Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-05-22
CLEARFlELD, PA.
W ednesday Morning May %, 1861
Christianity and Liberty.

christianity ana LlDeTty'
These two emit lens Of American char-
acter seem TO be awfully out of Joint in the
present unsettled condition Of the coun'
try, and both seem TO be entirely made
auate TO perform The task we were taught
TO believe they we:e intended to inculcate
and uphold
The little education and experience we
have received, is OF no assistance in our
present dilemma. They rather tend to
confuse and confound. The first lessons
we learned, were, that tho doctrihes of
Christianity nculcated the principles Of
"pEAcs o. nARru AND Coon WILL TOWARD
MEY." Faithfully olItdieht as true Gisci.
ples of the Prince of Peace, the founders
Of our model institutions guaranteed to
themselves and their descendants freedom
ofspecch and of conscience. The genuine
spirit OF Liberty, as we'll as that of Chris.
'ianiiy, are receiving new Interpretation,
if they do not threaten to sink into the
ocean Of Revolution, and finally Atheism
and Dcsrotism.
The black hour of madness seems TO
have descended upon us, to cover us as
with pail from the light and influence
Of Gods holy religion. We look back up
on the indistinct phantasmagoria oc the
past as one remembers only the monstrous
conceptions Of a dream. Our spiritual nd-
yisers have armed themselves with carnal
weapons, which they flourish as Justify as
the widest barbarian. "What more could
the heathen do?" For the past four weeks
we have heard nothing but war, ,wsr, war.
with equal vindrtiveness from the sa.
cred desk. the bar Of Justice the rostrum,
and the corners of the street.
When We enter the Temples Of peace,
shc first thing we hear is prayer offered
up for the success of our arm-,the gloryV)
of our m urderel iclloN men upon the
battle field Of sectional hate-the waging
of which may soon prove a death blow to
Christianity and Liberty How ridiculous
it must sae:n to every reasonable creature,
10 listen TO The prayers of Our Northern
and Southern christians, each praying for
the triumph o! olp arms, and each strive
ing to oxtermnate the other under the
plea oil JUSTICE and CHRISTIANITY.
We cannot comprehend how the God
of Battles " can successfully dispose of the
petitions of these conflicting parties, unless
he ignores the prayers of both, and per-
mits right and justice 10 assert their domin-
ion once more, among those who are
proving so reckless aud disloyal to both
their God and their country.
We can give no better solution ot the
present enigma Of Christianity and Liberty
than the following which we take from
,ho Baltimore Stm:
We talk OF civilization, and in a sin
ele hour as it were plunge into the wild
est and maddest eXcesses Of barbarisin.
The fact imposes upon us entirely new
and inexplicable physiological phen ome-
ma and we are led TO ask whether, after
all men is capable of anything more than
an abnormal and artificial cultivation. The
American people & press were convulsed
with hcrror. and no language was sutfics
iently expressive to intensity their disgust
and inclination at the enormities of the
Sepoys in the Indian insurrection. Yet
instantly upon the ebulliticn Of their hos.
tiliy to their late brethren of the South
she Northern press and pulpit cry aloud
together for the determination of the
Southern people, Ingenuity exhausts itself
in dovisng the most terrible and remorse.
less agencies for fastening and periecting
the diabolical work. The eager desire that
it shoahl BE done quick and without pause
is the only redeeming feature about it : il
proves that like murder, the deed was
felt to be too revolving to be long obout.
Humanity could not be trusted with a
prolonped task of massacre, rspine ard
aniporsai 8eTastation."
What IS here related OF "our pulpits
and pres es," will apply with equal truth
TO the South.
We have but one suggestion 10 make il,
this matter, so far az onr religious fellow
citizens ere concerned, and it is this
hereafter # they feel like praying, let
,bem pray to the sod Of Pence, and for
the success and triumph Of ryi,, and
that peace and prosperity be speedily re.
stored to our land-pray for the peace of
this our Jerusalem"
We are aware that the "God of Battles"
is a popular Deity, but we doubt both his
authority and ability to do our country
any good, notwithstanding the innumera-
ble prayers thai have been made 10 him
during the past four weeks. There should
be some visible distinction between a ss-
zion like ours and those of the heathen,
who know not God" If there is not, the
Sepoys Of India may cause us to blush in
the end.
Res. If any of our friends wish to sub