and brought to church; and that in the midst of public worship this armed band should surround the minister while in the very act of presenting the request of the people to his God, and, by presenting sabres and revolvers at his breast, they would compel him to say such prayers as they should dictate.

This was carried out to a fuller extent than they contemplated. The high official who had authority from the State Department to set aside all laws, and arrest any one, even the general in command, stood before the altar of God and demanded of his ambassador to pervert the power of religion to the purposes of political jurisprudence, and pray at his dictation. The officers and men formed around the altar The minister calmly continued:

"From all evil and mischief; from all sedition, privy conspiracy—

The people. "Good Lord, deliver us.'

Minister. "Bless all Christian rulers and magistrates, and give them grace to execute justice and maintain truth."

Government officer. "You are a traitor! in the name and by the authority of the President of the United States, I arrest you! The minister, finding, in the indescribable confusion which had ensued, that his friends were likely to become involved in trouble, (for men, whose ideas of religious toleration were American, were becoming mad by oppression,) slowly arose, (but not until an officer had wrested the holy book from his hands, and dashed it on the floor,) and facing the chief officer, said, (as if remembering his Master's words,) "Let these go, take me;' but before I yield myself up to you, I summon you to appear before the bar of the King of kings, to answer the charge of interrupting his ambassador, while in the house of God, and in the discharge of his duty.”

Conscious-stricken, the whole band fell back, and one of them remonstrated at the proceedings; but the order was given, and two sergeants, with drawn revolvers, had the honor of escorting a surpliced priest to prison, through the streets of the city. There were attendant circumstances,

such as the dragging through the streets young and delicate females of his family and friends, persons whose rank, sex, and tenderness of years should have shielded them from the brutal gaze of the street mobs: circumstances which were enough to make wise men mad.

And this was on the Lord's day, and under the precincts of the seat of Government. General Montgomery said to them: "What! could you not come on a week-day? Could you not have had some sort of investigation or trial? Could you not have consulted me?" They replied, that they acted with the knowledge and under the direct orders of Government.

Upon inquiry, this was found to be a fact.

The newspaper that published a statement of the facts was destroyed and its office burned. The type of a religious journal, the "Southern Churchman," was burned, and the enormities that ensued exceeded those perpetrated upon peaceable Christian communities by the Mohammedans.

They drove the minister from his home, and after revenging himself by ministering to the soldiers who had oppressed him, upon the field of battle, in the prisons, etc., binding up their wounds, and administering to them the consolations of religion in the hour of death, and after having the satisfaction of holding back the soldiers of the Confederate States from interrupting another minister, when praying for Presi dent Lincoln, he awaits the grand conclusion of these things. It is said that a stranger, who was present on the occasion of this sacrilege, observed, "If the men engaged in this affair do not all meet with some signal judgment of the Almighty, I shall begin to question the truth of religion!"

Rev. Mr. Stewart is now located at Spotswood, New Jer sey, is a faithful servant in the cause of Christ, and is the author of "Commentaries on Revelation," and other religious works.