31, Camp Meetings Decline in East Tennessee as a Consequence of War
Camp Meetings.
But a few Camp Meetings are being held this season, in our country, and the few that have been held have been failures. Indeed, we think it advisable to call in such as they may have been appointed. The state of feeling in the country is by no means favorable to religious meetings of any sort. The people are arrayed against each other, and all are on one side or the other. This might be, and produce no mischief if the people would refrain from heated discussions, and govern their temper, as they might do, and as they really ought to do. But, as a general thing, the Preachers have acted so badly, as to destroy confidence in them, or kill off all respect for them. No class of Church members have [sic] been as intemperate, as proscriptive as those Preachers who have entered into this contest. The result is, that in all the congregations of the country, there is a division in sentiment, and a portion of the congregation are unwilling to hear these men preach. Others, who may not have entered into angry disputations, have aspired to be Chaplains in the army, and whether the people are just or unjust in their reflections upon them or not they nevertheless incline to the opinion that it is the eighty or ninety dollars per month that they are after. Believing this, though it may be uncharitable, these men can't preach profitably to the people. Upon the whole, we think it most advisable to hold as few camp meetings as possible this season.
We cannot but think that the following prophetic language from the book of Jeremiah (chap. 10th) was intended for this country and generations:
"My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords broken, my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sough the Lord; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered."
This is rapidly fulfilling. The Pastors are becoming brutish, advising bloodshed and death, and the flocks are scattering-Churches are breaking up-men and women are refusing to attend religious services. They say that they hear no prayers for peace-no sermons favorable to practical Christianity-no exhortations to repentance and faith-but they are annoyed with prayers against the blockade-sermons favorable to war-and exhortations making assaults upon private character. To be a member of the Church, is no longer a passport to any one, but he who can make it appear that he has no connection with any Church, is less liable to be suspected of villainy than the Church-going man. This is a sad picture of affairs, but it is nevertheless a true one!
Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, August 31, 1861.
31, Progress in the Printing of Bibles for Confederate Soldiers
The Word of God is Not Bound.
The first set of plates for printing pocket Bibles and Testaments ever owned and worked in the South were laid upon the press of the Southwestern Publishing House last Wednesday, and it can now be said for the first time that the South is independent of the North for the Word of God [sic]. Lincoln no longer binds the Word of God.
These plates for the Bible and Testament have cost, including tariff, ($150), freight and other expenses connected with them, some $1250. More than one-half of this sum was contributed by the brethren and citizens of West Tennessee and North Alabama to us personally—to enable the Publishing House to print cheap Bibles and Testaments for the Confederate soldiers. There is not another set of plates on which a pocket Bible or pocket Testament can be printed in the Southern Confederacy to-day.
Believing that the balance for the plates will be contributed as a voluntary offering to the enterprise, the Southwestern Publishing House offers to print Bibles and Testaments for the Confederate army at the following rates:
Pocket Testaments.—Plain $12.50 per 100—15 cts. retail; Gilt Sides $15 per 100—20 cts. retail.
Pocket Bibles.-$7.50 to $12 per dozen, according to style and binding. Fine bound copies, with name in gilt letters, from $2 to $5 per copy. Let every community that has sent out a company forward each soldier a Bible or Testament, and a package of religious tracts—price 25 cents per package of 300 pages.
Will all our exchanges in the South call attention to this enterprise, and to the fact that the Southwestern Publishing House offers to supply 100,000 Bibles and Testaments for the Confederate army at cost of material and labor?
Tennessee Baptist, August 31, 1861.[1]
31, Blankets for Tennessee soldiers
Women Worth Fighting For.—We are informed that the Rev. Mr. Campbell collected donations of over 200 blankets from the ladies of Nashville yesterday—a good work for one day.
Mr. Campbell thinks he will be able to procure 2000 blankets for our soldiers, in Nashville.
Mr. Campbell has a special agency from the government for this service both in the city and State.
It must be most cheering to our army to know that the ladies of Nashville and of the South are willing to make any sacrifice in their power to aid them in the holy cause of southern independence. Some ladies are giving all their blankets to the soldiers, supplying their place with cotton comforts. Fighting for such wives, sisters and daughters—for such a cause—such a country—how can our armies be conquered?
Memphis Daily Appeal, August 31, 1861.
James B. Jones, Jr.
Public Historian
Tennessee Historical Commission
2941 Lebanon Road
Nashville, TN 37214
(615)-532-1550 x115
(615)-532-1549 FAX
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