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THE GRA Y AND THE BL UE
The Humane Hero.
Richard Kirkland won the title of “The Humane
Idero of Fredericksburg,” and has the right to a
high place in the columns of Fame erected by “The
Golden Age.”
The battle of Fredericksburg, December 13,
1862, was indeed bloody along the entire line, but
chiefly on the spot near the base of Marye Hill
where the federal soldiers with desperate bravery
■charged in vain many times the Confederate strong
hold.
On the next day, the two lines confronted, and
between them lay the dead, the wounded, and the
dying Union soldiers who had fallen in the ter
rific attempt of the day before, to carry the Con
federate lines by assault. The skirmish lines kept
up such an incessant firing across this space that
any unguarded exposure by any one brought almost
inevitable death. Meanwhile all the morning the
cries of the wounded for water! water! mingled
with the sharp rattle of rifles, and the quick swish
of the deadly minnie ball. Every soldier knows the
awful agony of the situation after a deadly strug
gle which left a space between the lines filled with
the wounded and dying.
Young Kirkland rushed to his general and with
all tokens of distress, cried: “'General, I cannot
stand this.”
“What is the matter, sergeant?” asked the gen
eral, who was powerless to help, although “the pity
of it all” was plainly expressed in his voice and
manner.
The young sergeant answered, “All night and all
day I have heard those poor men crying for water,
and I can stand it no longer. I want leave to take
water to them.”
His general knew him, and now admiring him
more than ever, said, “Kirkland, don’t you know
you may get a bullet through your head the moment
you step over the wall?”
“Yes, sir, but if you will let me I will try it.”
“Kirkland, I ought not to allow you to run this
risk, but your sentiment is so noble, I cannot refuse.
May God protect you. ’ ’
The delighted soldier ran on his mission, but in
a moment returned to ask if he might show a white
handkerchief, and was told he could, not. “All
right,” said he, “I’ll take the chances.”
In a few minutes he was seen passing over the
wall which was a perfect protection; and then,
reaching on the open field, the nearest sufferer, he
knelt beside him, gave him water to drink and ten
derly placed his head upon a knapsack, and turned
to another. He had not repeated this humane act
often before both lines understood his mission.
Without orders, except those which came from the
hearts of brave men, the sharp firing ceased, and
the cruel war was over for that day, so far as the
gray and the blue uniformed soldiers were con
cerned.
Sergeant Kirkland was distinguished again for
courage in battle at Gettysburg, and was promoted
lieutenant. He was killed at Chickamauga with a
war record complete, but there is no glory greater
than that which crowns him as “The Humane Hero
of Fredericksburg.”
A Christian Captain.
Captain John W. Brady, of the 39th Georgia Reg
iment, Cumming’s Brigade, was a noble example of
the Christian soldier. He was the minister of an
important charge, but when the war began in 1861,
he assisted in forming the company which he led
in battle. His bravery on the field where the fight
ing was hot, and his tender care of the many young
soldiers who had left their homes to follow him,
won the affections of his men in the ranks, and the
high esteem of his fellow officers. Perhaps no Chap
lain preached oftener, or prayed with the soldiers
Hr was captain when on hit duty as inch,
IN PRAYER AND SONG
By General Clement A. Evan
The Golden Age for March 29, 1906.
but he was likewise a Christian pastor among his
men.
Captain Brady had a special friend in Rev. AV. A.
Parks, a chaplain who was a witness of his life,
and at last, of his gallant death and affecting burial.
Chaplain Parks remembers that Captain Brady was
killed instantly on Sunday afternoon at Resaca,
in the midst of his company. While looking over
the breastworks, to watch the advance of the fed
eral lines, and waiting for the moment to order
“Fire,” one of the many minnie balls whizzing
across the Confederate lines, pierced his head, caus
ing instant death.
The army of Gen. Joe. Johnson retreated that
night, but Brady’s body was brought off the field
and borne in an ambulance under the care of Chap
lains Parks, Lewis B. Payne, and Henry McCan.
A few miles .South of Calhoun, the sad party reach
ed a country grave yard on a little hill near the
Curtis House, and there, procuring pick and shovel,
they dug the soldier’s grave, and lowering his body,
dressed in gray uniform, and wrapped in an army
blanket for a shroud, they covered it with the soil
of the state he was defending when he was slain.
All this they did with their own brotherly hands,
and then kneeling awhile in prayer together they
rose, and went their way to serve the living. The
scene reminds of the burial of Sir John More, and
again of the brave Latane. Perhaps there was not
another instance in war where three chaplains un
aided, buried a brother minister who had been
killed in battle.
'IB
Prizes for Thinkers.
The Golden Age gladly gives place in its columns
to the following announcement by the Georgia
■State Sociological Society. The nine prizes offered
for the best papers on these vital subjects will, it
is hoped, stimulate many thinking people to ex
press their thoughts in original, stirring articles
that will not only win prizes, but become acknowl
edged contributions toward the upbuilding of so
ciety.
Read these offers carefully, then sharpen your
wits, weigh conditions, fathom your heart, and go
to work: ,
Five Articles.
The Georgia State .Sociological Society offers
nine prizes, three each on the following subjects,
viz.:
First: What are the Primal Causes of Crime and
best methods of prevention?
Second: What are the Primal Causes of Alco
holism and how best corrected?
Third: What are the defects in our present meth
ods of education in the Common Schools and Col
leges and what are the best methods of correcting
the same?
Three prizes will be given on each subject. First
prize, $15.00; second and third prizes, $5.00 each.
Contestants for prizes need not be members of the
Society, but must reside in the State of Georgia
and treat subject as it pertains to this State, ex
cept the second on Alcoholism, which is open for
contest without restriction. No article must ex
ceed 2,500 words, be typewritten, signed by a nom
de plume with name, address and non de plume ac
companying in a sealed envelope not to be opened
until prizes are awarded.
Each paper is to become the property of the
Georgia State 'Sociological 'Society and to be read
at the annual meeting of the Society, May, 1906.
The judges are to be disinterested parties and
award prizes at least one week previous to Annual
Meeting. All articles must be in the hands of the
Committee on or before April 15th, 1069. Those
desiring manuscript returned must enclose postage*
Address all articles and communications to,
DR. R. R. KIME,
Chairman Prize Committee,
300 Eiig. Am» Bldgq Atlanta, G&,
Motherhood.
SF SALVIA DALE.
Two little arms around my neck
In artless fond caressing;
Two stainless lips upon my own,
Sweet, guileless kisses pressing;
Two sparkling eyes that beam with love
Which knows no doubt nor fearing;
A gentle voice that whispers soft
Some childish words endearing
These—these the spells that banish care,
Life’s surest solace bringing.
And gratefully I clasp the joy
From Motherhood upspringing.
A pure, unsullied heart to watch
Wherein the germ lies sleeping,
Os fruit that Nature’s hand will cull,
Os thorns for Evil’s reaping.
A mind which must be led to seek
Its strength from Wisdom’s pages
The tendrils of a soul to twine
Around the Rock of Ages;
To watch, to guide, heart, mind and soul
Till each be decked in beauty—
This—this my work—may Heaven assist
A Mother’s sacred duty.
And, Oh! to see this heart’s rich soil
Grow fair beneath my pruning;
To hear this mind, its every thought
To Honor’s voice attuning;
To watch the soul grow brave and strong
While life’s stern lessons learning;
Yet ever with an humble faith
To God for guidance turning—
This—this my prayer—this boon I crave
More blest than any other.
Dr. Dixon in Athens.
When Dr. Dixon began preaching in Athens, he
was greeted with small and evidently reluctant
audiences, who were in love with Dr. Broughton,
and disappointed at his absence.
Little by little they came to recognize that there
was one man who could fill Dr. Broughton’s place.
One by one people would drop into the back seats
as though ashamed to be caught in an attitude of
seeming disloyalty to the one who had won their
hearts during the past two years.
In a few days the church became too small, and
before a week, four meetings in a day were re
quired to begin to meet the demands.
What did all this in a city that boasts of its
<con&eiwa|tism, wafe the indescribable personality
and methods of Dr. Dixon.
Just as there is one and only one Broubhton, so,
in entirely different peculiarities there is but one
A. C. Dixon.
There is nothing in common between them ex
cepting their height, unless it is their fearless
proclamation of the truth, and their passion for
revivals.
Dr. Broughton is the Elijah and Dr. Dixon the
Elisha of modern evangelism. The former is match
less as a master of exhortation; the latter is peer
less as a master of logic.
The one gives the impression of an irresistable
force endeavoring to remove an impassable object,
while the other seems to be a magician quietly and
confidently touching hidden springs.
These remarkable differences between such suc
cessful workers make us wonder at the variety
of talents that can be used in religious work.
Surely, between the extremes which we see in
effective methods, no Christian has either an ex
cuse or a discouragement from attempting some
thing every day.
His address to the Normal school on “The Ser
mon on the Mount,” will never be forgotten, nqr
will his impressive sermons at the Lucy Cobb. But
perhaps the most notable of all was the one at the
University chapel on Sunday night, where several
hundred young men who are to be leaders in the
State, Were profoundly impressed by the earnest
message of a great man whose powerful talents are
humbly wmserirtsd to -God. Wm. Younn