Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-02

every kind has left its whitening mark upon every
grade of society He will see C how low stand
ard honesty and integrity haY fallen among all
classes of NEW hat willfnl disregard of laws,
both human and divine, and that not merely by
the ignorant and Jepraved. ut by those who
pride themselves upon their renement-and if
mistake not he will be safe il saying, as the re-
suit of his observation, that infdelity, pride of
opinion and position, senstIlity, greediness OF
gain. contempt Of God, and daring opposition
to His will, constitute the eaang features of our
portrait as a nation and yet. the midst of our
sins God has blessed Us. He has not been as
stranger in the land or as awayfaring man that
tarrieth for a night" We hye builded houses
and obtained weath-the child in years has be-
coma possessed of the powerlnd resources of the
man. How could the Lord ave laid any people
under stronger obligation tohis servicey What
returns has he not right TO expect from such
nation as thisf But alas, we have yielded him
evil for good Having by lis power and might
digged our wells, planted our vineyards and
builded our houses, we have forgotten the Lord
our God. In the midst of our wonderful pros
perity, when advancing withgiant strides, he has
not been in all our thoughts-his Sabbaths have
been profaned-indifference for his church and
sacraments everywhere seen--disregard of all law,
both human and divine, dahl manifested. What
ingrattude for mercies What impenitence under
SIM What manufactures of Gods presencef
What contempt for his worll What evil dis
POSITIONS What corrupt affections and vile
propensities may be laid Il charged Ii is
true that we still bear the rame of Christian
land-that whilst many who protesting to be the
ministers of Christ have used their position only
to serve selfish ends, in irulcating party pre-
cepts and party platforms, instead of the simple
injunctions of the meek and tumble master whose
name they bear; yet that he voice of many a
faithful messenger has been heard, like that of
Jonah, reminding us that GDd deals with nations
and Furnishes them for Their wickedness. These
warnings have been disreg.rded. Gods forbear
ance seems to be at an end, and in the whirlwind
of TO day, in the Keeling and totterIng OF the Gov
eminent even to its base, in the dark uncertainty
of the future, rendering it doubtful whether we
shall ever be able to return to old landmarks,
hear nothing but Gods voice; see nothing but
his avenging hand. Our present troubles are a
chastisement from Him on account OF our sins.
national and individual hence, in the language of
the proclamation under which we have met, sit is
peculiarly fit for US to recognize the hand of God
in this visitation. and in sorrowful remembrance
of our own faults and crimes to humble ourselves
before Him and to pray for His mercy" Would
to God | could believe that this advice would be
strictly followed, that every sermon preached this
nation was bending with sorrow for the past be
fore the Great Being that CONTROLS its destinies;
that every where, from the President who has
proclaimed this solemn fast, to the humbest in
dividual in the land, all were uniting in the ear
nest cry: Spare US, good Lord; spare Thy people
whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most pre-
cious blood, and be not angry with forever.
Then the future would not seem so fearfully
gloomy. Dark as is the present cloud should
R...r III, - L.,
Use. | believe this to be our only hope. That il
we do not view his hand in this dispensation we
can have no hope that they will be exchanged for
mercies. o what can we do as a nation if God
forsakes US or withholds his powerful interposi-
ton! de may not yet have given US over TO
ruin. He may even yet be resting, as in the day
of Jerusalem, UPON the mountain in order to see
what will be the character of this our national hui
initiation; to see whether, whilst we cry unto Him
we are determined, every one of us TO turn away
like the Ninevites from our besetting sins. I'm
less we do this, better not go through the mock
cry. Without this, no fasting will avail, nc
prayer will be heard The fast he has chosen is
not merely ''to bow the head as bulrush. or to
afffict the soul, but to loose the bonds of wicked
ness; to search out the peculiar evils which we
are most accustomed to commit Then, and not
/ till then, may We hope that His fierce anger
wherewith He has visited our land may be re
moved, and peace and harmony once again FL
our borders God forgaye the heather Ninevites
HE repented of the evil that He said He would dc
unto them, and He did it not" With how mucl
greater confidence can we approach Him. Hi;
character changeth not, and though a father
de sometimes scourgeth His people, He is still
ga gracious God and mercful, slow to anger anC
of great kindness" He delighteih not in horses
and chariots and in the sound of the battle. Some
times this is the rod He uses for nations chas
tisement. We are thus afflicted; let us humbl,
our souls before God. The nation of which yol
are members demands it of YOU. Whatever b,
your judgment with respect to politics, there cal
be no doubt that we have all contributed to aug
ment the guilt of the nation, and are therefor
bound to deprecate the judgments now hangin;
over it, to confess the grieyOus sins that ha
brought this trouble upon it, and to turn ava,
from all iniquity. Hitherto everything has beer
done in native strength, the controlling power d
an overruling Providence has not been recog
nized. When our present troubles existed onl,
in anticipation and we were urged to ask God t
spare US, the request was sneered at in the pubi
prints and disregarded by the people In on
pride we forgot God. When he slew us we sough
Him. May we not forget this lesson. May hu
mility and earnest sorrow and purposes of amend
ment, characterize everywhere the observance o
this day, that SO very speedily we may hear tn
sound of war no more. but lasting and honora
bic peace rest upon our land, overshadowed wit
banner enscribed upon its folds. Righteousness
exalteth nation, but sin is reproach to any PEG
pie"