Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His wife - My book review:
Wow, what a nice surprise of a read. I picked this book just out of curiosity from the title thinking it was an inspirational book about marriage. How much more did I get! It definitely had plenty of word pictures of the dynamics of a Christian marriage and piles of wisdom about God’s intend for it as a portrait of the gospel to the world, however, I encountered far more than just that. I was introduced to the life of a hero and an American legend which I was not aware enough of.
One of the greatest insights I got from this book is God’s providence in placing a Christian leader like Jackson in the midst of the bloodiest war in American History. One of my favorite take-aways from this book, it’s Anna, Jackson’s wife’s recount of his campaigns: “Within forty days he had marched 400 miles, fought 4 pitched battles, defeated 4 separate armies, with numerous combats and skirmishes, sent to the rear 3,000, 500 prisoners, killed and wounded a still larger number of the enemy, and defeated or neutralized forces 3 times as numerous as his own upon his proper theater of war.” Further I like to take away his regard to this as he replies to Robert E. Lee’s remarks while Jackson laid of is death bed after a mortal wound: -Lee: “I should have chosen for the good of our country to have been disabled in your stead… I congratulate you upon the victory which is due to your skill and energy.”…To which Jackson replied: “General Lee is very kind, but he should give praise to God”.
There is actually an account of a revival in the midst of the civil war. I am grateful that God strategically used Jackson’s influential life along that of many others in his church during that time to bring the gospel to the hundreds of thousands of men facing death in the battlefields. These quotes from Jackson give a little glimpse on his heart for the advance of God’s kingdom in the middle of war. This he said after the ordered destruction of property to help neutralize the enemy: “-If the cost of the property may have been expended in disseminating the gospel of the prince of peace. How much greater good might have been expected.” And here’s Anna’s recount of the last service attended by Jackson: ” -In front of the tent, under the canopy of heaven, were spread out in dense masses the soldiers, sitting upon benches or standing. The preaching was earnest and edifying, the singing one grand volume of song, and the attention and good behavior of the assembly remarkable.”
I do really recommend this book and any other books on the subject of the life of Stonewall Jackson for your own personal enrichment and for the inspiration of children, specially boys in their endeavor to become men of character, valor and eternal perspective.
Here some more of my take-aways from this book to wet your appetite for wisdom. Stonewall Jackson’s large collection of maxims and quotes are highly regarded and sought after:
-“L.t. Jackson cast aside all his former reluctance and excuses and devoted his life to seeking the glory of God and obedience to biblical precepts."
-“How delightful it is to feel that we have such a friend, who changes not! The Christian recognition of God in all his works greatly enhances his enjoyment.”
-“You must not be discouraged at the slowness of recovery. Look up to him who giveth liberally for faith to be resigned to his divide will, and trust Him for that measure of health which will most glorify Him and advance to the greatest extend your own real happiness.”
-“See if you cannot spend a short time looking out your window into space, and meditating upon heaven, with all its joys unspeakable and full of glory and think of what the savior relinquished in glory when he came to earth.”
-“He showed that in Adam’s fall we had been raised from the position of servants to that of children of God. He represented man as redeemed being at the day of judgement, standing nearest to the throne, the angels being farther removed. And why? Because is sitting upon the throne he is a nearer relation to Christ than the angels. And his being the righteousness of God himself”.
-“Try to live near Jesus and secure that peace which flows like a river.”
-“Look, men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer!”
-“I know that the first brigade was the first to meet and pass our retreating forces – to push on with no other aid than the smiles of God..”
-“Was not such a heavenly vision enough to make him forgetful of his sufferings? He beautifully and forcibly described the death of the righteous, and as forcibly that of the wicked”.
-“What I need is a more grateful heart to the “Giver of every good and perfect gift.”
-“Over the next 2 months Jackson would rewrite the military history books in an audacious and brilliant campaign that is still studied in the military schools around de world.”
-“Your sickness give me great concern, but so live that it, and all your trials, may be sanctified to you, remembering that our light afflictions which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
-“There was something very striking in his prayers. He did not pray to men, but to God. His tones were deep, solemn, tremulous. He seemed to realize that he was speaking to Heaven’s King.”
-“Make our nation that people whose God is the Lord, is my earnest and oft-repeated prayer. While we attach so much importance to being free from temporal bondage, we must attach far more to being free from the bondage of sin.”
-“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth: a stranger, and not thine own lips.”
-“We can sympathize with her, and I wish I could comfort her, but not human comfort can fully meet her case; only the Redeemer can, and I trust that she finds Jesus precious, most precious, in this her sad hour of trial.”
-“How kind is God to us! Oh that I were more grateful!”
-“How delightful will be our heavenly home, where everything is sanctified!”
-“He also rejoiced that the Sabbath days could now be kept regularly and deeply appreciated the preaching and prayer meetings of the army.”
-“Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”
I'm enjoying going over this review again. Grateful for this book.
