Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-08-04
A SERMON ON THE TINES.

A Sermon Preached bV ReV Il DGots. n ODD
Fslotss Han IN this City Sabbath the 26fh ut.
2 20, Ds7f~ercd t-ifhcat Notes GHd bU Request CT
fertsards Written by the AltAoT aad Fur lshsd fOr
rEbHcdfi0H IN fhs Appeal.
II KsNes wis Ard be answered. Fear not. for they
thsf se with rs are than they ths, be with n
Tnis is tue language Of the Prophet Elisha
In reference TO a conflict that was pending be-
tween The people Of Israel and tie Syrians.
The language was true Of the people OF Tsreal
az that tlne, LOT because Of their superior
Plumbers and their eQuipIE ents, but for the
reason that Goa and the right were upon their
side, snd fer the reason that God and the right
sre with the South in this war, that the North
is wsging upon gs, we may say, without re-
spect 10 the force that nav come against us,
'Ethey that be with US are more than they that
be with them"
It's evident that God is not an Indifferent
spectator Of the scene that is now being enact
Cd upon this continent. In this conflict there
is great moral wrong some WHERE wrong
involving the crime Of wholesale mur eT. and
il beho9vss every true man to eRdesvOr 70
know where the wrcnE lies. One thing is
certain, the great God is with the right aud
sgsirst the wrong, wherever they may res
pectiVely be ; and hence IL IL can be made to
a pear, tbst in this controversy with the peo-
pls OF the northern States the South is in tie
right. then il will follow, that in respect to
ourselves, "they that be with Us are more ban
they that be with them The psopls Of the
North NAV be far superior 70 us in nunbers.and
in usnY other respects which human beings are
won't 70 consider essential TO success in var,
nevertheless IL right Is lrith Us, God is for Us;
and il tone Of drdsnce We may asE, "Who
can he against Us 2"
The point Of consideration then, today, is
the moral aspect Of the controversy now pend
iBg between the Nor bern and Southern States
Of this cor 'irant, and shall attempt 10 prove
TbGf iR this war, frgth GSd right, and coHse-
css-ily the iH0iHeibls majority are ,riih The
Soath
l. First permmlt me to notice the respects
wherein n is alleged that we Of the South re
il tie wrong 10 this controversy.
Il is said that we are ia rebellion sEsiDst
The government that has 3" proiccied'' Us all our
lives. We'll I admit lBs' The United safes
government IN It's tine, Was a great govern
msnf, and that l. was indeed the protection
OF its people. But this government OF which
Mr. Lincoln is the hsad-is that any "pTotec-
tion . 70 us?- Ts It a "pTotse'ion'' TO ANYBODY
in ApsTics? How is It now "pToiacting' the
people o9 Missouri How has it "protecteo"
the wcmen and children Of st. Louis?
The butchery OF lest Nav, and the dspTeda-
tious Of ths OUTLAW Montgomery, now opera
ting IN Missouri under commission from
Mr.. lincoln, may furnish an answer to these
questions.
But it Is alleged that in this rebellion
We sre violating The scriptures In the
language OF holy writ we are told that 'fthe
powers that be are ordained Of Goo, that
we must be "subjsct" to those powers, aud
that those who refuse to be subjects are in re-
sistance to the "ordinaDce OF God" The
Esw York ebserUeT a month or two ago, stated
unCualf div, that any man no did not cup
port Mr.. Lncoln's government in this war
upon the South, was guilty Of "rssisiing The
ordnance Of God.o Now deny tast. The
scr p'ures, I admit, teach Us that Ie shsuld
obey the government under which We live :;
but I deny the interpretation that the religious
teachers Of the North put upon those passages
which relate to our duty TO the civil govern
ment. 10 their construction Of them, they
make out that the government exists By divine
right that it Is iufallibie and sacred as the
church OF Gos itself. Indeed, the most zssl-
0us papizt has never claimed more for the
vatican than is now. claimed for the federal
government by the people OF the North. And
FbeE show their faith By their works They
hAve their national hsg un0B the spires OF
their churches, and upon their pulpits, and
their national sonEs are mixed up with their
reIigious services On the Sabbath day, while in
their sermons they preach Lincoln ard the
stars and stripes and war, instead OF Christ
and the cross and peace. All that is sscTile-
gious and bissphemous, and II only shows bow
little Of true religion is TO Be found among
those who are guilty Of such folly and wicked
ness. The United States government, in its
best dsys-When i was uncorrupted by the
FOUL breath OF sctions'ism and fanat cIsm,
was only a human affair. True, il he'd The
smiles Of hes~en upon Il, and was fraught
with nnumeTable blessings 70 our race, but yst
man made i--not bv Inspiration either, and
Ssnce to daify ito place It upon level With
religion IL fsnaticsl ard wicked in the sx
IRENE, and it is what patriotism requires no.
body 10 Do, and it is what no truly religious
people will ever be known TO d..
Aud besides, ths interpretation that the
northern people put unon those scriptures
which relate TO this subject. gives ont that re-
bellion and revolution in any and sll circum-
stFncHs, are morally wrong Such iDteTpTets-
zion is evidently gaise. Our fathers Of the
thirteen coioBies we're revoufioniH's They
were "rebels," and all tte blessings,
civil ard religious, that ever attended
pUE government Tesulted from tlsir
rebellion. Strange, indeed, that tbe idea Of g
q rabrilion . is now 20 odious 10 those who
call themselves Americans, sDd that they pro-
nOupce II sinful peT se-knoWing as they @,
that II was "rpbellionc that gave birth ?,
fhe gTrstDess ard glory Of the American n "a
tian The thirteen. colonies were subject {,
tie government Of England. That gOyernmsn
was "the uover7 that then was, and il va
colonies, lust ss much as the federal govern
met vEaa ever the ordinance Of God il
respect TO tie people of the southern States
ard the same Interpretation OF scripture an
fhs same arguments which are used to PROV
ttat W are wrong in rebelling against th
ITrifpd States government. may be used wit
scusl effect to prove that our fathers wer
wrong in reballiBg against the government 0
Fnplsrd. But they did "rebel,o and histor
A. FR--r vsr-AE VI All
NIT that they were right. God was with ther
In their rebellion. He smiled upon them an,
cave them ~ictoTV, az he now smiles upon th
neoDls OF 'he South and will give them tb
victory. Hence It is not true that rebellion, /
5tssIf considered, is mora lY wrong ltfollo-s
therefore. that The Interpretation which ou
enemies have placed uPOn those passages @
scripture which bear upon this subject. is ne
eorrect. Nen do not commit Sin bv the sin
ple act OF rebellion against the gOversmeI
under which they bad lived. The right an
wrong Of the thing depends upon wba, th
rebellion is against, and the Circumstance
ruder which it takes place. Hence the tsaet
ing OF northern Telgionists upon this subiet
IS false and perricious in tic tendency. Il h5
already led hundreds Of sim le and homes
hearted men to battle and to death In the val
sttamns TO " crush out T" the so-called &c wick6
rebellion . Of the Southern States.
Il il alleged. further, ths- In this war th
IA row cursing our land, we Of ibe S0uth 81
fhs " agressoTs." Il is said that We hsv
made tbe "attack1 . upon the federal goverr
cnent, Rnd that Mr. Lincoln and his sdbeTen
are acting onlF on the defensive. II is slIege
Ensrrover, that we have violently taken. stole
forts and other property belonging 10 the fe'
eraI government, and that now we ask to
sffst slnne - in the possession of Cur fraud
D, rtiy obtained wealth. Now that Is all NJ
T presence that this g defensive VS.
- Sbs part OF tbe fedsTsl Government
Fslse ID ridiculous in the extreme Thei
tL..- . HSttsck" by snY Southern St2'
@ tbst .~oyaFnnent. The people OF II
So baya des Frsd HG' hing much as peaC
lie, ,f,oss of me i<ortb They have proclaim
- RS desire offc,aQ ana Otherwise, BY wor
sn5 5.e5 .ins and az Mn. Every pr posi'io
that vas made for CON- fIomise anG peace
.bs ssssrst congress % last ETinter, cane frol
r. S,,,,b hat they we're each end all spit uPo
b,, tbe North. The Confederate states eT
fesvoTpd 20 institute negotiations WIN
yierv 20 avert war and TO eneet an nor
orshls ana pazeeabls separation from the ol
7-f,- hut +hoir efforts . that direction wei
t.es5s3 .ritb contempt, and, finally, vine
r-slrgtions were made TO keep them 10 u
Tr . sarce nf arms, they took Fort sun
- 80. -G'' was from the horta. :
- ss tba Confs9sr,->te States we're adVis'
NJ DeaeesbI, Infections on 'le part o. tls "a .
rnlEisfration at Washington, (a,,' 'n.y We
80 advised eYpiiciil-,) Sumter was no @oN'
,sd-indesd, itg inmates we're supplied va
PROVISIONS from Charles'0n--but when 2
armed feet. In violation Of ? sdges to the cor
frsrv. was sent 90 give Il euceor and suppo
in its hostile attitude to South Carolina,
-rss rromptlv reduced and possessed by Il
-onfederste forcss under Gen. Beauregar r
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