Today’s North Carolina Baptist Biblical Recorder publishes a letter from L. C. Vass, Secretary of the Chaplain’s Association of the Army of Northern Virginia. The letter speaks to commonalities found between the various Protestant denominations in terms of ministering to Confederate soldiers, expressing hope that Baptists will work closely with the army-based organization.
The church of Christ being one body and all saints members of it, there should be lively sympathy between the different parts. Each part is interested in knowing what the Lord is doing for the other. Accordingly have, the Chaplains of Northern Va., (which by reason of contiguity act together,) in association assembled, do send most cordial Christian greeting to our ministerial brethren in every Corps, post, and hospital, connected with the Confederate Army. A strong desire to hold regular, fraternal correspondence with you, prompts us thus to make known our purpose of doing so, and we request that you will open to us the channel. We desire to know how the Lord is prospering His blessed work through your labors, wherever they may be expended, and to send you tidings from our field for the purpose of stirring up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
But, brethren, we are ignorant of your address, and of the nature or existence of organized bodies among you; through which we prefer on many accounts to address communications. Under such circumstances, we must resort to the public press a most cordial and earnest invitation to all persons who labor as Chaplains in any department of the army, to send us the address of any organizations, through which we can reach them; or where there are no such organizations, their personal address, and such information as may be of general interest.
Having observed and experienced the great blessedness of acquaintance and cooperation in the field embracing these two Corps, we are prepared to expect yet greater results in a field more extensive and equally fertile. The Lord is doing wonderful things for us in our army. Christians are daily growing in grace and fidelity. Sinners are turning by hundreds to the King of righteousness, and finding that peace which comes by faith, and many are seeking the Prince of Life.
Under God’s direction we believe that much of this work has been done by the fraternal intercourse secured by our organization. The Lord baptize you with His spirit, and give His word prosperity through your instrumentality.
Brethren favoring us with an answer will please address
Rev. L. C. Vass, Secretary,
Chaplains’ Association, A. N. V.
Compared to Methodists and Presbyterians, Baptists are fielding relatively few chaplains, a fact lamented repeatedly in the Georgia Baptist Christian Index during the last two years of the great conflict. The reasons for Baptist reticence in participating in army chaplain-age include a refusal to partake of government funds for the support of chaplains, as well as the reluctance of pastors to leave pulpits for army service.
Source: Rev. L. C. Vass, “To All the Chaplains in the Confederate States,” Biblical Recorder, September 16, 1863 (link); see Bruce T. Gourley, Diverging Loyalties: Baptists in Middle Georgia During the Civil War, Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 2011 (link)
