Camp Deas, near Youngs Mill,
29th Jany., 1862.
My very dear Wife:
I
have not written you for several days for the simple reason that I have had
nothing to write about, tho I have written several members of the family. I
received yours giving me your views about my continuing in the service, and
they are very sensible and accord with my own. It is yet three months before my
present engagement ends and “sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”, I am
willing to let it all remain in the hands of the Lord and to be directed by
him. I feel that there are great issues hanging on the result of the spring
months, and yet the Lord may show his power to save us from more warfare before
that time. Now that the prop upon which even Christians depend, even with more
hope, I fear, than they have had faith in the Almighty Power, has failed them,
viz., the prospect of war between England and the United States, they may be
thrown upon naked faith and the Lord may magnify his power in a way that we
cannot anticipate, and bring peace out of chaos.
But
does the Christian portion of our people recognize his chastisement and bend
the stiff neck in humility to his yoke, or are they, while they sue for
deliverance from this scourge, like Pharaoh, holding on to their idle sins and
compromising with their God? If so, they need greater affliction to be saved,
now and hereafter. The Lord will help only those who help themselves, and while
the bulk of the army now in the field are irreligious persons, and most of the
Christians are still at home, can they hope for his blessing and deliverance
while their hands hang idle at their side? Like the Israelites of old, too many
are willing to be let alone to serve the present taskmaster, while if they
would put forth the effort there is deliverance for them from what will prove
to them worse than Egyptian bondage, if they submit now to be conquered and
overcome by their enemies.
It
is a remarkable fact that the Lord has performed well his part not only in the
Providential protection of our army in the day of battle, but the scourges of
Pharaoh were not more marked than his interference in our behalf. He who holds
the winds has loosened them, and there has not been an expedition since the fall
of Sumter to this time, fitted out by our enemies, that he has not called into
play his mighty agents, the winds and waves, to confound them and destroy
greatly their hellish purposes against us, and yet we are unbelieving. Oh, that
as a nation we could in the spirit take up the song of Moses by the side of the
Red Sea and acknowledge that He and He alone hath overturned the horse and his
rider, then might we hope to see the fullness of his salvation.
My
dear wife, I fear that your overestimate the amount of my good and influence
for good. I have great cause of thankfulness to God for what He has done for
me, while to Him I have with shamefacedness to confess what an unprofitable and
sinful servant I am to Him. There is but one measure for a Christian and that
is the full statue of a man in Christ Jesus. How far short of that I come, the
Lord knows and in mercy spares me that I may attain unto it if I will. I follow
my Saviour at too great a distance, while it is my privilege to be very near
Him, aye, have Him take up his abode within my heart. Were it not that he can
be touched with a feeling of our infirmities and the intercede for me, I could
not hope to gain a place with him in Heaven. I
received a day or two ago the barrel with potatoes, beef, etc, which was very
acceptable. The beef unfortunately had been so long on the way without brine
that I had to throw it away. The time of receiving packages sent from home is
so very uncertain that I would advise you not to send anything of a perishable
character, some pickle and something for my sweet tooth, which does not often
have its taste gratified, in the shape of preserves, if you have any would be
very acceptable. Kiss the dear children for father, and remember me kindly to
all, and with a prayer for his continuing protection to you all, I am.
Yours
ever affectionately,
Jno.
S. Walker
No comments:
Post a Comment