Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/136

Rh God the Holy Ghost bless my feeble words to their immortal souls, for Jesus Christ's sake!

"I want to persuade all the men of my regiment that nothing would ever give me greater pleasure than to read and pray with them, at any hour, day or night, when any of them are ill and dying, if they would only send an orderly to let me know.

"With Cottrell, who is still in hospital, I have had many earnest conversations. Corporal Farmer, whom I mentioned to you, is slowly sinking of consumption; he is very peaceful, resting all his hopes on Jesus. The men both in hospital and barracks, have read most eagerly the tracts which I have distributed amongst them. Captain Trotter added largely to my stock; but I have not one too many. I hope and pray that they may be the means of leading numbers to search the Scriptures.

"Thank the villagers at Beckenham for their prayers for us. God bless them all."

" God has answered prayer for me — both for body and soul. Tell dear Mr. Chalmers how very grateful I am to him for praying for me at his prayer-meeting for the army.

"The cholera has again broken out in my poor regiment. Last night poor S——, of my Company, a fine powerful young man, was admitted into hospital; he had been an orderly attending on cholera patients, and had therefore seen many die. I went to see him several times in the course of the night, but he would not speak or listen to me; he died soon after I left him for the last time, and was buried this morning."

"Nine men have died since the 23d — four from the Light Company. We have suffered more se-