The Man of Faith
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James' belief in God is evident throughout his diary.

To read a different profile of Frederic Augustus James, click one of the items below:

A family man - relationship of a husband and a father

Struggling to survive - a daily challenge against the hardships of prison life

Prison environment - responding to the people and places around him

 

"The Lord is my Shepherd - I shall want for nothing..."

1863

at Columbia, South Carolina
November

"While we were in Columbia the Rev. H. Clay Trumbull Chaplain of the Conn. 10th Reg. preached to us every Sunday morning in the jail yard until he left for the north on Nov. 6th: we have had no other opportunities for attending public worship since we were captured. His preaching was extempore, plain, practical, & to the point, & was well received by all." 

1864

at Salisbury Prison
January "Capt. Senn presented Bartlett & myself with copies of the New Testament (English edition) which we were very glad to receive."
February 28

"Read my Bible & commentary, & Tinker & Bartlett sung several hymns with me. The Sundays here are much like the other days of the week as we have no public service & most of the men are employed as on weekdays. What a blessing it will be to live once more in a land of Sabbaths."

March 20 "I spent the day as profitably as I could, reading & musing upon the "word". "
March 26 "The services at the grave [for Victor Bartlett] consisted of the reading of portions of the burial service from the "book of common prayer" of the "Protestant Episcopal Church" commencing with the selection of Scripture from 1st Cor 15th ch. 20th verse, and including all that follows.  We sung the 124th hymn (from the prayerbook selection) and after filling & marking the grave, Mr. Keyser closed the service with a very appropriate prayer. It was a very solemn and impressive occasion, and our prayer to God is that our heart may learn the lesson He designs to teach us by this experience, so sad & peculiar. May our hearts be given & consecrated anew to Jesus, and may our lives be such that we shall be ready at whatever moment he may call for us."
March 27 "This is "Easter Sunday"."
April 17 "Read an address upon Sunday School Instruction, by Dr. Ellis of Charlestown, Mass delivered in Salem Oct 26 1856.  It is a very suggestive work."
May 15

"Public religious services were held in the yard from 3 to 4 o'clock p.m. Conducted by a clergyman of this town [Salisbury]."

May 22

"Pleasant though we had a thunder shower at three p.m. At 4 p.m. we had preaching in the yard by Rev. Mr. Rumple, the same who officiated last Sunday.  He is a Presbyterian clergyman of this town.  The services were very good & acceptable. Text - Matt.11th ch.28-29 & 30 verses."

1864

at Andersonville Prison
June 12 "Read my bible & some monthly Journals, from home."
August 14 "Read my testament & hymn book."

 

...our darling little Mary

1864 in Salisbury Prison 

March 14, 1864

"Received a letter from my wife under date of Feb. 21st bringing the sad & wholly unexpected news of the death of our darling little Mary [James's older daughter]. She was taken to her heavenly home Oct. 26 1863. My wife sent me a letter directed to Columbia, S.C. dated Oct. 30th, & also sent three to Richmond containing all the particulars, but the authorities did not see fit to deliver either of the four letters to me. Her disease was of the brain, & she was sick about two weeks when she fell asleep in Jesus. "God's will be done." "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away": "Blessed be the name of the Lord". It would have been an unspeakable comfort & blessing to have clasped the warm & generous heart of the darling little girl once more to my own, or at least to have been permitted to watch by her dying bed, & cool her fevered brow, close her eyes & lay her tenderly to rest in her dear Saviour's arms, but He has ordained otherwise, & "He doeth all things well". He hath taken her dear and loving spirit to its bright and heavenly home, hath released it from earth & transplanted it to the gardens of paradise, no more to feel the chilling blasts of the world, no more to suffer from temptation & sin, but there to bloom forever in all purity & loveliness, a bright and beautiful angel, winning our hearts from the things of earth, as "a treasure laid up in heaven" where the family circle shall be reunited, no more to part forever.She had just passed her seventh birthday [born October 7, 1856], and was of a most wholesoled, wholehearted, generous, disposition, cherishing in her heart no malice or hard feeling even against those who injured or displeased her, & ever anxious & glad to minister to the happiness of others by imparting of whatever she might possess. May God sanctify unto us this chastening providence, & help us to bow humbly to his will. Our human hearts must ache, and and [sic] our faith must be watered by tears, until the glorious day of reunion shall come, and "faith shall become sight". In view of this dispensation I am admonished that it may not be permitted me to meet again upon earth either my dear wife, or our dear little Nellie [James' other daughter, Ellen, born November 14, 1857], our only remaining one, now in her seventh year. Our prayer is for a speedy reunion, but God knows what is best for us, and may His will, not ours be done."

 

 

March 26, 1864
'We continue to hear favorable "exchange news" & continue to hope & pray that our lives may be spared & the happy day of release soon come.  O, for patience & faith!!

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To read a different profile of Frederic Augustus James, click one of the items below:

A family man - relationship of a husband and a father

Struggling to survive - a daily challenge against the hardships of prison life

Prison environment - responding to the people and places around him

 

 

 
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