The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-12-12
NUMBER II.


We mourn the sad havoc ot this awful
and unnatural war We grieve over it's
desolations, its wounded and its slain the
thousands of families by it bereaved of
their beloved the forests, fields and
towns reduced to ruin by its ravages We
pray for its speedy terminal on, and long
for the dawn of that happy day when the
glad tid'ngs of a righteous and h honorable
peace shall be proclaimed throu shout our
entire and unbroken Union
And yet in the midst of this Judgment
We have mercy. While we mourn we give
thanks, and feel that we have abundant
reason for offering up this day to Almighty
God the tribute of grateful hearts for his
bounti.ul goodness to us in this highly
favored portion of our afflicted country
Although grim war, on giant scale. is
ravaging and running some commonwealth
of our Union, our own free and harry
State enjoys uninterrupted peace and won
ted harmony and prosperity. The scene
Of strife, and war, and blood is far re-
moved from us. We have not witnessed.
we have only heard Of its appalling DESC
lations. We know, as it were, nothing of
this terrible judgment which has spread
sutferings so intense and diversified and
widespread in faithless border State
No unfTlendly soldier has encamped upon
our soil; no mastering squadrons have
terrified cur women and children no hos
tile columns have invaded the privacy of
solitary Pennsylvania homestead How
mercifully is our lot made to differ from
that of neighboring commonwealths.-
There. in dread of armed hosts rushing
furiously to the battle, multitudes have
fed from ancestral homes, leaving their
earthly all at the mercy of an unprincipled
and implacable enemy, glad to escape with
life itself, to wander the world in want
ard misery, perchance, all their days
Here, we repose beneath the family roof,
III security and peace we worship under
our vine and fg-tree, and our devotions
arc not interrupted by the din of war we
enjoy our wonted pleasures, and in every
respect feel the effects of this internal
strife as little as if the conflict was with a
foreign foe and on foreign soil We NAV
honesty and kindly differ in opinions of
governmental policy, yet I trust we all
truly love our nation, and are interested in
It's honors-and receiving common mer-
cics, many and great, let US unite our
hearts III giving thanks to our Heavenly
Father who Has made US TO differ from
others.
We have reason to express our gratitude
to God not onI " for this happy exemption
from trOabte, and GesOid,ion, and bIoodShed
within our borders, but also because In his
kind providence he has called forth such
a vat array of young, energetic and loyal
ro!unteers TO defend our liberties, to battle
for our nationality, and help the many
thousands whose rights are invaded and
whose liberties are suppressed by the
inscriptions usurpation of designing
denagogues. Our patriotic soldiers win
our admiration, and we'll deserve our
warmest and most active sympathics. Our
military forces on the land aud On the sea
ought to have, yea, and ever uW hare, our
tervent prayer for their preservation, and
the brilliant success of their arms in a
cause so holy, SO righteous, and so good as
that which has called them forth from
their peaceful homes to scenes of Sauger.
and perchauce 10 death. Let Us feel
thankful to God that he have these hun
dreds of thousands of strung, determined
and willing warriors, the buwarks of ma
tion's strength in the time of our nations
need Let US not cease, till the conflict
is over, to implore the divine blessing to
crown all their efforts TO preserve our na-
tlonality, our constitution, and our price
less liberties.
This judgment is awfully severe, and
yet it is righteous. We have sinned
against God, and therefore this evil has
come upon US But divine mercy appears
IN not sending famine and pestilence in
addition 80 the sword God has given ms
another year Of great plenty, and year
of general good health. But few of our
family circles have been broken by the
rude visits of death. Our DAYS are pro-
loneed our wants are supplied, the year
is crowned With the goodness Of the Lord;
and these merciful dispensations of provi-
dence have placed US under renewed
obligations to honor and CLARITY God with
our bodies and our spirits which are his.
Let us then receive these gifts with graf
ltude, and seek to enjoy the divine blessing
with all our mercies. Let us study to be
useful III serving our day and generation
las free, and not using our liberty for
a cloak of righteousness, but as the ser
wants Of God"