The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-03-15
NO. go.

/ =
hath swept away thy buildings! Great
arc the losses of thy merchants, and
the distress of thy merchants, and the
distresses of thy poor inexpressibIe.--
| The desolation OF fire hath made nv
dwellings, an heap of ruins: My soul
mourneth for thy heavy Affections, and
mine eyes weep bitter tears for thy
calamilics. The horrors Of that fatal
night, that breathcd terrors and de.
struction on the town, when the spiral
flames of Indignation roll'd like a tor.
rent, and carried everything before
them. When disdaining to be con-
trollcdi and mbridIed in their fury.
they flew on the wings Of the wind.
The impctuous rushing Of their force
was irresistible! =! they met like contra.
ry seas. rising in mountains to the skies
| and daShing their rebounding waves,
they overwhelmed thine houses, and
made thee an heap Of ashes What
rulnous terror, when the angel Of
wrath flow thro' thy streets with
flaming sword in his hand. He was
kindlcd with burning rage, and the
flames sparkIcd from his owes; a con.
sumIng fire was brcathed from his nos
tri's, which swift as lightning, put the
town in blaze It's thrcat'ning ap.
pearancc contoundcd and astonished
The most daring and turned wisdom,
into folly and surprise.-The prudent
lost their sagacity and men OF under
standing knew not what they did
l nc c"nitaagration was an emblem Of
that awful day, in which dissolution
and confusion shall heap terrors on
distracted world When tile flames
mat reach to the skies, shall bend their
lofty spires: and suddenly creep along
the ground consuming every thing
they meet: When the pillars of the
Heavens shall be moved, and the
earth shaken from her foundations
" hen the h, How depths Of tho sea
sha' be filled up with the ruins of the
mountains, and the waters shall hiss
III burning flames When the suraino
bIllows shall be lost in sapor and steam
and the ocean scatter'd into dew .
When the Heavens shall melt with the
iervcrcy of fire and the sun become
like sea of blood When the Moon
shall loose her lustre, and.be yelled IN
cternalSdarkn
shall sicken and fade. and east <.. .as ,is; =;
glittering splendor When consiefna.
ton and fear shall seize the minds of
men, and the secrets ofall hearts shall
beiopened.-O that the thoughts Of the
terrors of that day; that dreadful day,
works of goodness, TO works Of charity
and bencvolencc-May due rcAcc.
( ton and sense ofthe sutIerinSs ofour
brethren-May the distrcsses ofthe
once afiluent and prosperous, and the
present m'series ofthc poor; may the
thoughts of the like calamitics being
incident to us; may christian charity
and universal love, and the divine pre-.
cepts OF our Saviour may an imita-
ton OF that great and glorious Being,
who communicates happiness and love
to mankind, Of unlimited goodness and
mercy may the duty, the obedience
add reverence due to the divine mn.
Jesty may the grateful remembrance
of all his blessings and favours He
who is the author and giver Of all
things, as well rs the protector of man
kind, who continues to us all we Dos
scss may he inspire us with pity. and
enlarge our minds'to a suitable jiber-
ality on this dreadful occasion. Nav
he also dispose the provinces and isles
to contribute to rebuild this once ia
NOUS town one OF the first and most
considerable on the continent to raise
1t to its former dit;on, and relieve
it's distressed Inhabitants. And NAV
our brethren OF Great Britain and Ire
land, whose charitable donations lex.
tensive rs the greatness and nobleness
of their souls) have flowed in streams
OF exhaustless liberality, from the
Thames to the Tagus, and DER the at
lantic to the main; remarkable for their
humanity and generous love to man
kind; as mercilul, as brave and as
tendcr-hcartcd, as they are honest
and true. May we not hope that
they will commiserate our misf,r-
tune: Those that are compassion
ate and good in their natural DISPOSE
tons Who raised Carolina from
heap Of ruins restored her to her for
mer splendor 2 May they who heay-
on has blessed in a distinguished man
ner. the supporters OF the PJose san,
religion, the strong, tho inpregnable
barrier OF liberty, the admiration and
glory OF the whole world. May these
sons of wisdom, charity and beneyo-
ence stretch out their hands 70, savo
their sinking bra,hren, and assist them
to restore and ,vrair the bu ldings Of
one, that was once an English town,
the most populous and fionrishing on
the whole continent of North Ameri-
ca: a great part Of it now lies in
ruinous heap of ashes: aud Boston
now looks like % frightful skeleton.
whose substance has been worn and
melted down by an inward heat and.
burning, from q ageodly habit to the,
meagreness Of n galloping consump-