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reproach his conscience for neglect of them. No ringing church bells, sending their invi- 1 tations far and w ide to all to come to them, in his ears, mocking him for his | them, and seeming to say, We called x But you would not come, and now it is too late—too late for earth, too late for heaven ! No. Peaceful and calm can the Christian be at such a time; for he knows that, having fulfilled his duty towards God and man on earth, he may confidently trust to reap his reward in heaven. gamier. U »■ ml Cw v r J® -j- / - I 1• li W VLj Ji gw mw ’os Rif 1\ ‘The entrance of Thy Word giveth light.’ JAS. NATHAN ELLS, Editor. -KOilg-IA: SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1863. The War. Since our last issue, the bloodiest battle, of this revolution has been fought in front of Murfreesboro. The carnage on both sides was awful. The heart’s blood of ma ny a brave Southern warrior wet the soil of ill-fated Tennessee. At first the victory was ours. Before the impetuous onsets of our gallant troops the enemy fell back on his right, about sev en miles, leaving in our hands four thousand prisoners, twenty pieces of artillery, and several thousand stand of small arms. — Successes on the centre wore also achieved, increasing the amount of ordnance and number of prisoners. On the third day General Bragg, learning the enemy was largely reinforced and strongly entrenched, withdrew his forces and fell back on Tulla homa, bringing nil’ nearly all our stores, hut. leaving in Murfreesboro a number.of our more dangerously wounded. Our front is now somewhere near that point. The effect of this battle upon the fort unes of our struggling Confederacy is somewhat doubtful. It has cost us many lives, but has not pushed our lines to the/ro/t/ — rather to the rear. The effect on the ene my’s cause is also doubtful ; their loss, in blood and stores, was fearfully heavy. Soul and Body. It. is very generally acknowledged that the former is more important, is worthy of more attention, because' of its superior val ue, than the latter. Though this fact, is so generally conceded, yet men act with a more watchful eye to the wants of the lat ter —the body. The physical wants of our Soldiery have engaged the attention of all classes throughout our struggling country, which attention is worthy of all praise.— But why absorb or monopolize our efforts to render the body so comfortable, to the great, neglect of the soul ? Spiritual food is eagerly sought after by thousands of our men in the camps and hospitals of the country, and the greatest cry is ‘ Give us the New Testament!’ They rush to ou r colporteurs when they are making their rounds of mercy, and, with anxiety depict ed in their faces, ask ‘ Have you any Tes taments? Where, can we procure a copy of the New 'restament?’ The reply of the colporteur may have been as follows, which embraces the facts : Efforts have been and are still being made to supply you with the Scriptures, by the proprietors of the Franklin Printing House, at Atlanta; but they have met with so many discouragements that but little has been accomplished in comparison with what has been attempted. The great est difficulty has been, and now is, to obtain 'ompetent and constant hands to carry for ward the work in all of As departments.— An appeal is now made by the said propri etors, and indu ‘‘meats offered which will certainly command the necessary aid. They are now offering to ladies who will engage as regular and reliable hands, in the sewing department, an advance of one hun dred per eent. upon prices recently paid, which competes very fairly with the sewing department of the Confederate States.—j This liberal offer is made, accompanied with an appeal to those who appreciate the eha-' racter and importance of the work, with the hope that success may attend the ufort now being made to supply our soldiers with spiritual food witli as little delay as possi ble. Shall the work cease ? Or. shall it go forward with the certainty of success ? The work is of momentous interest ; the pay liberal and punctual; the work easy, surrounded with every comfort. — Six thousand copies of the Testament thrown nto circulation among our soldiers per; week (the work desired and now attempt-' i' 2S <l3 S’ 1S W <£L X< XM 3S ® cd), will in six weeks be read, with pleas ure and profit, by at, least one hundred thousand of those .who have perilled all to save our country from the desolating tread of cruel enemies. We will close by appealing with earnest ness to those unaccustomed to ‘ take in work,’ to rush to the rescue. Let higher motives than this world can furnish, induce you to undertake in the sowing department of the Franklin Printing House. Let no thing of a minor character prevent you from engaging in this work, if possible to do so. Go at once. One Testament given to a soldier next week might save his soul, and comfort the dying hours of many others. i >* i New-Year's Gift—The Soldier*, ! Who will join us in a New-Year’s Gift to the brave men who are standing in the defence of our rights ? Here is a chance. The soldiers are always thankful for good reading matter—especially the soldiers who have to endure the gloom of a hospi tal. The following list has been started ; friends of the soldier, will you not here en roll your names, and the amount you are willing to give, to send The Banner to the soldiers? The list will be published for three weeks. SUBSCRIPTIONS. James N. Ells & Co., - - 835 00 IL C. Hornady, ... - 10 00 > A. T. Holmes, 500 D. P. Everett, of Florida, 10 00 ! L. L. Abbott, 10 00 Dr. G. E. White, 5 00 George C. Connor, 10 00 Robert M. Clarke. ‘2O 00 J. M. Holbrook, 5 00 . Mrs. E. S. Blodget, 500 D. W. Hughes, 500 j S. Root, 3 00 Dr. David Young, 2 00 F. C. Diamond, Cave Spring, 300 ' Mrs. V. B. Burton, “ 2 00 Children of S. M. Pyles, Milford, 2 50 Employees in Franklin Printing House: B. F. Bennett, 2 50 C. L. Clark, 2 50 Jas. N. Holmes, 5 00 S. P. Richards. 2 00 C. li. Sanders, 1 00 C. C. Sewell, 100 Printer, 1 00 T. G. Mcllann, 50 W. A. Graham, 1 00 Abel Miles, Jr., 1 00 W. F. Clark, 1 00 J. N. E., for ap., 3 00 21 50 James W. Brice, M. D. Gaar, J. R. Mayson, 11. L. \\ illiams, R. .1, Lowry A Co., Aaron Edwards, Thomas Scrutchin, H. Joiner, G. T. Dodd, G. W. Baldwin, W. E. Young, L. C. Wells, J. B. Tippin, Friend to Soldiers, each 81 00— 1-1 00 We also acknowledge the receipt of 81001 from Rev. Mr. Huff, per order of Rev. A. E. Dickinson, Agent for Army Colportage.' Friends of the Soldier! there still is room. We feel that we are laboring in a good cause—a cause, of which we are not ashamed. Will you aid us by your con tributions? Will parents set their little ones an example ? Will pastors bring the attention of their congregations to this im portant subject ? News Jolting*. —The British and Foreign Bible Society have voted a credit of £3,000 in favor of the Bible Society of the Confederate States. —lt is stated on good authority that the 'l ankees filled the icehouses at Fredericks burg with their dead, in order to conceal, as far as possible, the evidence of their losses. —An old lady, ten miles from Knoxville, made from an "ashhopper,” filled repeated ly with earth taken from beneath, 898 worth of Saltpetre. —The marriage ceremony on the occasion of the marriage of Gen. John fl. Morgan, was performed by Lieutenant General and Bishop Leonidas Polk. —The Louisville Journal says that the Military Governorship of Temnesseeis given to Gen. Hurlburt, of Memphis, and that Andy Johnson is still Governor of Tennessee. A negro regiment at Port Royal is high ly commended by Northern papers, in their telegraphic columns, for stealing 200,000 feet of lumber. —General Sam Houston is asserted to be a Texas Unionist, and for this reason could not get a seat at a Texas hotel table. Anoth er lie. Sam Houston is a loyal Southerner. J —lt is reported that James Gordon Ben-' nett will retire from business on the Ist of January, leaving the New York Herald to his son James G Bennett, Jr. —Gen. Burnside was a tailor’s apprentice in early youth, but became the protege of! Secretary Smith, then a member of Congress) I from Indiana, by whom he was sent to West I . Point. j —Working men in some sections of the j North are getting to be scarce. In Connec i ticut, farmers are obliged to pay sixty dollars ' a month ; the price in former times was 'about twelve dollars a month. —The Chicago Prairie Farmer denies the truth of the statement going the rounds,' that the cotton crop of Illinois for 1'562. will amount to 20,000 bales. It says the ■quantity will not exceed 200 bales. | —Commercial circulars from Japan, of i the 25th of October, say that a revolution' 1 , has broken out there, but of what character, ' ‘ the published reports do net make clear The power of the Tycoon has been greatly restricted, and a policy adopted adverse to foreign interests. Mr. Richardson, a prom inent English merchant, had been assassina ted by the servants of a Japanese Prince. arrival of the President at Jack son, Miss., a committee of the House of Rc presentytives visited him and invited him to address the Legislature. His reply was that he had come to work, not to speak • but that he would do in Mississippi what he would not anywhere else. He would meet the Legislature either publicly or privately, advise with the members in secret session, or deliver an address in the Hall to the peo ple. —Ten thousand shells were sent to Burn side by General Meigs of the ordnance de partment when the former was about to cross the Potomac. Upon examination it was as certeined that not one in ten was likely tc explode ; sand having been substituted for powder. Burnside seems to be rather un fortunate. When his expedition first left Anapolis, he discovered that a large quanti ty of the cartridges furnished him were ac -1 tually without powder. 1862 an <1 1863. We are treading the portals of another New Year. God in His mercy has brought I us safely through the trials,temptations and chastisements of a year never to be forgot ten; a year of joys and sorrows, of defeats and triumphs, victories and disasters. Le gion are the thoughts these remembrances i suggest.| May we not, with propriety, 'record a few of them on our good old Banner ? ) As a Nation we entered upon the year 1862 with shaded hopes. The fortunes of | our beloved confederacy were not as sunny as the trembling heart would have wished. ) The first month brought us a disaster which, like a millstone, for a while dragged us in to the bitter lake of despondency. Our jforces were defeated at Fishing Creek, and “ Freedom shrieked when Zollicoffer fell.’’ February, too, brought us its sad tale.— | Fort H enry fi 11. On the 14th, after a i fierce and manlv resistance, as none but a ! freeman fighting for his home ami loved ones against a superior force can make, i Dem Ison surrendered, and with it the cap lital of the old “Volunteer State.” i April is remembered with a touch of j sorrow. <)n its 26th, the beautiful Crescent 'City fell a prey to the ruthless invaders of 'the homes of the sunny South. A twinge lof pain still remains at memory of that dai k day. In this month fell also Fort j Pulaski; and in April fi 11, proudly leading tour brave boys against the legions of aboli ' tionists, the gallant ‘A Ibert Sidney Johnston. These are remembrances sad and gloomy, ; but here we rest. Not a defeat have we j recorded, that was not turned by Him who ' doeth all things well, to our good. Our .proml hearts were subdued; our stifl’necks were broken. For once, as a nation we saw our weakness. In sackcloth and ashes the nation lay prostrate. Agonizing pray ers to the God of Battles ascended to the council chamber of the I Am. Help! help! was the burden of those prayers ; and Je hovah in His mercy was pleased to say, “ My heart is moved by thine entreaties— I will comedown and help thee.” Blessings and honor and power be unto our Deliverer! Then began to be wafted to us on every breeze the shouts of victories and cheers of triumph. Corinth's bloody fields, and the confused retreats and routes of Wil liamsburg, Seven Pines, and the “ seven days before Richmond,” triumphantly re peated the query “ If God be for us, who can be against us ? ” Since this appearance of the Lord in our midst, in May, up to the present time, a series of brilliant successes are recorded of the Confederate arms. The bold and gal lant dashes of Stonewall Jackson in the valley of Virginia, ami the more awful dashes of Lee; the successes of Kirby- Smith in Kentucky, and of Braggin Middle Tennessee, stand alone and unequalled on the blood stained pages of warfare. Proud though we be of our generals, grateful tho’ we be for the deeds of daring of our brave comrades in arms, yet to God be all the cdory! Had He not fought our battles for us. never would our hearts have been I gladdened. ' As a Church, alas ! our memory is cloth ed in crape. Coldness, darkness, unfaith-j fulness—these are all we remember. Occa sionally a few drops of Go J’s mercy fell | ■ upon us in answer to the faithful prayers lof the faithful few, and the choruses of the angel choirs over the salvation of precious souls resounded throughout the halls of the New Jerusalem. Ah, but how rare the. occasions’ Beloved reader, be now thine' i own witness; lay thine hand upon thine ’ heart and command it to answer thy solemn ■ queries. Ask it: Has it been faithful ?—■ warm, zealous, pure, consecrated ? Never have we known a year when a higher tone of Christianity was demanded.' Never, when energy, zeal and love were bo necessary to the discharge of our dutv.— The temptations of camp life, like mad i winds, have been driving the precious ves-' r sei,the soul, upon the breakers that dash! * upon the shores of eternal perdition. How little have we done to save them ! How feebly have we raised the shout of danger ! How few buoys have we set up, in the shape of tracts and religious newspapers, to warn j them of hidden dangers. Dark is the re -3 cord of our past! Bitterly penitent for our t past neglect, let us now turn our hearts to a brief meditation at this the beginning of a new year—lß63. By God’s grace, what ’ purpose we to do ? i- 1. To be more watchful over our own hearts. Reader, promise you this ? If _ you would be happy, if bright smiles of contentment would continually play upon s your countenance, watch, carefully guard the doors of your heart. Ah, there are r more than one main front door to the heart , There are little side private doors through ‘t which minions of darkness enter, softly, - stealthily, and there deposite the seeds of depravity and sin. Beware ! place a senti nel at every door, and let his instructions be “ Pass no one, no matter his insignia.” r 2. To be more faithful a s church members. Loved one, would you see your heart’s j darlings brought to Christ and saved with an everlasting salvation ? Be faithful, then, g as a member of Christ’s church. Let your heart be there. Be in the sanctuary on the g Sabbath, at th? prayer-meeting, and the day of fasting and prayer. Let no day of j worship or prayer find you absent unless Providence interpose. 3. To be more zealous in Christian labors for ths Army. Far away from the loved ones at home, through rain and mud the gallant soldier wades his weary way. The hallowed associations of home are no lonser his. The doting mother, the loving wife, or the dear affectionate sister, cannot now I restrain his turbid passions, point the soul , to heaven, and gently lead the way. Ah, no. Rude become the manners of his com rades; familiar become his ears and lips to profanity. Who can reach him ? Who , can stay the force of those terrible engulf ing waves of temptation? We answer, in no way can we stay them more effectually than by giving our means for the purchase of h . t racts and religious newspapers and sending them, in the hands of faithful colporteurs, .. to those dear ones for whom our hearts yearn. Let the wounded brave have some of these precious pages to while away his lone some hours of pain ; the brave boy on the tented field have them, to draw his heart away from the vice that surrounds him.— To this end we pledge ourselves before God. Beloved readers, how many of you will go and do likewise? C. How lo Avert <'nianiity. There is a natural and necessary connec tion between sin and suffering. “ The soul thatsinneth shall die,” is not an arbitrary fiat, but is the declaration <>f an existing truth. “ The wages of sin is death,” and viewed in the most favorable light there is L nothing to be hoped from a course of evil. “He that pursueth evil pursueth it unto his ow’n death;” and what is true of an in dividual, in this regard, is true also of a I community. In the light of these truths we learn something of the cause and cure of national calamity. Sin is the bane of a nation, and to its influence are traceable, either directly or indirectly, all those evils to which we are now subject and by which we are now suffering. The great aggregate i of the people’s sins are a part, at least, of the sins of the nation ; but when the Gov- 1 eminent connives at, or encourages the vio lation of the Divine Law, the matters are ; much worse. In both respects wo are a guil ty nation, and are, therefore, suffering those calamities, in some parts of our territory , the recital of which is almost enough to curdle the blood in one’s veins. Seeing, , then, the cause of these troubh s, it should be a matter of serious moment with us to obtain its removal, and thus secure ourselves against the effects which are so trying to us. How can this be done >. \\ <• cannot undo the evil we have perpetrated. We cannot 1 make ourselves innocent after we have once become guilty. There is, then, but one 1 hope for us, either as individuals or as a people, and that is in the divine forgiveness. But, then, there is a condition precedent [upon which alone God has promised pardon ■ to any people, and that is upon an unfeign ed repentance. But what is repentance? To the mind of the writer it includes two ideas:—Sorrow for sin, and turning away from it. Sorrow is not in strictness a part of repentance, but it certainly is a necessa ry adjunct. “Godly sorrow worketh re • pentance,” and of course must enter into the operation of forsaking sin. Sorrow I | for sin may be induced by contrasting a! i sinful life with one of innocence, or it may ) i be brought about by the contemplation and ! experience of the sufferings which sin in -1 diets. But, after all, it is the work of the' Holy Spirit, bringing the truth home to ’ the heart and causing one to look back with sorrow upon the past, and the deter mination of amendment in the future. ! Repentance, however, is not perfected until there is a reformation of life, proceed ing from sorrow which looks to God, in Christ, for relief. Sincere repentance cul minates in the complete abandonment of those t hings we deplore. Here there is, in brief, modus operandi of averting the ca lamities which are now hanging, like a pall, upon our once prosperous and happy coun try. In the sufferings we experience, God is calling us to repentance, and like way ward children we should turn from our er ratic courses, and seek that forgiveness without which we must be miserable for ever. The work must begin with individuals. Each one knowing the evils of his own way should hasten to humble himself beneath the Divine hand, and seek the full and blood-bought pardon of all his sins. It is a matter of urgent importance—the wrath of our God is upon the land, and yet the door of mercy isopen still. The Holy Spirit calls, “ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God. lor He will abundantly pardon.” And when every one shall thus have sought and obtained the divine forgiveness, we shall be “a nation whose God is the Lord ;” and “ if God be for us, who can be against us ?’’ ‘ Repent, the voice celestial cries. No longer dare delay, The soul that scorns the mandate dies, And meetsja fiery day.’ And now, kind reader, as thine eye rests upon these lines—as these truths penetrate thy mind, be entreated to forsake the ways of folly and sin—turn to a bleeding Saviour. Thy happiness here and hereafter depends upon thy obedience, yea, the salvation of thy country from the calamities of war de pends upon the duty of repentance. H. [/for The, Bc/ptht Banner.] Rev. J. S 3. Campbel!. Richmond, Va., Dec. 29, 1862. We have promised to keep this brother supplied with tracts, religions papers, and (as far as we can) with Testaments, for distribution among 1 he soldiers on the Geor gia coast. We have sentone hundred dol lars to The Banner and as much to The ftides:, to be used in supplying him with copies of those papers. In a recent letter, Brother Campbell says: “There is evident ly a revival influence abroad among the soldiers. There is the most urgent demand for Testaments and tracts.” All who desire to aid in supplying brother Campbell in the noble work he is doing can do so by contributing religious reading matter. We would like to have several Colporters around Savannah. A. E. Dickinson, Supt., Ac. Brother Bl Is : Premitnie to acknowledge the following sums received for Army Colportage : From LaGrang.' Baptist Church, 8173 35. In Newnan, by private effort,, 63 50. At West Point, 23 30. First Baptist Church, (Atlanta) 255 65. Colored congregation of Ist Church, 17 50. Second Baptist Church, (Atlanta) 222 65. From Disciple’s congregation, (At.) 20 50. Total, 8775 95. Subscription by First Church, Atlanta, for Banner to be furnished Soldiers, 850 00. Atlanta, Dec. 25, 1862. W. Huff, General Agent of Army Colportage. I'irsl District, <’oosa AsNocitilion. Dear Banner: Please publish the order of business and the appointments made by the general meeting, in connection with the ministers’ and deacons’ meeting of the First District of the Coosa Association, to meet with the Pisgal Church on Friday before the first Sabbath of July next. C. 1 hompson,sermon on Saturday, on the Future Inheritance of the Sainis. J. I’. Swanson, sermon on Sabbath, on Family Religion. W . P. Lampkin, essay on the Kingdom of Christ. D. W.( xwin, essay on Pastoral Visiting. J. R. Chambers, essay on Regeneration. James Sanders, essay on the Deaconship. J. W. Pullen, essay on the Obligations of Church-Members, One to Another. C. B. Martin, essay on Special Provi dence. D. B. Hafisilton, essay on the Nature and Extent of the Atonement. D. B. Hamilton, Sec’y. Public Laws of IMJ2. More to keep up the series of Public Laws which I have published annually for several years past, than with the expecta tion of profit at this time, I shall publish those passed at the present Session. Ow ing to the usual high price of printing and publishing materials, and to the fact that most of my old subscribers are absent in the service, I am compelled to advance the price of the Pamphlet to two dollars. Neither labor nor expense will prevent me from getting out the Pamphlet as promptly I as heretofore. Subscriptions remitted by mail at my risk - H. JI. Waters. Money due the Office, may be sent by mail a ; our risk always mail it in presence of a friend i (other than the P. M.,) or procure a triend to mail itforyou—never register. Con tributors should write only on one side 01 each leaf; and number the pages, 1,2, 3, &c. Those wishing papers changed, should give ?he Post-Office they wish changed from, as well as the one to be changed to.