|
As both a deacon and
Sunday school teacher at his Presbyterian
Church back home in Lexington, Jackson had
gone through a spiritual transformation.
It took him from a shy believer with
little self-confidence and a fear of
public speaking, to a fervent prayer
warrior, whose passion for the power of
God's Holy Word became an infectious
motivator throughout the ranks of the Army
of Northern Virginia. Once a quiet man,
Thomas Jackson grew to become a seasoned
speaker, capable of giving fiery speeches
to thousands of men before each battle.
Ultimately, his words became a weapon of
their own, inspiring his men to overcome
all odds in the name of their general,
their God, and their beloved Confederate
States of America.
Not all Southern gentleman
shared Jackson's passion for prayer. At
times, his religious enthusiasm annoyed
those who were agnostic, including members
of his own staff. Several shared the
notion early on that Jackson's dependence
on prayer hindered his ability to make
swift decisions. One evening during a
council of war, the general listened
intently to various options presented by
his subordinates. After the meeting had
concluded, he thanked them for their
efforts, but added that he would present
his own plan in the morning. Leaving him
to ponder their strategies, Lt. General
A.P. Hill said, "Well, I suppose Jackson
wants time to pray over it."
Later that night, Hill's
counterpart, General Richard S. Ewell,
returned and observed his superior through
the tent flap, on his knees praying
intensely for guidance regarding the
difficult movements that lay before him
and his troops. Upon hearing the
excitement in Jackson's voice and
witnessing the sincerity in his heart,
Ewell said, "If that is religion, I must
have it." He later attributed his
profession of faith to Jackson's influence
and example. Following the untimely death
of his mentor, Ewell assumed the post and
services of his chaplain, the Reverend
Beverly Tucker Lacy. Following the South's
surrender, he continued to practice his
faith and eventually became a communicant
at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in
Columbia.
Determined to spread the
Good News of the Gospel, Jackson's
evangelism off the battlefield remained a
top priority with him. Whenever his
military services were not required, the
general spent all of his mental energy
witnessing to others in the name of the
Lord. As the "Stonewall Brigade" continued
to fight with honor, word of their
general's religious zeal spread throughout
the South. One writer from the Richmond
Whig described one of Jackson's speeches
following the Battle of McDowell:
"General Jackson addressed
his troops in a few terse and pointed
remarks, thanking them for the courage,
endurance and soldierly conduct displayed
at the battle of McDowell on the 8th inst.
[of this month], and closed by appointing
10 o'clock of that day as an occasion of
prayer and thanksgiving throughout the
army for the victory which followed that
bloody engagement. There, in the beautiful
little valley of the South Branch, with
the blue and towering mountains covered
with the verdure of spring, the green
sward smiling a welcome to the season of
flowers, and the bright sun, unclouded,
lending a genial, refreshing warmth, that
army, equipped for the stern conflict of
war, bent in humble praise and
thanksgiving to the God of Battles for the
success vouchsafed to our arms in the
recent sanguinary encounter of the two
armies. While this solemn ceremony was
progressing in every regiment, the minds
of the soldiery drawn off from the bayonet
and sabre, the enemy's artillery was
occasionally belching forth its leaden
death; yet all unmoved stood that
worshipping army, acknowledging the
supremacy of the will of Him who controls
the destinies of men and nations, and
chooses the weaker things of earth to
confound the mighty."
Regardless of his
unquestionable dedication to duty, one
aspect of military service did not set
well with Jackson. Throughout his
religious renewal, "Stonewall" had
strictly observed the Sabbath, refusing to
take part in any work-related activities
on Sundays. In war however, calendars are
rendered meaningless and Jackson was often
called upon to fulfill his military
obligation in place of worship. As a
result, many prayer vigils were held
before and after battles in place of
Sunday service. Whenever possible though,
a strict schedule of morning and evening
worship on the Sabbath as well as
Wednesday prayer meetings was faithfully
maintained.
Protecting the sanctity of
religious practices did not end with
Jackson as the entire Presbyterian
denomination, as well as their
contemporaries, were extremely concerned
about the repercussions of the wartime
climate. First and foremost was the
inevitable splitting of the denominations
following the South's secession. And
although there appeared to be no immediate
hostilities harbored by Christian leaders
on either side, the fact remained that the
political split in the country - also
split the church. This had a profound
affect on virtually every aspect of their
operations.
For example, up until the
outbreak of the Civil War, the American
Bible Society, based in New York, handled
the production and distribution of most
Protestant-based materials including
Bibles and tracts. After the conflict
began, an entirely new system had to be
formed in order to meet the needs of the
Southern congregations. Many of these
dilemmas were addressed in the minutes of
the Presbyterian Church's General
Assembly. One major point addressed the
need to establish a new chapter of the
Bible Society to shoulder the task of
producing and distributing religious
materials in the Confederate States.
Another concern pertained
to the issue of camp worship and the
negative affects of military operations on
the Sabbath. A letter was therefore
drafted and forwarded to Confederate
President Jefferson Davis. It
stated:
"To the President of the
Confederate States of America: Sir: The
General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the Confederate States of
America venture to address your Excellency
in reference to the desecration of the
Sabbath in our armies. In common with very
many of our fellow-citizens, we have been
deeply pained at the prevailing disregard
of an institution which lies at the
foundation, not only of Christianity, but
of morality as well. The God who ordained
the Sabbath is that God to whom we are
accustomed to appeal for the justice of
our cause--upon whom we are calling for
that help which alone can avail to bring
our country successfully and triumphantly
through the present great struggle. How
can we hope for God's blessing, or
consistently ask it, when we are
deliberately and habitually setting aside,
and treating with contempt that which He
has enjoined upon us to remember and keep
holy. Surely never could circumstances
more imperiously call upon us, as a
people, to put away every thing which
might be displeasing to that Great Being
on whose favor we are so utterly
dependent; and do not our soldiers and
officers eminently require the salutary
influence of the Sabbath amid the manifold
temptations of the camp, and the fierce
perils of the battle-field?
The Assembly have learned
with regret that it is not uncommon for
the military arrangements of the Sabbath
to be of such a nature as seriously to
interfere with the observance of public
worship. The General Assembly would,
therefore, respectfully request your
Excellency to use your influence and
authority as Commander-in-Chief of the
Army, to do away with dress parades,
inspections, reviewals, or unnecessary
movements of troops on the Sabbath, and
also to see that the officers shall not
interfere with the observance of religious
services, but on the contrary, afford all
proper facilities for the same.
The uniform interest
manifested by your Excellency in all that
pertains to Christianity, leads us to hope
that a matter of such moment will secure
the attention it merits. Let us remember
that "righteousness exalteth a nation,"
and that God has declared that they that
honor Him will be honored, whilst they
that despise Him shall be lightly
esteemed. With earnest prayer to God that
he will grant you, dear sir, wisdom and
grace for your exalted and responsible
station in these dark and troublous times,
and with great respect, We are,
&c."
Petitions such as these
continued throughout the war as each
branch of the church did their best to
shepherd their flocks in the field. By
establishing the presence of chaplains and
offering regular worship services,
influential believers like Jackson were
able to spread their message of the path
to salvation, while simultaneously
providing their troops with a spiritual
comfort zone. This ultimately aided them
in dealing with the rigors and horrors of
war. And by putting his trust in God, this
general was able to inspire those under
him to rise to all occasions and overcome
all adversities that came upon them. With
total confidence, Jackson routinely
bragged of their bravery saying, "Who
could not conquer with such troops as
these?"
Source: Excerpts taken
from "Onward Christian Soldier: The
Spiritual Journey of Stonewall" by Michael
Aubrecht, Time Life Books Civil War:
"Decoying the Yanks: Jackson's Valley
Campaign," Letter quoted from: Minutes of
the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the Confederate States of
America: Electronic Edition, (Pages
16-17).
|
