American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-03-28
A SABBATH MORNING IN '76,
ny MARTHA RUssELL.

One SABBATH morning, during the gloomy sum
mer Of 1776, when the hopes of the patriots
seemed likely to go down in darkness and blood,
and even the God-sustained heart of Washington
grew troubled and almost sank within him, the
people of our New England village came up to
the house of God with sad countenance and
heavy hearts. News travelled slowly then, and
they were chiefly indebted to such wounded sol
diers as passed through the village on the way
to their homes for their information Of the news
of the army. They knew that Washington still
held New York, and the last poor wounded fel-
low that had reached home lrad told them a
fearful tale of the state of our own diminished
army, and the hordes of troops under Howe,
that were gathering round it like locusts
1t was beautiful midsummer morning. A
light thunder-shower, during the latter part of
the preceding night, had laid the dust and given
GOODNESS to the air The rain-drops still hung
trembling from leaf and bough, and came droop-
ing down in showers, as the footsteps of pedes-
trians, or the heavy tramp Of horses, bearing,
in most instances, the double burden of man
and matron, with, perchance, rosy child or
two, started from their quivering perches the
silver-throated birds. The grain was already
harvested, but many fields Of grass were still
standing, brown and sunburnt; and it was very
evident that many of the crops had suffered for
lack of proper cultivation, for many of the
most expert wielders of the hoe and scythe had
already exchanged them for the musket and
sword Still here and there piece of Indian
corn stood up thriftily, through the broad leaves
of which the faint west wind rustled, with a
low murmuring sound, like the dropping of
summer rain. In the southwest appeared the
white caps of two or three of those singular
clouds, known among the country people as
" thunder heads" But the people, as they
pursued their way along the green lanes and
over the forest-crowned hills had other thoughts
than that of the beauty Of the landscape. Their
hearts were with their brothers and friends and
their thoughts turned towards Him who is both
able to build up and cast down, before whose
altar they were accustomed to cast all their
cares and troubles.
As with slow and reverent steps they fled
into the meeting house and took their seats in
the square pews, it was easily seen that the
greater portion of the male part of the congre-
CATION consisted of men advanced in years and
boys in their teens. The morning service
passed as usual, and, after short intermis-
sion, the people again gathered to their places,
and the earnest prayer was offered and SER
mon suited to the exigencies of the times and
to the wants of the audience was commenced.
Suddenly the congregation were startled by the
heavy tramp of horse which rapidly ap-
door In n moment the rider had thrown him
self from the saddle and stood within the door.
Handing n note to the aged deacon who was
hurrying down the aisle to ask the cause of this
untoward interruption, with m audibly whis-
pered injunction TO act with speed, he rs has
tily mounted and kept on his way. The deacon
cast one glance at the superscription Of the
paper, then marched reverently up the pulpit
stairs and placed it in the hands of the minister
with the same whispered injunction. Delib-
eratey the old man finished his sermon and
prayer, then glancing his eyes over the paper,
he laid its contents before the people. 1t was
n pressing requisiton from Washington for
more troops. He was daily expecting an attack
from the combined forces of the enemy and
each town was called upon to furnish what it
could. After few eloquent remarks on the
critical situation of the beloved Chieftain, the
worthy man continued" Let us not be too
much cast down, my brethren. Our cause is
that of truth and justice and righteousness
and strong in these, we shall yet assuredly
triumph This business is urgent, and trust
it will not be deemed derogatory to our Chris
tian character, nor an infringement upon the
holy Sabbath, if we take such measures as seem
most pressing to-day. Therefore all who are
willing to take their lives in their hands and
stand beside the Commander-in-chief, in this
nOuf OF trlal, VIII, Alter Ine close OF the service,
please range themselves in single file on the
village common"
Then, with hands clasped and eyes raised
towards heaven, he took up the sublime invo-
cation Of David:
"Keep not thy silence, 0 Godl Hold not
thy peace and be not still!
For 10, mine enemies make q great tumult,
they that have Thee, have lifted up the head.
"They have taken crafty counsel against Thy
people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones.
They have said Come let us cut them off from
being nation, that the names Of Israel may be
no more in remembrance
"Let them be confounded and troubled for
ever; yea, let them be put to shame and perish.
"That men may know that Thou, whose name
is Jehovah, art Most High over all the earth!"
There was silence for the space Of some
moments, and then to the strains Of old
"Mear," full clear, and distinct from all parts
Of the house, rose the words Of the following
hymn:
Attend ye armies to the hght
And be our guardian, God
In vain shall numerous foes unto
Gainst thine upliftcd rod.
Our troops beneath thy guiding hand
Shall gain a great renowD;
'Ts God who makes the feeble stand,
And treads the mighty down
The deep silence that followed the benedio-
ton was followed by the low muttering of dis
tant thunder, for the white-capped thunder
clouds Of the morning were climbing with