- WAR. RELKtKiX A\D UtVE. 203 lace by every soldier, the cool, steady gaze of his great, blue eyes, his earnest, kind words, " Stand firm, boys, there is victory in the air,'' and his imperial personage made him a tower of strength. The dashing valor of Colonel Dale — he was where the line w^as most pressed, wherever the bullets were the thickest, there was seen his girlish, smiling face, and it was always a talisman of hope. That either of them survived the battle seems to have been almost a miracle. General Wallace had ten bul- let marks in his clothing ; one of his shoulder-straps was shot away, there were three holes through his hat, and the rest were through his coat. Colonel Dale had two bullet holes through his hat, his sword-belt was cut in two by a saber, and he lost the belt and the scab- bard ; his sword was knocked from his hand by a bullet, but he dismounted and got it again ; three buttons were shot 204 S/.VN ABSiiLVHD. off liis coat. There were in all seveii- teen bullet marks and a saber cut in his clothing-, without a scratch on his person. Before 2 o'clock in the morning onr en- tire force had ci'ossed the river, and on the evening- of that day we were in Nashville. CHAPTER XI. THAT CHAPLAIX AGAIN. " Good morning, General Wallace." " Good morning, Mr. Calvin ; come in." '' If it is not an intrusion, General, I would like to congratulate you upon your miraculous escape from the dan- ger of the battle at Franklin." " It is no intrusion ; I am always glad to see my old chaplain, and here is Colonel Dale." . " You are both here because of God's protecting care, for which I have thanked Him in prayer, as I suppose you have both done. I had a splendid opportunity to see the awful grandeur of a battle with nothing but the smoke to obscure the view. In all the other battles I saw almost nothing for the heavy timber prevented a view of what 205 2o6 N/.V.S Aiis<}Lri:r). was happenin. erate hands. I closed my eves, dread- ing the worst, and said. 'May God and AVallaee ])re\ent an utter I'out.' AVhen I opened them again, (xeneral Stanley was falling from his hoi'se. You ap- peared collossal in size ; your horse at the breast-woi'ks. youi- s\voi"d high above your head. I heai'd your words, "Stand firm. boys, thei'e is \ietory in the air.' I saw Colonel Dale have a hand-to-hand encounter with a mounted Confederate officer, whose horse was astride the breast-works. I have since learned the mounted officer who fell there was the gallant General Cleburne. At that mo- ment the charge was repulsed. '\ our country owes you a debt of gratitude, which I hope it will repay in the future. It api)ears to me so ap[)arent that the hand of God was your shield during that battle, and perhaps it was for the purpose of enabling yon to see the all important doctrine of election and atone- ment as you have never seen them.'' ^rAR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 209 The general shook his head, smiled and said: "Mr. Calvin, I am not con- scious of any change npon those sub- jects, except it be a deeper conviction that I am right and that yon are wrong. It appears to me that reason and common sense must be wholly ignored to enable any one to believe such palpa- ble dogmas. You say a little sin is as big as a big one, and that one little sin, if nnforgiven, will forever damn any human soul. You also say, ' Xo man lives without sin for one day.' Xow, Mr. Chaplain, if all men, yourself in- cluded, sin every day, and if every sin nnforgiven will bring eternal perdition to those having been guilty, suppose a stra}^ bullet were to kill you just after one of those little sins, before you had time for ' Godly sorrow ' — whatever that may mean — where would you establish your headquarters? In hell or Heaven? And what benefit could you derive from ' election," and ' atonement,' and ' bap- 2 I O S/A'S -1 liSdL VED. ti^im/ and tlie "Lord's sui)|)er?' It will not do, Mr, C'linplain ; such sophistry will not takf the i)lace of lo^ic. We Ijoth know, from })ersonal obserxation of men in the army and out of it. that those making- loud pi'ofessions of piety need watching; that they are no bettej* than those who go unostentatiously about their own l)usiness. I do not be- lieve all men sin every day. I now know many men whom I believe have not sinned while in the army. Kidfss he- iiKj in tlie ariinj is a si//, which is true //' love of humanity is above love of coun- try.'' '' General." said the chai)lain, '• your opportunities have been great, and your acquirements phenomenal in their scope and in their profundity. There appears to me, however, an indelible impress on 3'our mind of the instruction you re- ceived from Humboldt. Darwin and Max Mnller, which renders your mind icy cold to everything except the truths of WAR. RELIGKiy jyD LOVE. 211 mathematics, and the severest logic. Yon are as yet, I fear a stranger to the warm and devont faith, which has the power of snbordinating the head to the heart. ^Notwithstanding yonr learn- ing, you do not appear to me to com- prehend man's sinful nature, and God's desire to save him. The relationship between God and man can be concisely stated thus : Man stands guilty before God. He has broken the laws of life. Those laws entail an eternal penalty. That penalty is death. That death, however, means the dying out of the spiritual nature while the intellectual and physical natures live on forever in hell. God Avishes to save man. He does not feel free, however, to do so, as an earthly father would do, immediately upon his child's repentance. He is un- der the restraint of his own laws, which must be kept intact to a letter. Some one must die according to the penalty prescribed. A substitute may die, and .Si.V.S ABSiiLVEL. thus the guilty uuui go free. The Eter- nal Son oftei's himself as a substitute, decends to earth, bodies himself in a man and suffers death. This death is not the eternal death incurred, but the person, being an infinite one, his death is an infinite suffering, and thus its qual- ity makes it equivalent to the quantity of suffering prescribed, and is accepted as a legal discharge of the law in full. Man is therefore released from all claims of the law ; divine justice is satisfied. ^Nlercy has room to show itself, and God forgives his child, all in keeping with the mysterious counsel of his own will, and according to his own decree before man was.'' "That //OK. call a consise statement of the plan of salvation as exeinj^l^fied rn the (loetrine of the Atonement and Elec- tion,'^ said Wallace. " Yes, General, and its beauty, sim- plicity and reasonableness to a mind divinely prepared for its reception will WAR. RKLIGIoy AXD LOVE. 213 give it a standing far above the cold conclusions of mathematics or logic/' " The orthodox formula,"' said the genera], " does seem to present the doc- trine of Christ's sacrifice as a quit- claim deed under the law, as in a commercial transaction. It ineans, how- ever^ when brought under the searching scrutiny of the nineteenth century^ that anyone found in the mass of rejected humanity, whatever saintly virtues he may possess, desjnte the Divine decrees, will find no door ojyen for him to heaven, — not even a hacJc door, — through which he might steal while the most High, as Paid said, ' WinTced, though the veriest hrute and heast, who chanced to he one of the favorite of heaven, Tnight wallow in the gutter all his days and at death march straight to the gate of the New Jeruscdeni and pass ujichallenged in.'' That's just what this orthodox dogma of Election and Atonement means, and meaning this is a revelation made by 214 N/.VS AliSiiLVKD. the Christian church of the intiiiite and eternal (rod. is a Ijlasphemv not easily outdone by the most sacrilegious of inlidels. Such dogmas outrage evei'y instinct of humanity, and every principle of justice. It enthrones a veritable monster, a power, whom we can easily enough hate, l)ut whom no one ought to love. It is no wonder, sir, that against the intellectual folly of such blasphem- ous caricature of the Divine Being the shafts of a scathing satire are hurled, and that against its moral rottenness, the hot bolts of indignation are hurled by the critics of Christianity. There is nothing new or })eculiar to Christianity about the orthodox atonement and elec- tion. Paul learned it from the ancient Hebrew prophets. It is part of the Mohammedan plan of salvation. The ancient Greeks entertained the same ideas. In the dim distance of Hindu antiquity we see the sages of India dis- cussing the same problems. n'AIi. UFAAdloy AND LOVE. 2I5 ''The j)ru)c>ple underlying the dogma of the atonement and election, and which is redeeming in its influence, per- meates humanity as a whole, and there are indications of the same law in the lower orders of life, and it is clearly set forth in the doctrine of natural selec- tion. Nature selects her races, or indi- viduals, not out of arbitrariness, but because they are fitted for her purpose. That purpose is not the happiness of her favorites, but the progress of the Avhole. The races that are fit to survive do survive, which gives us the scientific doctrine of the survival of the fittest, which means the preservation of those best adapted to carry on the organic ascent of life still higher. The elect are not, therefore, the petted favorites of the Eternal, but His trusted servants. Almost every individual life is touched at some point b}^ the mysterious sweep of this law of sacrifice ; the care and anxiety, the sleepless nights of a 2l6 S/.VN ABSiiLVKl). fond mother tV)i" her (hn-liiig- l)abe ; the deep soiTOW of father and mother for their erring- boy ; the agony of the wife or danghter for an intemperate husband or father, />• vicarious suffering and is redeeming in its influence. The strongest hope of salvation to those low in sin lies in the clinging affection of loved ones, which is daily offering itself a sacrifice for him, and if he is ever saved, he Avill owe it to the opera- tion of this law of vicarious sacrifice. Every individual salvation is a seg- ment in the sweep of the law under which all salvation out of sin is being wrought." '' But, general, you have several times denounced as unjust the principle that the innocent should suffer for the guilty. Indeed, the chief corner-stone on which rests your opposition to ortho- doxy is the very principle of vicarious suffering which you now assert to be universal and wonderfullv beneficent. TT'.IR, RELIGIoy ASD LOVE. 217 AVill YOU be kind enoiig-h to clear up your logical inconsistencies'? '' " I am far from attempting to solve all the mysteries of the almost universal law of sacrificial suft'ering." said the general. "It does seem a strange and solemn law, but it is not without a holy light breaking out of its shadows. It is not alone the prodigal boy and the intemperate husband and father Avho are thus saved. Under this law which ordains that the innocent shall suffer with and for the guilty, the father, mother and wife and daughter are also saved. The sacrificial victims have a transfiguration on the altar. The fires of suffering burn out of them the dross of their lower natures. Selfishness, and worldliness, and wickedness, are subli- mated into spiritual qualities in the furnace of affliction. Thus the justice and beneficence of nature's method of evolving the higher manhood becomes apparent to human reason. It is the 2 I 8 N/.TS . 1 nsoLVKD. arhHrary elrcHon and otonPinent of the Presbyterian. Confession of faith, which stops at no folly and shrinks from no l)laspheniy, whose infamy has no eqnal in remorseless logic, that T have de- nounced. The AVestminster Confession of Faith is the putrification of religion in dogmas." " Your philoso])hy, General." said the chaplain, '' is not a religion ; it recog- nizes nothing but hnv. Your universe mighi as well l)e without a Cxod. There are no special manifestations of Divine power. You have no miracles. Your philosophy necessitates the rejection of the miracles in the lives of Joshua, of Moses and of Job. IIow can there be an answer to prayer if there is no over- ruling providence, no personal super- vision of our lives and actions'? and how can sins be forgiven? " "Mr. Chaplain, if your analysis of my ])hilosophy finds no Cod, either I have failed to make mvself clear or vour WAR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 219 po>yer of analysis is defective. God is the sovl of all that is. lie is every- where and in everytliing-. Most em- phatically and under all circumstances, ' in Him we live and move and have our being/ I recognize the existence of a ' Positive Unknown,' and with Herbert Spencer, speculate that that incompre- hensible power is above personality, and not below it ; that It is as much above intellio-ence and will as intellii>-ence and will are above mechanical motion. It is true my philosophy does not recognize the possibility of that Power ever forgiving eveii one little si7i. There is no domain not governed by law, and the order of nature has never been inter- fered with, and, judging the future by the past, it will not be. It is asserted by unquestioned authority that '' what- soever a man soweth, that shall he also reaj?,^ which, if true, means that sin cannot be forgiven in this nor in any other world. My philosophy authorizes 2 20 S/XS ABSor.VKD. the belief that there may l)e a rehition- ship estal)lishecl between the devout soul iu srri'(^f pi'd //(:■/• aud God that gives a comfort unknown to the world. A belief in the alleged miracles in the lives of Job. Joshua and of Moses ap- pears to me to be born of superstition and to he nurtured in ignorance. Schol- ars now believe Job to have been a mythical character, and the story of him to be an allegory, and as such it is lioth beautiful and helpful. To be able to live a right life in the midst of his sur- roundings, indicates an exalted man- hood. But if the bickering and the final bargain and sale between God and the devil, in view of what elob's former life had been, is the record of a literal transaction, then God has reached a plane in moral degradation below that which is occu])ied by the ruler of the Fiji Islands, and would be a full justifi- cation of Mrs. Job when she said, ' Curse God and die.' The alleged n'AE, RELIGION AND LOVE. 221 miracles in the life of that brutal mur- derer, Joshua, are too revolting to be thought of. In his wars of invasion he murdered men, women and children for no other crime than defending their country. The heartless butcher}^ of '• every woman that hath known a man by lying with him,' and saving alive for the avowed purpose of prostitution ' thirty-six thousand girls who had not known a man by lying with him,' has no equal in the history of brutality and crime, with the single exception of David's debauching Uriah's wife, and then murdering Uriah to conceal his own infamy, and the most shocking blasphemy ever offered to Deity is to charge Him with directing it. " Moses was one of the most wonder- ful, and one of the greatest men the world ever produced. There was noth- ing in his life, however, that could not have been done by a man wholly with- out the aid of miracle. During the SO'N AnSillA'KD. twenty years he was absent from Egypt, after haying shiin the Egyptian, he studied the tides and the ])asses of the Red Sea. He olisei-ved that in the southern part the tide rises uearl}^ sixty feet. He also found a neck of the sea, less than a half mile wide, tl:at n-as not iniihi- Huilrr it'lieii tlip tidf was out, ex- ce[)t when the wind was from the south. At this point Xapoleon I., his staff, and a \y.\Yi of the one hundred sayants taken from France, encam})ed for the night. An unexpected tide came upon them so suddeidy that liefore their horses were saddled some of them were swimming, and they were only sayed from drowning because of Xa})oleon's command, ' Form a circle around me, and whose horse does not swim we Avill follow.' '' I haye tAyice ridden through that pass in the Ked Sea, and watched the tide as it came in ; a wall of water twenty feet high, and the entire width of the neck of the sea — about a half mile, — rushing TTMfl, RELiaioX AND LoVE. 223 on at the rate of a mile in seven minutes, and the reflection that three thousand years ago, Moses and the hosts of Israel- ites passed through in safety, and that Pharaoh's army was submerged, pro- duced a feeling that all this might haye occurred without miraculous interyention and the farther reflection that Moses and Aaron had directed the Israelites to bor- row all the yaluable jewelry from the Egyptians before starting, and that it was melted and made into a golden calf, and that the calf Avas subsequently hurned and the asJ/es scattered, and as the manna which fell from Heayen was nearly as plenty no^y and just as nutri- tious, gaye to the whole story a yery liuman appearance. "'The simple truth is, that Moses, a great leader of men, with the aid of Aaron, took his people out of Egypt to Arabia through the Red Sea when the tide was out, and there was no miracle in it. It was, however, a masterly retreat. 224 '^'-^•''' -^l^^Ol^-'^'f^li- " As a law ,o-iver Mo^es was the equal of Gautama, Buddha and Lycurgas, but was vastly the superior of either of them in generalship. The Ten Command- ments were given to the world in almost the same language l)y (iautama after Moses lived, Init there is no evidence that (rautama had any knowledge of their having been written. They were evolved by both of them as they would have been by any other great thinker, as the code for the government of their people. "Whether Moses visited oriental countries, and while there acquired great dexterity as a • sleight of hand per- former,' will never be known. There is no doubt that he used questionable methods to impress his people with his sup3riority over them. Such deception was then justified. Even Alexander tha Great, saveral hundred years later, imprpysel th/^ soldiers from CTreece that he was the son of the God, Jupiter. His n\iR, RELIGIoy AXD LOVE. 225 mother was not superstitious, and she often said, with a smile, ' I wish Alex- ander would cease embroiling me with the gods/ " He adopted the same adroit method in explanation of the total eclipse of the moon, the night before the battle of the Granicus. He directed the soothsay- ers and astrologers to say, ' The moon is Darius' friend and the sun Alexander's, and the eclipse of the moon means Dar- ius' defeat to-morrow,' and it did. '' Whether Moses believed his code of law to have been the best that could be, as did the great Spartan law giver, and go into voluntary exile, as did Lycurgus, wHll ever remain as great a mystery as did the place of their death and burial. "Moses was a star of the first magni- tude in that magnificent constellation of the world's greatest men whose luster is undimmed by time, and any effort made through superstition or ignorance, to rob him of the glory that belongs to him, 226 N/.\S ap.S(ilvi:d. by allegiiiij;' miraculous aid. will, in the near future, l)e reuioveil l)y a rational interpi'etation of all the acts of his life. '' "Do you, (»enei-al, leave out of your philosoi)hy the saci'auient of the Lord's Supper, ba[)tisni and the resurrection of Jesus? '■ '' Yes, in a literal sense, I do. A dis- belief in the ethcacy of the Lord's Stip- per, except as a memorial service, in which sense with the su])ei'natural wholly eliminated, it ms ])oth beautiful and hel[)ful. and in l)ap)tism and the restir- rection of the body of Jesus, is no more evidence of disloyalty to His teaching' than is the non-participation in a Fotirth of Jtily celebration l)y an American citi- zen evidence of treason. "^Trtdythe letter killeth.' It is not unscientific to believe that a similaritij of feeHiHi between the human sotil and God may be established in secret prayer. If it is true that God breathed into man the breath of life, and that he did is not qaes- ^rAR. RELiGioy axd ijjvi:. ■ 227 tioned, even by scientists, not, however, by a special creation, bnt by evolution, then it is also true that man possesses somethino- in common with Deity. A large per cent of sciejitific men believe there exists a serial order of ethers, inter- vening between the atmosphere at one ex- tremity and terminating at the other extremity, in an ether of infinite attenu- ation and elasticity, not affected in any way by the law of inertia. Light is transmitted with great velocity on an ether believed to fill all inter-planetary spaces. The wave lengths of the dif- ferent colors have been measured. So mathematical is our knowledge upon this question that scientists have produced a dark spot on a screen on which two in- tensely bright lights were thrown, be- cause the crest of the waves of one light corresponded with the troughs of the other light. The same principle can be demonstrated in sound, by taking two tuning-forks, one having fifty vibrations 2 28 .S/.VN AliSoLVED. to the minute and the other fifty and a half; when the crest of the Avaves from one corresponds with the trough of the other silence is the result, after w^hich tlie sounds rise again. If the ethereal undulations tiiat are recognized as light fall u})on the retina of a person at dif- ferent times, or upon the retina of two or more persons, however remote they may be from each other, the same sensa- tions are produced ; that is, they have a similarity of feeling so far as the elYect of light is a cause of sensations, if the ethereal vibrations have the same wave length and the same number of vibra- tions to the inch. All light was origi- nally projected from the sun, and all terrestrial lights are merely temporary manifestations of that which came from the primal source in the far-past ages. All thought was originally projected from the mind of God, and all terrestrial mani- festations of the force called mind are temporary uses of the ether on which the Tr.lR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 229 primal undulations were initiated, and upon which all thought is transmitted. It is as reasonable to believe there is an ether for the transmission of thought as there is a " luminiferous ether '' for the transmission of light. The only evidence of the existence of either is the incon- cievability of an effect remote from its cause without a mediu7n of transmission. The velocity of thought has not been measured as light has been, for the prob- able reason that its velocity is much greater, and whether the law of inverse squares affects its ethereal undulations has not yet been determined. ''The human soul possessing a something in common with its author, God, may be put into such a condition of receptimty by solitude, meditation and prayer that the ethereal undulations on which thought is projected may have the same wave length, and the same number to the inch, in the human soul as when they emanated from the mind of God. A similarity of 230 .Sr^'S AnSOLVED feeling is thereby established, and the man can love what God loves, upon a scientitic basis. '• There is not enough emphasis placed upon the Jiff of ^lesus, and there is too much upon his death. Every belief in the supernatural touching the birth, life and deatli of the })urest, and the greatest man. Jesus, is an irrational dogma, and will be in the not remote future laid quietly away in the graveyard of forget- fulness, and the pall-bearers on tliat oc- casion will be Unitarian ministers. The purifying influence of a baptism with the Holy Spirit, — with or without water is a matter of no consequence, — wdiich no forms or ceremonies can limit and no sectarianism can nari'ow to a favored few, puts all into the warm and genial sun- shine of the right life, and leaves them in harmony with God." CHAPTER XII. '' AVEXGE THE DEATH OF WALLACE. " Early in the morning of the 15th of December, 1864. in the midst of a dense fog, the long roll was sounded. A line of battle was formed, and was advanced during the day about two miles. I^o general engagement occurred that day. Wallace's command captured three or four batteries situated on '' Little Round Tops," which are Ioav elevations, having somewhat the appearance of the largest mounds built by the Mound-Builders. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon the right of our line was pushed forward to secure an elevated position on which a battery could be planted to enfilade the Confederate line. The desired position was then occupied b}^ a Confederate battery, which had to be taken. It was supported by infantry of unknown nuiij- 231 S/.YS ABSOLVED. ber. Colonel Dale requested the privi- leg'e and }»leasai'e of takinij;- General Wallace's old brigade and capturing it. General Wallace reluctantly consented. The brigade took its position ready for the charge. The signal for the charge was the discharge of all the pieces in the battery. A volley from every gun came and every man sprang forward. Their progress was so rapid that although the battery was six hundred yards dis- tant the gunners had time to load but once. That volley was fired at the range of less than twenty rods, with deadly effect. Colonel Dale's horse was torn almost in pieces by a solid shot that struck him in the breast. The colonel sprang to his feet, and Avas the first man at the battery. As he sprang upon the works and shouted "Surrender !"' a thrust was made at his breast with a bayonet in the hands of a Confederate major, but it never reached its mark. xV captain seeing the blow, crushed his head with WAR. RELTGKiy ASD LOVE. 233 his musket. The battery and a thousand prisoners were taken. Colonel Dale was complimented by General Thomas in person, with the remark : " That smile of yours means yictor}^'' Xight came and both armies rested on their arms. "AVell, Colonel Dale, eyery moyement to-day has been satisfactory," said Gen- eral Wallace. '' Our line has adyanced its entire length, and w^e are now not to exceed half a mile from the Confed- erate line, which is about two miles long. Our loss has been slight to-day, but we can't hope for so little to-morrow. The whole Confederate line has strong breast- works ; a part of the left of their line is a stone fence. It is our present inten- tion to push our line slowly forward to- morrow morning", and the final charge will not be made until in the afternoon. We shall haye to charge good works, as they did at Franklin, and I fear our loss will be heayy. I belieye a decisiye yic- tory in this battle means an end of the 234 S7.YS vlCSoLTKI). war in the AVest. AVe diminished Hood's tig'hting force abont one-thii'd in the battle of Franklin, and an utter rout now will be equivalent to a disorganiza- tion of his remaining force." " (leneral Wallace,*" said Colonel Dale, ''I am delighted to hear you say that! I had speculated a little along that line myself, and to know that i/on believe it g'ives me great hope. I am so glad of it. While I have been l)revetted for gal- lantry in battle,and complimented enough to turn my head, I am not a soldier from choice. I have no love for the roar of musketry and the wild excitement of the charge in battle. I cry and pray eyery night for the end of the war. I could haye more jdeasure in one day in a quiet home in the North than all the honor and glory has giyen in the last four years. I shall do my dtity to-morrow in the hope it may be the last bloodshed I shall ever be compelled to see on the battle-field. WAR. RKLIGWy AND LOVE. 235 " Yes, Colonel Dale, I know yon will do yonr dnty. Yon never fail, bnt I wish to cantion yon against needless ex- posnre. That bayonet thrnst to-day was aimed at yonr heartland yon wonld have fallen dead jnst as yon sprang on the breast-works, even before the battery was taken, if that captain, in an almost miraculons manner, had not brained your assailant with his gun. I brevetted him brigadier-general, and he is now the happiest man in the army. It was a big jump from captain to general, bnt he merited the promotion."' " Was the promotion," said Colonel Dale, with a twinkle in his eye, '" because he saved my life?" "Well, the order did not read that way ; it said for gallantry in capturing a Confederate battery." "But, General, I have seen you several times take greater chances of being killed than I ever did. It is your own example I have been following." 236 S/^N'.^' AliSaLrKD. ••Perlia])^; that is truo, but my case is dilFeront from yours. I liave nothiug- to live for. I have uot, as you kuow, made a coufidaut of auy mau iu the army. I have uot distressed eveu you, my dearest frieud, with uiy souietimes almost uu- bearable uuhappiuess. I have beeu, aud am, iudiffereut to life. Eveu you do uot kuow that there has uot beeu oue uight siuce the death of my poor, dear Agues that my eyes have uot beeu wet with tears. I thiuk of her the last thought before I sleep, aud the first thought wheu I wake." The eolouel buried his face iu his haudkerchief, aud sobbed aloud : " O, Geueral, I thiuk I kuow how your heart aches ; I pity you, aud I pray God that these dark clouds may soou be reuioved, aud be followed by suushiue." After a loug sileuce, Wallace said : " I have uo premouitiou of evil to either of us to-morroAv. We know, how^ever, what there is to "be doue. If the Con- WAR. RELIOIOX AXD LOVE. 237 federate army remains behind good works, as it no doubt will, I have no idea that Hood will leave his position until he is driven from it at the point of the bayonet. We must have a victory or die, both of us. As something may happen to me I have thought it proper to prepare this document, which yon will put in some safe place ; it is my will. You are a poor boy. I am amply able to provide for you, even if you are disabled so you cannot labor when you are out of the army ; if I am not killed you may hand it back to me." The colonel took the paper with trembling hand, but made no reply. General Wal- lace looked at his watch and said : "It is 12 o'clock. We will retire ; good night." Picket firing continued during the Avhole night, and several times became so active that a general engagement ap- peared to be imminent. Morning came ' at last, and our line of battle was sloAvly 2 38 >'/-YS AB^nLVKD. pushed forward during the day, and l:)y 3 o'clock in the afternoon the lines of battle were nearly parallel with each other, and were aljout a thousand yards a[)art. The Confederate line of battle terminated on its left abruptly withont a Hank, on a hill of consideral)le eleva- tion. The right of otir line had been ptished forward so far that two of onr batteries almost exactly enfiladed their line. iSix of our 1)atteries were so sitn- ated that they bore dii'cctly upon the Confederate battery situated on the summit of tiie hill referred to. Our line of l)attle Avas ready to advance. Orders had been given that at the cessation of fifteen minutes cannonading by all the batteries, the charge was to begin. The firing was to be as rapid as possible, and to be directed at the battery on the hilL Six batteries of six gtms each opened at once. The two batteries on our extreme right, which enfiladed the Confederate line, and the four other batteries in their WAR. RELKiWy ASD LOVE. 239 front was more than any battery conld withstand. Their guns were silenced ahnost at once, and every gun was found an hour later disabled. The crash and the roar was deafening. I had heard a few times before the roar of musketry that was continuous for a few minutes, but I never before that time heard the thunder of artillery that was so near continuous. The sight I shall never for- get. With the aid of a glass both lines conld be distinctly seen as they stretched away to the left, and with the naked eye all that was in our front. General Thomas sat quietly on his horse about fifty rods in the rear of oiu' line of battle. General Wallace and Colonel Dale rode back and forth in the rear of Wallace's command. The whole line had been informed, and every man understood, that at the cessation of firing- by the batteries the charge was to begin. The firing ceases ; the soldiers spring to their feet ; General Wallace and Colonel 240 >'/-VS ABSdLVKIi. Dale, witli sword^i drawn, dash a]oii<;- the line. Thei-e isnew life everywhere. The line is sti'enii'thened at the eentei", dii-eetly in front of two Confederate batteries, jnst now |)nt into |)osition on the dead rnn ; all is ready : a line of battle two and a half miles loni^'. moves forward with the precision and grandenr of a charge by Napoleon's Old < riiai-d. It vras like the stately sweep of a gigantic pen- dnlnm. The colors living ; the bands and drnm corps at regular distances along the line playing •• Yankee Doodle.'' The stretcher corps, of two from each company, was in its place in the rear of the advancing lines of l)attle. The Con- federate line of works in plain view less than half a mile away ; every soldier im- patiently awaiting the shock : the Con- federate batteries on the hill at the extreme left of their line were silent as a grave, but the other batteries along the line were potiring forth volley after Yolle}^ of shot and shell, presented a ir.in, RELIGION AND LOVE. 24I view of a battle not before seen during the war, except at Gettysburg*. Creneral Wallace was by nature a sol- dier, and a leader of men. He watched with evident delight the advancing army. He said to Colonel Dale : "Your per- sistent smile is evidence that the gran- deur of this battle has not escaped you. Why, if the Duke of Wellington were here he would say as he did in one of the charges at Waterloo, " That's splen- did." " Yes, General, the element of gran- deur is apparent, but to me the scene is awful as well ; and that smile, — if it is a smile, — is only on my face ; it does not extend to my heart." "Colonel Dale ! "shouted General Wal- lace, in a stern voice, a short time after. " Hold that brigade in the center, steady. Push them a little faster. Ah, its all right ; they have struck the double- quick ; the Confederate skirmish line is falling back ; we will have the first vol- 242 S/-VN AISSiiLVEli. ley from their infantry as soon as their skirmishers are inside their works." Cok)nel Dale ur7.V.s' .177S-OL TED. faiitry was in the center of the regiment, and his horse's head was in advance of the line : his eye hashing hre and his stentorian voice thundering : ''^ive/Hje the dratli of W'lJJace !'^ His horse is riddled with minie Ijalls, and grape and canister pass throngh its body. In his fall the general's foot remains in the stirrup, and underneath the horse's body. By a superhuman etfort he extricates him- self, bounds to his feet, and is the first man to leap upon the works and com- mand, '"Sun-ender I" Immediately after their last volley, and before the shock came upon them, the Confederate sol- diers, by the hundred, had cut their cartridge box belts and threw down their guns in their haste to retreat, and had tied. A hand-to-hand confiict with those who remained, in which (xeneral Dale took an active and dangerous part, followed, and in a few minutes resulted in a complete victory all along the line. All who were not killed or captured tied WAR, RELIGIoy ASD LOVE. 245 ill every direction in ntter rout and confusion. Hood was disheartened, his army discouraged, and never existed again as an army. General Wallace's regiment lost in killed on the field more than one-third of its number. Near where General Dale's horse fell seven dead soldiers from an Iowa regi- ment were lying ; their bodies were touching or their limbs overlapping each other. As soon as Hood's forces were completely routed, and the decisive vic- tory was w^on, General Dale directed an orderly to send him an ambulance at once. A colonel wdio w^as standing near supposing he was wounded, saluted him and said : " General, can I do anything for you — are you wounded?" " No, Colonel, I thank you. I am not hurt. Something struck me a heavy blow in the breast as I approached the breastworks, and I yet feel a little pain, but I shall be all right in a fe\y minutes." 246 N/TS ABSOLVKD. '' A\ hy. (reneral, there is a bnllet hole in your coat, over your heart. Let us investigate it." The coat was unl)uttoued and no 1)ullet hole was found through the lining. •'Ah," said the general, "I think I understand it." He put his hand in his breast ]K;)cket and brouglit out a deck of cards, in which a minie ball was sticking. The bullet had passed through every card but one. The general's voice trembled as he said, " General Wallace and I have spent many pleasant evenings with that deck of cards and it has now saved my life." Then he sprang into the ambulance and directed the driver to take him to the headquarters wagon, get his trunk, and then to a hotel in the city. He said to the driver as he entered the hotel : ^' "Wait for me, I will return in a few moments.'' In ten minutes a tidily dressed young lady appeared and WAR, RKLIGIOy .-iXD LdVE. 247 said, "Take me to the hospital where General Wallace is/" "I can't do it, Miss, I am waiting- for General Dale, said the driver. " and I dare not disobey orders.'' " I assure yon it Avill be all right, the general wishes yon to do so." "All right. Miss, jump in.'' A few moments later a yonng lady entered the hospital and asked for the surgeon. When he came to her she said, "Is General Wallace dead?" and burst out crying. " ISTo, Madam," said the surgeon, "he is not dead, and since I have examined the wound more carefully, I am hopeful that he may recover.'' " Can I see him? " said she. " That depends. If you are a south- ern lady, here out of curiosity to see a fine looking, dashing Union general badly wounded, no, — emphatically no." 24S N/.YN AliSuLVED. She shook her head, the tears still streaming from her eyes. "Are you a relative or a frieiul?'" "Yes, Doctor. I was acquainted witli the g-eneral before he entei-ed the army. lie was a dear friend.'' •' Come with me. Miss, your presence may do him good. lie is in our private room, away from the noise inseparable from au}^ army hospital after a great battle." The surgeon opened the door noise- lessly, and entered, followed by the young lady. " (leneral Wallace,'" said he, " here is a young lady who wishes to see you, and I hay e granted her the priyilege." The general Avas looking out of the window toAyard the battle-field, counting the ambulances as they came loaded with wounded, and he said to himself, as he slowly and indilferently turned his head on the pillow, as if the presence of a young lady at that time was of no con- sequence : WAR. RELIGION AXD LOVE. 249 " That is seventy- five since I began to count." But when he saw her a tremor came over him ; he closed his eyes for a minute, and when he opened them again, and she Avas still standing by his side, he exclaimed : '' Oh, Agnes ! Agnes ! I knew you would be the first to meet me in heaven ; death had no terrors for me. When did I die?'' She gave him her hand and knelt be- side the bed, looked calmly into his face and said tenderly, "Donald, you are not dead." "" IS^ot dead," said he, '' why you are Agnes? " "A^es." "And you have been in heaven four years. Agnes was drowned at sea in a storm. Here is a locket with her pic- ture in it. She sent it to me by Dick Dale, and I have worn it near my heart every minute since. O, Agnes is dead, and we are in heaven.'- 17 2:^0 ST.yS AUSOLVKD. '' Xo, Donald."* said she, " putting her hand on Ins head : •' Agnes is not dead. You are in the liospital : you were badl}^ wounded an liour ago. Look at this room ((!/(/ (if tli(^ ^nr(i('on. Th'i-^ is not hen veil. ^^ "Am I delirious, or is this only a hallowed dream? " "You are not delirious," said she. the tears eoming into her eves, "nor is it a hallowed dream, but it />• a hallowed re- ality. I>oiiahL T dill i/oiii' Af/iK'S. lam here with you in this hospital. Look at this dress, this tie on my neck, this hat and these rings. Did vou eyer see them before? '' " Yes," said he, "' they are what Agnes wore when I stood with her at the gate the night before I enlisted." "A^es, Donald, you are not mistaken. It is the dress she wore and is wearing now. I haye cared more for it than I did for my life, to see if you had for- gotten when you last saw it." TT-.IR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 25 I He looked her calmly in the face for several minutes, as if beAvildered, a smile came over his face, and he said : '' O I see it all ; Ag-nes Murray was not drowned at sea? "' " 1^0, " she replied. "And Dick Dale was Agnes Murray? '' "Yes.'- "And you have lived through this four years of bloody war, because you loved me, and wanted to be near me?" " Yes, Donald." " Oh, such devotion, such devotion ! " He put his right arm around her neck and tenderly drew her face near his own ; he gazed into her tear bedimmed eyes long and lovingly, and then said, as if in prayer, unconscious of the presence of any one : "I thank God for His mercy and goodness to me.'' The surgeon beckoned the nurse and they left the room in silence. He said, as he closed the door, and wiped his eyes, " That's no place for me. I am at 252 •'^/^■VN ABSOLVED. home around the aminitating table after a battle or in a liospital. but where soul touches soul, as is being done in that room, the scene is too holy to be wit- nessed, exce})t by angels/' CHAPTER XIII. A HALLOWED REALITY. The facts in the case had somehow leaked out. When the surgeon entered the ward from the general's private room, he was met at the door by a score or more, all anxious to know if General Dale was really a girl. Several from his own brigade, who were surprised at his unceremonious departure from the bat- tle-field, thought it possible he might have been wounded. " Yes," said the surgeon, " strange as it may appear, there is no doubt what- ever that General Dale was a girl. She looks to me now as if a mouse Avould frighten her, notwithstanding the fact that she has fought on many a bloody field, and especially to-day, with the reckless desperation of a demon." 253 254 .'^^/-TS AnSOLVKD. ''Yes," said a captain, just back from the battle-field, who was shot throufrh the arm. and had not yet had his wound dressed, " I was in that charge myself, and was neai- (reneral Dale when the word came that General Wallace was killed. He at once took command of Wallace's oUl brigade, and while I have been in a good many l)loody battles, I never saw anything like it before. It appeared to me he })ur})osely and need- lessly rode just where the grape and canister were thickest, and that sentence, 'Avenge the death of Wallace!' Why I hear it yet ; it appeared to me to rise above the roar of the battle, and -we did if. We all loved General AYallace. He would divide whatever he had to eat with any soldier. I have seen him a hundred times walk through the mud half knee deep and let a private soldier ride his horse. At the time of the first volley from the infantry, and of grape and canister from their batteries, wlien n'.lZV, BKLIGloX AXn LOVE. 255 General Dale's horse was torn to pieces, it seemed to me nothing could live in front of their line. I expected to see him fall pierced with a hundred bullets, and I do not believe he was a girl." •'Well, Captain," said the surgeon, "it does appear like fiction, but facts are sometimes stranger than taction, and this is one of those facts. It is abso- lutely true that there has never been the slightest suspicion during his entire army life that he was a girl ; neither as or- derly, major, colonel nor general. He was not a day sick ; he had received no w^ound, and he had not been even social with any one except General Wallace, on whose staff he had been for more than two years." A soldier from an Iowa regiment, wdio has since filled places of honor and trust in the state, said : "I always suspected he was a girl, his hand was so little and plump, and he never did get a pair of shoes small enough for him, and that 256 N/-VN ABSOLVHD. funny smile of his, always the most smil- ing in the greatest danger, was awfully girlish, and don't you foi-get it." Another said: "I savr him at Stone Kiver just after his horse was shot from under him. and I am dead sure his mous- tache was gone, and l^ill Levelhead told me not tAventy minutes ago that he saw him just after one of the desperate charges at Chickamaui>"a. and that he had no moustache." Another remembered that when Dick Dale first came to the regiment he did not associate with the other soldiers in any way ; tliat he slept on his blanket in the corner of Major Wallace's tent if it rained, and alone on the outside if it did not rain. A sergeant pushed his way along the aisle, and with enthusiasm said : *•' I was standing not ten feet from General Wallace just before the last charge that was made at Resaca. I saw Major Dale ride up to him and say, 'A Confederate WAR. RELIGKJN AND LOVE. 257 battery has just been hurried into that timber to our left, and when it opens it will enfilade our line.' I heard General Wallace say, ' Take my old regiment out of the line and capture it.' I saw Major Dale dash down the line, and I saw the charge. Oh, it was grand. The battery fired but one volley before Major Dale and the regiment were upon it, and when he rode up to Wallace he had a nice, black mustauche on, and I also know when he rode back, saluted the general, and said, ' We got them,' he had no moustache.'' At this time General Thomas entered the hospital and asked the surgeon if it was proper for him to see General Wal- lace. "Certainly," said the surgeon, "come this way. General." "Is he mortally wounded? " . " JS'ot necessarily so. General. His wound is a dangerous one, but in view of his good constitution and his nerve. 25S >''-V>' AUSdLVh:!'. I have hope of his recovery. His wound is not so serious as was at first tliouglit. Tlie l)nllet must liave grazed tlie apex of the right lung, l)ut upon a inoi'e careful examination, I do not believe the lung was injured. There has not been up to this time any expectoration of blood.'' (reneral Thomas grasped Wallace's hand affectionately, and said : '• It gives me more pleasui'e than I can express in words to be able to take your hand, and I have learned from the surgeon that, though your wound is a serious one, it is not likely to prove fatal. Of course you have had the news of the battle." " Only of the victory. I have heard none of the details." '" Some other time. General, when you are stronger, we will talk of the move- ments. The victory was a great one, and means much for our cause, but it was at fearful cost. We lost heavy in officers and men. The last charge was ^rAE. RELIGION ASD LOVE. 259 as mag-nificent as I have ever witnessed on a battle-field.'" The tears rnshed into the eyes of General Wallace, and making a heroic effort to conceal the tnmult of his feel- ings, he said : '' And I was not there at my post of duty."' General Thomas placed his hand ten- derly on his head, and said : " 'No re- grets, my dear boy. While you could not remain to see it finished, history will give you an important position in originating it. We are thankful to God that you are not among the pale faces now lying on the battle-field. General Wallace can j^ou give me any informa- tion as to the whereabouts of General Dale?'" said the general, with a twinkle in his eye. " He left the battle-field un- ceremoniously, and lolthout orders. I IV ant to see him. " General Thomas, let me introduce to you Miss Agnes Murray. I think she can give you the desired information." 26o Siy^ JBSdLVKD. The general offered his hand, which she acce])ted with the same smile he had seen before, and said : " Miss Murray. I believe I have not had the reputation of possessing much emotion, but taking your hand gives me a pleasure rarely ever enjoyed l)y a general commanding an army, and a joy I shall never forget. I Avas myself giving special attention to the part of the line you commanded after the sup|)osed death of Wallace. It was apparent the Confederate generals were massing their forces in the hope of break- ing our center. I Avas among the first to learn that Wallace had been shot from his horse, and not knowing what the effect would be on his command, whether a panic or an increased despera- tion to avenge his death. I rode near that part of the line, and I saw your every action. I saw the danger to whicb you exposed yourself : it appeared to me that every shot from both batteries in your front was directed at fjou. I saw" n\lR. RELIGION AND LOVE. 26 1 no hope of your escape, and it is a miracle that you are living. I said to myself: ' Such unparalleled rashness and despe- ration is not wholly due to patriotism and love of victory ; it must have a deeper meaning.' But," continued the general, " as General Dale has ceased to exist as an entity, and as I have no au- thority over Miss Murray, I find noplace for a reprimand, and I suppose Miss Agnes Murray will soon be transformed into Mrs. Wallace." "Yes, General," said Wallace, "just as soon as a chaplain comes. I see a court-house across the way — will some- body be kind enough to attend to the preliminaries? " "I will do that with pleasure," said the surgeon. " While ray consent should have been asked, for the general is now under my care, I will show my approba- tion in that way." " Well, Miss Murray, have you ac- quiesced?" 262 s:,\.s' AISSOLVKD Yes, CTeneral Thomas, T have obeyed the oi'ders of (leneral AVallace implicitly for four years, and I think it Avoidd be unsoldierly to disobey him now/' ''I can't wait for the cliaplain," said General Thomas. '' I will give you my congratulations and blessing now," and taking Agnes' hand in his right, and Wallace's in his left, he gentl}^ pressed them together, and said earnestly and reverently, ''General Wallace, one of your favorite passages in the Bible comes to my mind : ' Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : Whatsoever a man sow- eth, that shall he also reap.' As sure as God's promises will be fulfilled we know what the harvest will be." "Pleaven's richest blessings await you,'' Wallace replied, with apparent emotion. '' Such a compliment. General, from such a source is our first bene- diction.'' CHAPTEK XI Y. THE FACTS IX THE CASE. " It all appears like a dream to me yet," said Wallace, on waking- the next morning", " hnt if /s reality. Isn't it, Agnes?" "Yes, Donald," she said, "the past fonr years has been to me an awful reality. I have, during that whole time lived a life of questionable honor. It has been a false life. I have cried over it, and prayed every night to be forgiven. I ought to have told you everything be- fore we were married." " While I have known,'' said Donald, with a smile, "quite a good deal of your life in the past four years, it is not too late to make a confession if you will feel better after having done so." " Yes, if it is not too late, I want to tell you all, and then ask you to forgive me." 267, 264 N/XS' AliSDlAKD. "I'ntil vou left me at midnio-ht, the night before you made that speech at the court-house and enlisted. 1 had never thonght of being separated from you. I spent the renuiinder of the night think- ing whether I could live on at home and you in the army. I determined before morning to visit my relations in Scot- land, and to confide in my cousin, Min- nie, all my plans. I bought in ]!^ew York the suit of clothes I had on when I came to your regiment. I had a trunk made with a concealed apartment in the bottom, large enough to hold all the clothing I wore. I bought six mus- taches. I had my hair cut, leaving it quite long for a boy, and as you know my hair naturally parted on the side, so that I appeared quite boyish, even with- out the mustache. I bought a ticket for London on the Leota, intending to re- turn to the United States as soon as possible as a hoy, and join your regi- ment. M}" stateroom was next to a WAR, RELIGION AXD LOVE. 265 young lady from ^ew York, on her way to London, whose acquaintance I made before we left the city. She was of Scottish ancestry and was my own age to a day. I believe she was the happiest person I ever saw. She was engaged to a young man in London, doing business for a rich firm in the United States, of which his father was a partner, and they were to be married on her arrival. We made confidants of each other. She told me of their in- tended travels. 'We are,' said she, 'going to spend a few months in Paris, and about six months in Italy. O, I am so impatient to get to Rome. I think I shall buy that " classic Tiber " I hear so much about, and bring it home with me.' Her merry ringing laugh almost made me forget myself, and then she continued, ' We are going to Alexandria and up the ]!S^ile, and we are going to climb to the top of the pyramids.^ She put her arms round my neck and kissed 18 266 N/:\'.S ABSnLVKD. me, and in a playful manner said : ' Ag-gie, when we are in Alexandria, I am going to hant foi' the remains of the librar}^ that was destroyed by that gi-eat naughty Cjesar, and if I find it I will bring you a book to remember me by. We are going to Jerusalem by the w^ay of the Suez Canal. We expect to spend six months in the Holy Land, and then we go to the City of Babylon. I under- stand the city dads in Babylon have preserved a few hundred bottles of the wine left after Alexander the Great's fatal debauch, and if I find one with the labels still on I will bring it home. We wont hang our liarps on the willow trees, but we will make them wake up and take their medicine. Whether we will visit the land of the droop-eyed, lop- eared celestials we have not determined, but we are coming home past the island of Ceylon, and I'll stop otf long enough to catch a full-grown gorilla, — a six- footer, — for you. They make the nicest WAR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 267 pets in the world, but you have to keep them chained, or stand over them with a club. Oh, Agnes,' she said very ten- derly, and taking me by the hands, ' I do wish you. could be as happy as I am.' '' I kept no secret from her, and when I told her how I loved you, aud who you were, and that I believed you loved me, but you had never said so, she put her arms around me and sobbed as if her heart would br^ak, and said, ' Oh yes, he loves you, and you will yet be happy with him. The war will soon be over, you and Wallace will marry, and then Charley and I will come and see you.' I took her into my state-room and put on my boy's suit to have her opinion on the disguise. She said, ' That mustache is a stunner. Nobody would think of you being a girl. You look like my brother Dick, and he's a masher.' On the fourth day out from New York, early in the moruing, the Leota was disabled in that storm and sunk. I was 268 >V.\S AnSdLVHD. up before daylight, and walked the deck lonely and alone. I saw the first indi- cations of the storm. I had an impi'es- sion, and I couhl not I'id myself (jf it, that the \essel would l)e wrecked. I Avent to my state-room, changed my apparel, and ])nt what I now have on into the concealed apartment in my trunk. I had. while in New York, put my hair that had been cut otf carefully in the bottom. I remained in my room until the wheels were disabled and the wildest excitement prevailed among the passengers. I then went on deck as Did' Dale, and did what I could to calm the fears of the passengers. I only heard thi-ee references to myself in the excitement in leaving the vessel in the lifeboats. The captain said, ' Where is Miss Murray, — I have not seen her ? " Somebody replied, " She left ten minutes ago with eleven others and they all went down before their boat was twenty feet away.' An el- WAR, RKLTGKJN AND LOVE. 269 derly lady said, ' Where is that young lady who sang Home, Sweet Home for us?' Another said, 'She was among the first to leave the vessel and was lost.' The first person I met on the deck was Miss Marion Summers ; she was wild with fear, but was asking everyone if they had seen Agnes Mur- ray. I stood near her and looked in her face to see if she would recognize me, and said, ' Is she in her room ? ' '• Oh, no,' she cried, ' she is not there.' She hurried into a lifeboat ; it was in a few moments capsized, and I saw her last struggles. The captain, the mate and I were the last to leave the sinking vessel in the least seaworthy of all the lifeboats. In six hours we were picked up by a steamer bound for IS'ew York. I took the train at once for your regi- ment. My sex was not discovered for several reasons. I was not a day sick while I have been in the army. Your uniform kindness to me obviated the S/.YN ABSOLVED. necessity of mv associating' with the soldiers ; for ivJn'cI/ I can never love you enovfjli. On the first morning- after I came to the regiment I would have told yon who I was, for I had concluded during the night to do so, but you said not to tell the secret unless you were mortally wounded. My indifference to life, and my recklessness on the battle- field was because I expected you to be killed, and I wanted to die first. I kept a letter in my coat pocket, directed to you, giving you the facts and who I Avas. with the request that my bod}^ be taken to you if I was killed. I never purposely exposed myself to danger in the hope of being killed until yesterday. "When the word came along the line, ' General Wallace is killed," I deter- mined to die in the last charge. I lost, ill action, four mustaches. I think you never saw me without one on. I have two yet. How do I look with it on now ? " WAR, RELIGION AND LOVE. 27 I " Well, really Agnes, it is not unbe- coming. You are Dick Dale without a doubt, but I wont ask you to wear that name except on special occasions. I am partial to the name. Agues, you know.'' "I thought twice you suspected who I was, and I would not have hesitated to tell you, if you had asked me. I was so tired of battle. Donald, can you for- give me ? " " Come and sit on the bed near me,'' said he, '' and put your hand in mine. Why it is as soft and plump as a girl's, isn't it ? Agnes, I am one of the most forgiving of mortals, and I solemnly pronounce your sins absolved. I trust you will never again think of apologiz- ing for any act of a life so near divine as yours has been." They are both living at this time. May 1, 1895. They have passed the zenith of life ; they are looking toward the setting sun ; it is probably late in the afternoon of life to both of them. They 272 >' / -V^ - 1 />' ^ "LI 't: D . have im})licit confidence that the inconi- preheiisil)le aggregation ot" matter and force that constitutes tlie "Ego" will defy the hiws of matter and force now recognized, and I'ide the wreck of worlds in an eternal existence ; that the sun will rise again on a more beautiful shore, and that their love for each other will endure wlien the stars melt. Their chil- dren are men and w^omen now. and they attest the inexorable law of heredity, "A pure fountain cannot send forth im- pure waters." RARE BOOK COLLECTION THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL Wilmer 501