The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-12-16

4
The manner of keeping this day in a
great military camp like this, more than
anything else shows how utterly ayerse
our system Of war is to nations duty to
God-so often referred to an the God of
battles--fronl and through whom, if from
any source, we must expect success
Here, ON this glorious Sabbath day, sur
rounded, as it is, by so many rccollections
of the manner in which it is spent at home
by many of us. we stand as minutemen,
not knowing what moment we must sling
our hayersacks, and off on march we
know not whittier. The faithful chaplain
is not safe in dividing his sermon into
more than one point lest the second should
run counter to some undried-ink order to
lay off the unaffected sanctity and don in
its stead the "grim defiant" to powder
and steel just at this moment, when
most of your readers are going to their
several places of worship, the camp with
It's thousands is wild with enthusiastic
shoutings and farewells to the Illinois SD
as il marches out to some unknown des-
tnation. They believe they are soon to
face the reality of their calling, and step
up to the music with AS much pride as
brave hearts can feel.
Government is now paying over
half million dollars to chaplains, and it
would seem so great an outlay would
hardly be made without corresponding
value expected And yet we find that
these camps Of instruction, like hotels,
have their biggest shows on Sundays In
spections, reviews, &c, generally come on
this day; after which, if there's nothing
else to do, we can 20 to church. A chap
lain is provided with certain requisites,
as to character, religious standing, &c,
for purpose strongly implied to see to
the soldiers spiritual welfare, which, to
say the least, is seriously counteracted BY
taking from those intended to be benefit
ted, all respect for this sacred day-mak-
ing it to him day Of toll instead of day
of rest
In military circles, Jehovah's great de-
clarotion, ain six days shalt thou labor
and do al thy work. seems to receive
about the same species of construction.
that certain other declaration, SO far in
ferior as one author is to the other, de-
claring that all men are created equal
In each, the indefinite adjective pronoun
all is made so definite as to exclude dU.-
And because part of US refuse this con-
struction in the latter case, we have seces-
sion, and war, its Legitimate sequence
And with this logical sequence before us,
need we expect anything short of the real
fruits of it, the declaration of war being
already made by Him who cannot lie,
while we ourselves are secessionists-this
day multiplying the laws. We loudly COM
plain that those against whom we war
have made war on the Government, and
are trying to overthrow its authority; at
the same time, here, where we are being
taught the art necessary to put down this
rebellion, we are unnecessarily made reb-
els ourselves, forced to nullify the only
laws that can make us free indeed. M
merous examples are before US of terrible
consequences resulting to nations forget
ting or disregsrding this day. But the
warning to us is urhecded We can't see
that the only way to escape the rock on
which they split is to avoid their errors
Necessities in an enemy's country don,
apply here; aud where the reason ceases
why hold on to the rule? The truth is
that here, on this beautiful day, there
neither rest to man or beast; everythin,
thought Of, everything done to show how
manifest we can make ourselves in failin,
to remember the Sabbath day to keep /
holy. When will it be differcnty Whel
may poor soldiers look for the practice a
well as theory of this command is the in
quiry Of d.
s6rSays the Washington correspon
dent Of the N. Y Evening Post of tn