The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-02-06
The State Of the Country.

Under this head the last number OF the
Parish VisitOr, published by the Episcopal
Church. has the following calm and dispas-
sionaie article. Its entire absence from par
tizan bias, and It's Christian spirit, comes
like oil 10 the troubled waters. We hope it
hearts.
"Though there is not much likelihood of
our whispers being heard in this tornado,
we look for, at least, a lull, when Christian
men may bethink themselves. There is
beyond dispute, growing feeling ot dis
like between the different parts of this great
national family-fxed, intense dislike, 10
use the midest word-an evil, in :his view,
which few seem to estimate in its true mag
nitude, or consider how difficult it is 10 re-
move when once established. In proper.
ton 10 its extent and intensity il is the direct
antagonist OF the Gospel, and destructive OF
all religion.
| History and the principles of human ma
ture leave no room 10 doubt the calamties,
involving all the parties, which such hatred
| portends. The Interests at stake will not
necessarily, even delay the calamity. 1t
always was for the best Interests of men 10
live together in peace and good will. But
this has not prevented them from warning
with and destroying each other, until com
PEELED, from sheer exhaustion, to stop
When passion is up, reason is down, and
all true interests are disregarded. The se-
cular papers, a; such times, do enormous
mischief. There is only one of any influ-
ence, which has come under our observa-
lion, which does not tend 10 fan the flame
which they should seek TO exlnguish, and
could extingush, in the course of year ol
two, if they had the heartfelt desire and
self discipline to do it. The sources o.
| grievance they might not, indeed, be able
TO remove, but they could induce the par
there has never yet been any state of So
ciety in which there was not something fC
be borne Whereas, now even those papers
which evidently wish, on the whole, 10 bt
moderate and conciliaory, ought to see
that if they were themselves the snbjecl:
of The same kind of writing in which they
indulge, they would feel ii 10 be irritating
An insulting and lying press in both coun
tries would have precipitaled war Ions
since between England and America, haC
they lain side by side, instead of having
three thousand miles of ocean between
The press is often like a man with the
strength of giant, and the discretion of {
child, and bad child, too.
Now, our counsel is this, 10 all our Chris
tian readers (and we have many such ir
all sections of the country Cast all ha
tred out OF your hearts But the persons ha
ted are your enemies? Be il So VIVA
does your Saviour say? Love your enemies
Again, regard him, whether editor, or other
writer or speaker, in public or private, whc
writes or says any thing-no matter wha
side he advocates or opposes-to make one
man hate another man, as SHINING agains
God, and an enemy TO the true interests o.
mankind, and let hun knoW that you so re
gard him and This shall, at least, be you
witness for Christ, and your confession o
his religion, and ii will do good, and may
be the salvation of the country
Our hope for the preservation of our ma
) tional happiness does not rest in th'
strength OF the Constitution, or in The wis
dom of our ancestors, or in the intelligence
of virtue of the people, or in the magnitude
of the interests TO be sacrificed, but in tn
strength of religious principle, such as
may be, and the consciousness of duty t
God felt by some all over the land. Te
righteous men would have saved Sodom w
have more than ten thousand, but are the
performing for their country the part of in
terceding Abraham, and in their closets
and families, and meetings for prayer, look
J ing to God, who alone can control the un
ruly wills and passions of sinful men 2"