Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-03-04
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
IC1 1NYESIcAT2D.
Union Papsrs.-:o. Is.
nAEakaI


"Arake!
Thou who shalt awake when the creation sleeps;
When, like taper all these suns expire,
When Time like him Of GAIA in bis wrath,
Plucking the pillars that support tho world,
In Natures ample ruins lies ent"mhed;
And dnight-univetsal midnight reigns."
-... = Young.
In time of natioual dissensiun sad con-
sternatl'n like the present. Ii IL very h"tu
raj that the christian should Iurn aside Irrm
the torrentot lniquity that sweeps through
the land, tn contemplate anu bewa,l toe det-
rimental and ruincus effects OF the yend:ng
troubles. upon the Kingdom of the Redetmer.
Who can esrimare the 'ull mayritude of
the calamity now threatening AL the haI.
Inwed interests of religion throughout TIE
land? Vi-we.i in m,rai and ecclesiastical
light secession, with"ut doubt, is the crown
ing calamity of the Christian churches OF
America. There has never been anything
like it.
| is true there have been religious dis
sensions and ecclesiastical schisms, growing
out of discipline or polemic diUinity; but
these, though highly Injurious To the cause
of religion in must instances, are certainly
not to be compared with the calamitous re-
suits that will inevitably follow dissolution
of the Union. Thus far our wrongs have
been tempered by truth, our passions have
been bounded by reason, and our schlsms
have been covered over with charity; but
who knows what disunion will do!
How are those churches to be held togeth-
er whose numbers are nearly equally divid-
ed between the North and the South And
we must not forget that throughout this vast
country, and especially our Northern cities,
and throughout all the Border and Northern
States, there is a vast number of such church
es, that will be rent and torn in pieces
thereby bringing opprobrium upon the cause
of Christ, and endangering the salvation Of
thousands of souls. And are professors Of
religion throughout America prepared for
such an event? .-..4..- ...
Indeed, the work of moral and ecclesias-
tical ruin has already begun. Ever where
the subject is being, more or less, discussed.
Already are societies rent in pieces; and
even families, with all their long cherished
bonds, are finally and forever separated.
Everywhere the cause of religion languish-
es. The fires upon Gods altars are going
out; and Christianity, like Martyr, stands
in tears at our gates, all torn and bleeding.
i
set upon things on the earth )" and the
soul-crushed minister, walking the aisles OF
his halfdeserted sanctuary, has taken up the
vail of the prophet-"Oh that my head
were waters, and nine eyes fountain of
tears, that might weep day and night for
the slain of the daughter of my people,"
"In vain we tune our formal songs,
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas languish on our tongues,
And our devotion dies"
Nothing tends so much to burden the soul,
and crush the heart of the conscientious
minister of the Lord Jesus, as to find the
minds of his people engrossed with political
matters to the precusion of the interests Of
the church and the salvation Of souls. Even
elections, whenever or wherever they occur,
are exceedingly detrimental to the cause of
religion but alas! what are these when
compared with the results Of disunion7 1t
is the probable horrors whica seem to follow
the secession movement, that make us view
the whole matter as so worthy of coudeana-
ton. We regard secession, when viewed in
a moral light, as blind Sampson-full of
wrath and rage, pulling down the very pill
lars of our temple Of Religion And those
W ilO dIC W pcilou III VIC SdlostAoPaS CIV NV
worthless Philistines, but souls-precious,
blood-b0ught souls! the value of one of
which no mind can estimate!
1.-THE whole land is to be plunged into all
the horrors of civil war, no tongue can tell
how much the cause of the Redeemer will
suffer. 1t seems impossible that Christian
men can fail to see these probable consequen.
ces Of dismemberment of the Union.
If Gospel ministers, and Christian men,
fai! to see these ruinous and irrevocable evils;
if they do not enter their solemn protest, and
stand up for the common cause of religion,
when they do come upon us-we shall
we must conclude, that God has given US up
in his wrath. and is come to Judge US
With feelings the most profound and over
wheming, we contemplate these solemn con-
siderations, and turn to God in tears, still to
pity US still to spare US! and yet grant our
rulers more wisdom, fidelity and moderation,
that our beloved land, with all its clustering
interests, for time and eternity, may yet be
saved from ignominy and ruin.
CEDAR OF THE SOUTH.
Violet Dale, Feb. 23. 1861.
A CAREFUL MoTHER.-Punch gives us
little essence occasionally, which is highly sa-