Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-01-16


enter it. and appeared with submes selfposssion be-
fore that assembly OF the great OF this world presided over
by the Emperor in person which, there every reason to
believe had met for his destruction To summons to
ecant his herscs thrice repeated with every circun.
stance which could give it oyerpowcring force upon the
weakness OF human nature and with the fate oi John
liuSN full before his he firmly aud couraycousl,
rcpied-'l neither nor will rcract anything Tor il
cannot bc right tor Christian To speak against his con
science.
hut wherefore 81 back to these remote times for eI
ainplcs OF Christian courage, when have rrccntly
had in the bosom OF commonwealth an exhbi-
ton of Christian herosm which examples OF sncin; ar
modern times surpaSs To meet death farlssly In,
the held OF battle is that form Of courage which the world
Is most accustomed To contemplate and admire But doe.
not require vet higher courage meet IL firmly and
silently nthe pestilence that wakeh in darkness and
the sickness that destroyeth in the noonday when the
soldier o humanity keeps post by the solitary couch OF the
sick and the diving in the acc OF advancing destruction
There i something in the blast OF war in it, ..pl.
pOmp aud circumstance" summon up the blood and
rouse the spirits TO precrnatual action What mus, that
be, which, III the stiffness and gloom of surrounding desc
laiion, in the midst of "a universe of death arms
and susiains itself TO meet unismayed the tcrrors
OF the DESTROYER Such the heaven.born
courage of those holy men OF God who
in the long night of affection and dsu,,y through
which our beloved fellow citizens cf our twin maritime
cities have lately passed, went forth "forlorn hope"
OF humanity and offered up their lives in performing tbs
duties Of their sacred Office while another noble band OF
heroes rallyng by common impulse of generous SYM
patty and affection from our sister States well from
Nanous parts OF oar conmonw catll the field of
danger and OF suffering freely devoted themselves at
ever! hazard to the benedccnt task OF healing the sick
and nursing the infected Peace, which hath its vic
tories no less renowned than war; hass heroes also: and
II may be safely affirmed hi the ''boodstained ruins
OF sebastopo witnessed no displays OF heroi.m and
courage which surpass in mere bravery, aud none that
can compare in true elevation spirit with those which
Religion and humanity called forth amid the silence OF the
and desolate dwellings of Portsmouth and
Before leaving this part of our subject which Nh, 49,.
ros OF an able aud ingenious writer have RENDERED, il The
more important to eueidatc cannot refrain FROM aluding
toa weknown and memorable example in History To show
no" large an influence Religion in nurturiny and
sustaining even military courage when engaged i'm COOL
cause The people OF England during the period of the
Commonwealth distinguished by their maria,
spirit and by their brilliant military achievements far be-
yond any contemporary nation one Of the national His
toiiauS whose testimony the subject j. the
| credited because II Is opposed the bias OF his
| PERSONAL opinions, attributes this mainly
| religious spirit OF the times. "a sense OF
| religion, he says, was scarcely ever SO deeply en-
| graNed upon the people OF any age or country as
upon the men OF the victorious party by whom Mon
| achy was eXtuguished in England in the middle of
the seventeenth Century. Happy il he who can unite
the ioitiness Of aud independent spirit to con-
s''ous intercourse with and an undoubtng reliance on
the protection Of the Author of the Universe" The
venerable Baxter who lived in those times sud whose
| opportunities o information were perfect relates that
Cromwell had special care 10 get religious. me. into
his troop; and Whocke another contemporary writer
SAWS that "his Regiment composed mainly of free.
holders and reehoters sons, who upon matter of con-
science engaged in the quarrel aud being thus well armed
within 10y the satisfaction of their consciences and
without by good iron arms, they would stand
firmly ami nigh; desperately Thus was formed That IA
nous Republican army Of England of which Lord Cl,r,n
d1n aiter the restoration, in announcing Parliament the
Ming ascent To It's dsbandnent, used the following
GIage; The King the measure Yet let mo
tell you no other Prince in Europe would he willing to d
Oind such an army; army which victory is enid
ana which, humanity speaking could hardly fail of conquest
whhcrsoevcr he shoulI lead il: an army whose order and
discipline whose sobriety and manners whose courage
aud success have made it famous and terrible over the
| world"
~ far from Christianity prctermitting or rejecting
any virtue known 10 other system Ethics !; insy
be boldly asserted that the systems of ancient or
modern Philosophers, neither Zeno Epictetus among
the stnics nor Plato Aristotle among the Academies
aud Peripatetics, FULLY in his Offices nor Hume or
smith or Stewart among the Ethical writer's OF modern
| umes nave taught single moral virtue which is NOT
plainly and Huthofitavcly inculcatcd by the word oi
"od IL, III the category of duties ourselves aud to
society these philosophers teach moderation temper
ace discretion industry ioTttudc, perseverance,, cheer
iulnes> Yet more does Christianity IT, among duties
!" oter~ they insist on Justice, integrity veracity
| neVoience, charity, compassion where can we find
These duties so pcrsuavey aud earnestly enforced as in
the Gospel 1t descends into all the relations of life
and furnishes rules OF conduct Tor them ALL To pa ents
1t says, provoke not your children wrath but bring
ten up ~ the nurture aud almonton OF the Lord To
children honour thy father and thy mother for this i the
INST commandment with promise, that it may Ice well with
thee and that thou mayst live long the earth To hs
bands, love your wives own bodies" To wives
submit yourselves under your husbands" To th,
cluLe II says, let every soul be subject the higher
powers, for the powers that be ordained of God
lie must needs be subject, not Only Tor wrath but al.
| 50 for conscience sake" The word OF God gives no
| countenance To the reasonable doctrine at the
| higher law To the OF business il saws
he not sOthul in business but eryent i'm spirit serving
the Lord IL descends even into the domain of man
nerS and teaches ~ to be courteous lin honor prefer
| Ing another
Thus does Christianity, by its ethical teachings. fill
up the whole circle of moral duties and virtue. TAUGHT
10y TIE highest ystems OF human philosophy and with
atuiue- and perfection which they are nc,pablr of
attaining But lar above aud beyond, it teaches other
duties and virtues of heavenly stamp OF which those
systems take no cogusance. Such are the peculiarly
christian virtues OF humility and owlncss towards God
adeep sense OF our own insuiliciency. strength de-
rived from this very weakness by reliance on infinite
power, o. what Milton in his majestic prose call, tl.
unrcsi-t'be might OF weakness universal love- even
OF our enemies, forgiveness of injuries, repentance
filth These are beyond the reach OF any philosophy
Here then lies the pure and distinguishing CORY Of
Christianity. 10 touches, aud teaches more perfectly
AL te approved virtues nculcatod by auy system
Of philosophy III the most enlightened and cultivated
age OF te void It superEdd- others Of lar more Gle.
waited order which human philosophy has ever taught
and u supplies the highest and most powerful motives
to the practice OF them all To tile Christian it is no
vague notion OF the fitness and propricty OF things no
anxious regard 10 the opinion of the world no coyic.
ton even OF the real sclfinterrst which every nlyIud
has IN the practice Of virtue which impels him to the
discharge OF his duty. These sentiments however u-t
in themselves, sOphistry may msead or tcmptatio,,s
easily overcome. but the duty the Christian stand.
ever before his eye. in letters of celestial light it j.
plainly and Enthusiastically written IN the word Of God
himself, % comes % him with all the authority OF d.
vine command, which sentiments Of unboundrd love
gratitude and reverence, mingled with chasened fear
OF offending Him WHO holds in his hands the issues of
eternal life or death ugcs aud irrcsi.tibly urges him
20 obey
Philosophical writer's have distinguished duties into two
cns-rS-tho.e OF perfect aud thusc Of imperfect oh
legation. The former, according Ia this theory are
such enforced los human laws with the usual
emotions Of rcibutvc justice The latter however "a
allied ~ their character dcnomnapd duties of i'm.
perfect obligation, because, from the nature Of thcm.
they are not and cannot be- enforced by the positive
sauctOns Of human law. Such j. the whole circle of
TIC social aud domestic virtues charity the distressed
gratitude 10 boncincors, ycracity aud honor IN the in
To- course OF men, the respective duties Of parents ani
chdren IN their relations with each other the high duy
Of the citizen u tie eEcci-, Of his political privilege
To consult the safety and honor of the State The In.
cre-ts oi society are deeply Il not deeply con-
cernc n the proper discharge Of these duties ~ Of any
| others aud yet by pcryrrson Of language which
sprinSs tom q defects OF human systems they
Hrc styled duties Of imperfect obligation. Christianity
corrects the soeci,m and rcn,tae. aud fedrcssrs the
true moral relations Of man II breaks down tho'mid
die wall of PARTITION which n narrow and delusive cllasid
Ifff Ina T.. IL