The Virginia Gazette

TO THE PRINTERS.

GENTLEMEN,

Once more oblige many of your customers by inserting in your gazette the following piece.

To the Youth in the Army.

DEAR SONS,

As your remote and unknown situations to many of us puts it out of our power to address you in a more private way, we beg you will receive this as if directed to each of you in particular, from your tender parents.

Our love to liberty (that gift of Heaven) love to our country, and love to you, triumphed over the more fond and tender feelings of a parent's heart: We wiped off the trickling tear, and cheerfully bid you farewell, when you went forth in defence of your country, to engage in all the perils and hardships of war. We would now bid you be of good courage, and play the men for your people, and for the cities of your God. Be obedient to your officers, and kind and friendly to each other. Let not dangers nor hardships discourage you, nor ever let our eyes be blasted with the sight of your names in the public prints as deserters. Serve God, fear to offend him, and persevere in your duty till he shall crown you with victory, which, in such a cause, you may have good reason to expect.

But, sons, with grief and distress we must inform you, that we hear a very different conduct prevails in your camps. Our hearts are made to bleed, and our ears to tingle, with the reports of your wickedness, cursing, swearing, gaming, and debauchery. What! cannot you make good soldiers, unless you first commence veterans in sin? Cannot your country be saved but by the loss of your souls? "A thousand worlds so bought were bought too dear!" For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Is it the way to obtain the favour and blessing of God, to live in contempt of his laws and government, and daily to affront and provoke him? This is not the doctrine we taught you; nor what you learn'd from your bibles. Or are you already arrived at the wretched shift of infidels and libertines, in trying to ease your consciences by disbelieving God's word, and thereby arrogate to yourselves a liberty to sin with impunity? With equal success you might as well think to evade the force of a cannon ball levelled at your head, by winking hard against it. The doctrines of christianity and sacred truths of scripture will live, when all despisers of it are dead and damned according to its sentence (of whatever rank they may be) and the time is fast hastening when they shall call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the wrath of an offended God. We therefore now call upon you in time, and warn you by all that is dear and sacred to break off your sinful courses before the destructive consequences of your doings come upon you: Ruin, certain ruin, to yourselves and your country.

Beg of your officers to use their authority and influence in discouraging vice among you of every kind, and in particular that they drive from your camps those fiery cursers, and worst of plagues to humankind, lewd and abandoned women. As we must not be tedious, let these few hints suffice. May the blessing of God attend you; may he prosper you and give you success, and return you in his own time a comfort to us your afflicted parents, and a blessing to your country.

From, dear sons,

Your affectionate Parents.