To-day was set apart by the President as a day of fasting
and prayer. Some of us went to Richmond, and joined in the services at St.
Paul's. The churches were all crowded with worshippers, who, I trust, felt
their dependence on God in this great struggle. The President was in church,
and, I believe, most of the dignitaries. One of the ladies of the hospital,
seeing this morning two rough-looking convalescent soldiers sitting by the
stove, exhorted them to observe the day by prayer and fasting. They seemed to
have no objection to the praying, but could not see the “good of fasting,” and
doubted very much whether “Marse Jeff fasted all day himself—do you reckon he
does?” The lady laughingly told him that she would inquire and let them
know, but she reckoned that such was his habit. In the course of the
morning she met with Mrs. Davis, and told her the anecdote. “Tell them from me,”
said Mrs. D., “that Mr. Davis never eats on fast-day, and that as soon as he
returns from church he shuts himself up in his study, and is never interrupted
during the day, except on public business.” Of course this was soon given as an
example, not only to the two convalescents, but to the whole hospital.
SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern
Refugee, During the War, p. 201-2
No comments:
Post a Comment