The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-04
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA, 1860.
We need not inform any one of onr reede

We need not inform any one of our readers that
this is the day which has been recommended by
the President of the United States, for the per-
formance ola National act of religion. The Amer
lean people are now invited by their civil govern
ment, to acknowledge as man the existence of
benevolent, experimenting, omnpotent Deity,
who may be propitiated by sincere repentance and
moved by earnest prayer, to interpose between his
creatures and the consequences of their folly and
wickedness. We are assured by one, who, with
the means Conformation belonging to his office,
and his great experience in public affairs, should
be best capable of knowing, and whose counsel as
that o. the ruler set over us by our own choice,
should be listened to with respect that in earthly
effort to prevent national disaster, there is no lon
ger hope; and that the q OMNIPoTENT ARM only "can
save US from the awful effects of our own crimes
'and foes-our ingratitude and guilt towards
"our HEAVENLY FATHER" Are these the words
of despairing dotage, appalled, at the consequences
OF It's own imbecility, or of statesman appealing
to every human instinct to guard the institutions
of his country against imminent danger, or yet of
holiness in high place seizing upon an appropr.
ate occasion to bring evil and thankless peo-
pie back to a knowledge Of its dependence
upon the Most High? These are but proftless
questions, and to-day let no man examine any
other bosom, but search only into his own.
The true work Of religion is to reform mankind by
by amending individuals, and therefore, if any
have sins of his own to answer for, let him
think of them alone and not 60 about repenting of
his neighbours
Whatever in our secret hearts we may
iu1oa of OH
outwardly joined in it with an alacrity
and an unanimity which must proclaim us to
be either a generation of hypocrites or of God
fearing men. 1t is a reflection which will scarce
escape the most thoughtess, that if the wrath of
God may be appeased by the obatons of man, it
will be only such as arise from contrite and obe-
dent hearts All that do to-day had better never
have been attempted, if not done worthiIy We
have closed our places of business and opened our
places OF worship, in vain,-w had better not
have laid aside daily labors to wrestle with
Heaven, unless we mean to perform our duty to
God to-day quite as earnestly as we devoted our
selves to the world yesterday. We have, TO all
outward seeming, accepted this as season of ma
tional humiliation, fasting and prayer. If we do
not mean it, we are, in Pagan fashion, but per-
ioiihihS an ACT Oh pupnc conlurauon, Dy which
we partly hope to deceive OMNIscIENcE, but do not,
by any MEANS impose upon ourselves. Are
we truly religious people, who believe in one
God, directing and oyerruling all earthly events,
listening to the voice of prayer, and pleased
with acts of reverence and devotion? Have we,
as nation, too much forgotten him and the
laws which he has set before US? Can he, if it lie
his Divine will, avert all peril from US, and are
our perils imminent and deadly? IF not, we but
engage in most miserable farce unworthy of
ourselves and of the age we live in But if we
really believe that the LORD he is GoD who is always
more ready to hear than we to pray-let US now
humble ourselves before Him, forgetting even the
promise that in so doing we shall be exalted Let
us, as we have agreed, fast, NOT compromisingy,
on cold meats and diluted drinks, but with morti-
hca'ion OF the flesh by enforced abstinence And
lastly, each poor sinner of US ! in what word or
form soever-that, if it be possible, this cup may
pass from us-"LEr Us Pray