The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1862-11-13
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA,
THURSDAY, Nov. Is, 1852.
WAR ann CHRIsTIANITY.

Grafton. whose whole history has been
an unrippIed flow of domestic peace, stirs
m and unsettles the ideas and habits Of
the people in every department Of life
The currents of progress are generally re-
versed in their movements, and there is a
threatened return of night primeyal and
of chaos old" The merits Of the struggle
NAV be such as to demand the sacrifice of
all material wealth, of intellectual culture,
of domestic ease, yea, and of the lives of
the whole people, if necessary; but there
never can be a demand for the sacrifice OF
public and private virtue and the fear OF
God. And vet at such time there is pc
culiar danger of a reAux and sinking OF
public virtue. The restraints Of civil law
slacken in their stringeney, owing partly to
the oyershadoving influence of military au-
thority, which, whilst stronger in its nerves,
is much narrower in its scope, and hence no
adequate substitute for the former; and
partly to the diversion of the public mind
which lets 90 its convictions Of the imPOr-
lance of keeping the whole machinery OF
civil law in constant operation. The old
habits Of virtue among a people carry on
the social life without any sudden change
in its tone, even after the ordinary restraints
are removed; but like the motion of ship
after her sails have been furled, the mo-
mentum of moral advancement is gradually
lost, and the reverse currents carry society
backwards. Iniquity grows bold, whilst
justice becomes cOwardly. Calumny, ro-
query in a thousand forms, covetousness,
reputation of obligations, RIGHTEOUSNESS
and murder appear with frequency aud
enjoy a federation unknown before. Espe-
eially is this true when unwOnted difficulties
in living furnish the occasion and the apol-
Ogy.
This is never true of the whole of any
community; for when the darkness comes
there are always to be seen bright stars
But it is idle to deny that such is the ten
dency in such times as we have fallen upon,
and we as a people have not wholly escaped
it.
For our preservation we must look to the
salt of Christianity. It's familiar mOrali-
ties must be re-asserted with increased Wig
or, particularly, and reiteration. This is
not meant to recommend pbiEPpics from the
pulpit against classes Of men, which are
generally in a bad temper and worse taste.
Whilst listening not long since to an elo-
quent clergyman denOuncing in ferOcious
style spectators, cheating Quartermasters,
extOrtioners SC, Gall of whom by the way
he called "helotsr') we regretted, first, that
he had fallen into the vulgar misuse of TIE
word extortion : second, that ne had not
defined the nature of the sins be was in
Weighing against; third, that he had not
read enough concerning the universal laws
of trade to learn that some things he SEEM
ed to condemn were not sins at all and
fourth and above all, that ne had not In
structed the people out Of the Scriptures in
relation to the evils which were affecting the
land. That which the Holy Spirit loves to
bless is the truth of God, expounded and
pressed on the consciences of men. When
particular vices grow into unusual promi-
nence, let a corresponding prominence be
given to those teachings of Scripture which
rebuke the vices, and counterwork their in
fuence, without producing irritation and
collision. War with its train of peculiar
trials and temptations is so novel an expe-
rience with our people, that they are be-
wildered, and need much instruction in the
ethics suited to the times. In labOring to
roll back the tide of decentralization, the
guides of the people need peculiar wisdom,
as vel as unusual energy.
All should be led clearly to aPprehend
that the existence of war neither suspends
nor alters one single point in the code of
Christian morals There are duties and
trials now which are new to us, because our
circumstances are new, but they are all pro-
vided for in the perfect and final system of
faith and practice revealed unto US. The
impression fingers, unconsciOusly, perhaps,
even in intelligent minds, that wars gene
rally Gncluding the presently are but cut
bursts of the lower passions of men, over
riding the barriers of principle and setting
at defiance the demonstrating voice Of Chris
tiauity, just as individual Christians some
times do in private encounters, and that
now the auti-christian principles and pas
sions are holding a carnival. In a solemn
crisis like this there should be no such con-
fusion Of ideas.
There is a natural limit to the duty of
fOrbearance under injury both with indiyid-
uals and with communities. Christ's pre-
cepts are not only the purest but the most
peacpful that have ever been taught, and
vet in the conclusion of his earthly ministry
he ordered his Apostles to provide them
selves Nth slcords, even # they had to sell
their garments to buy them. When he first
n - L., III ,,oL ,.o,rira thor, 20