Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/382

376 know my standing as such I will give you a few items. I often preached in camp. While in camp at Dalton, Georgia, in the spring of 1864, there was a general revival of religion in the army, and I participated in it, preaching very often to my command. Within two weeks I baptized over fifty of my own men in a little creek near the camp. I believe my religious character gave me influence with my men in camp, on the march and in the field. While our division was in camp at Jonesboro', Georgia, the i6th of September, 1864, having been set apart by the President as a day of fasting and prayer, on that day I preached to a large congregation of soldiers from this text: "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me." Psalms 50:15. Soon after, the following note was clipped from a Montgomery paper:

"A PREACHER GENERAL. Brigadier-General Lowrey, of the Army of Tennessee, is a member of the clerical profession a fact which is not perhaps generally known. We have a letter dated Jonesboro', Georgia, September 15th, which says :

We have had the pleasure of listening to a very impressive and eloquent sermon from Brigadier-General Lowrey. The General is a man of superior acquirements, and is always heard with increasing interest. A faithful soldier of the cross, as well as of his country, devout and brave, he unites, more than any living man, perhaps, those cardinal virtues of mind and heart which combine to make the noble, true, conscientious, Christian warrior.

After the close of the war I settled in Tippah county, Mississippi, an adjoining county to the one in which I had formerly lived, and resumed regular engagements as a minister of the gospel. I also engaged as a stated contributor to a religious paper, the Christian Index, published in Atlanta, Georgia, and yet continue my contributions.

I have made this sketch much more lengthy than I intended when I commenced; but those portions of it which are connected with the operations of my command embrace items of information that may be left out in other sketches that I propose giving you. Hoping you will pardon the delay, and any imperfections, or apparent want of modesty in writing about myself,

I am, as ever, yours,

M. P. LOWREY.