The Word of God is Not Bound

This entry is from the Tennessee Baptist, October 19, 1861 as cited by the Tennessee Historical Commission in the Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook, found at Art Circle Public Library, Crossville, TN website.

The Word of God is Not Bound.

We do not believe in giving up to misfortune, or to cowering before difficulties, though they seem insurmountable.  When it seemed impossible to print the Word of God in the South for our soldiers and Sabbath Schools, at a time when no move was making in any quarter to procure plates, God opened before us "a door of entrance" and the plates were procured and laid upon the press, and been printed by thousands of copies daily.

The next thing was to procure boards and muslin, etc., with which to bind these captions. Our book binder procured a large stock in Louisville, but the very day before they were to come through the hostilities between Tennessee and Kentucky broke out, a railroad bridge was burnt, and all communication cut off.

We have only stock enough to bind Testaments for a short time longer, when the work must cease. Now what can be done? Cannot this seemingly insurmountable difficulty be overcome? It can, if our sisters and the merchants and the shop keepers will give us that which is of little or no use to them, the old pasteboards, lying about their houses and stores in the shape of bonnet and lace, and dress, and skirt, and shoe boxes, etc., and forward them to us at once by express. See the plan in an appeal to our sisters. Those interested in the cause in the South could send us in one week pasteboards [fold in paper] to the whole Confederate army, and we believe they will answer by an immediate effort, this urgent call.

This work is a good work, and we believe that it will be achieved in spite of blockades. God often tests the zeal and devotion of his people, or rather gives it an opportunity to manifest itself that all may see and admire it.

Tennessee Baptist, October 19, 1861.

Unidentified young soldier.  Photograph shows book, probably a bible, in vest pocket.  From Library of Congress collection.