The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-06-04
TIE DISPATCH.


AAh~ -.--.--.,-~~~~~--->~>~
s.ruapAY MORNING ..JuN Is- = ,s,'
prayers 80 the Cod % Bsss'e'. :.
Tho Archbishop OF Vienna has issued "
rec,ions for prayers for the success o, '"e
A,s,r;.us. and the Archbishop OF rSts
bss in like manner called upo" the 'e"."
clergy to pray for the success OF ''" s- :.
rsa pon. having been applied to Tor IN
.,.n.,;ons has in voked the faithful 10 pra!
s p..rs a conclusion alike sensible and
Christian.
Az The last dates, the French were get
,;ng ready to sing grand TIE Deun in the
Cathedral of Paris, for the great victory
NAPOLEON III was sure to win over the Aus
,,;ans-while it is said that at Vienna, pre-
cisely the same thing was doing, in antic
nation that the victory would be on the 9TH
er side. 1t is the common custom OF ma
tons about engaging in war. to grid on
their spiritual as we'll as temporal armor,
each 10 invoke the God Of Battles to hight
ON his side: each adopts the maxim OF
C-ouwe,I I'd "trust in God and keep his
no~a., arvn The great Napoleon said he
had always observed that Providence was
on the side of the heaviest battalions.-
This remark was probably made before the
retreat from Moscow, at all events before
the hand which raised him from the posi-
ton of an humble Corsican to the Empire
Of France, had taken his kingdom from
him and consigned him to the ocean rock OF
St. Helena.
The supreme dominion Of the Almighty
takes cognizauce of the swallow that falls
10 the ground as clearly as of the most mag
ni6cept comet that leaves wake OF lire
over half the heavens, and it numbers the
hairs of every head as accurately AS 1t does
the huge stars that Ill up the boundless
realms of space. Hence, il is not absurd
10 suppose that in war, as well as in peace,
.while men proposes, God disposes." AT
the same time, when we see the oppressors
ana despoiers Of nations, invoking the ln-
terposition of Heaven 10 their behalf, 1t is
impossible not to be reminded OF the WORDS
"The PRAYERS of the wicked are al aoomi-
nation to the Lord"
IMAGINE brigand--and the Imagination
Is said TO be in some parts of Italy reail-
ty.-or a murderer, on the eve OF starting
ont on an expedition Of plumber and blood
sbea Mating I'D a prayer to the Almighty
for His assistance, and requesting the parish
clergymen to prepare a form OF thanksgiv-
ing for the successful accomplishment OF
his crime! Suppose the same brigand ca
pable of assassinating not only one man
bat a million, and deliberately contempla
ting that colossal accumulation OF crime,
would the slaughter of million be more
appropriate subject of prayer and thanks
giving than the murder of one?
Can human nature exhibit greater incon-
sistency, does il anywhere, even In Heath
endom, display more profound ignorance
of the Almighty, than when, in the polish
ed cities OF Paris and Vienna it enters the
temples of the Most High God, and pros
trating itself at the feet of the Prince of
Peace, impL,res Him, who freathed for
givencss to His enemies with His dying
breath, to sharpen the swords OF ferocious
Zouaves or ruffianly Croats; to help them
mangle and deface the image in which God
made man; to aid them in killing the
bodies and souls which Christ came to re-
deem? If He, who rueth the universe, were
not as merciful as He is great, andas patient
o He is powerful, such blasphemous pet
tons would draw down from Heaven upon
every church where they are uttered, faster
aud hotter thunderboits than fell upon the
guilty cities of the plain.
We can easily conceive a war OF self,
defence, of liberty and justice, like that
of the American Revolution, in which the
prayer of an oppressed and valiant people
for aid and deliverance might well 60 up to
the King of Kings. We can understand
that the people OF the Italian States have
had reason enough to besiege Heaven with
supplications for salvation from their petty
tyrants. But the chief combatants, the
Imperial tigers who are involving the world
in wretcbedness and blood for the single
purp Sc of their own ggrandizement,
ought at least 10 spare the temples Of reli.
gion from the dissertation of their prayers
Nevertheless, the principle Of the Divine
government, which they profess to recog.
nize, remains unaffected by their. hypocrisy
"There's Divinity that shapes our ends,
rough hew them as we will,' Divinity
which can visit with unexpected results the
most skillful human combinations which
can bring good out of evil, aud make the
most selfish and ambitious men unconscious
instruments of benefcence to their race.