SPEECH

OF THE

REV. DR. BELLOWS,

PRESIDENT OF THE

United States Sanitary Commission,

MADE AT THE

ACADEMY OF MUSIC, PHILADELPHIA,

Tuesday Evening, Feb. 24, 1863.

PHILADELPHIA AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES SANITARY COMMISSION,

1307 CHESTNUT STREET.

OF THE

Henry Whitney

REV. DR. BELLOW S,

PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES SANITARY COMMISSION,

MADE AT THE

ACADEMY OF MUSIC, PHILADELPHIA,

Tuesday Evening, Feb. 24, 1863.

Philadelphia Agency of the United States Sanitary Commission, 1307 Chestnut Street.

PHILADELPHIA:

C. SHERMAN, SON & CO., PRINTERS.

18 6 3.

INTRODUCTION.

REV. DR. BELLOWS, President of the United States Sanitary Commission, addressed a large number of the citizens of Philadelphia, at the Academy of Music, Tuesday evening, February 24, 1863, in explanation of the operations of that Commission, over which he so ably presides, and which has earned the praise of every loyal man in the Union, and obtained the approval of every friend of humanity throughout the world.

On this occasion, the first discourse delivered in this city by Dr. Bellows in reference to the Commission, His Honor, Alexander Henry, Mayor of Philadelphia, presided. The Mayor introduced Dr. Bellows, in the following remarks:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We have assembled this evening to listen to the narrative of a scheme of benevolence, that in the grandeur of its purpose has rarely been equalled, and in the vastness of its sphere has never been surpassed, in the world's history. [Applause.] That narrative needs no commendation to your attentive ear. Its sphere is that of pouring in oil and wine, to bind up the wounds of those who have fallen by the wayside on the great highway that alone leads