Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-03-26
s OUR DANGER AND DUTY.

81 OUR DANGER ANDsDUT1.
WeFextract the following from an article IN the
Columbia tS 09 Ga0nlian sl--
Is &" God hasa acedsus in circumstances IN, which,
I'VE show thatswe are equal to The emergency, all
will acknowledge our right TO the froedom which
: we have signally yndlcaied We have now the OPP
Portunity for great exploits. We can now demon
strate to the world what manner of spirit are Of
Il courage and faith rise superior TO the danger,
We shah Only succeed butwe shall succeed with
a moral Influence and character that shall render
Success doably valuable Providence seems 10
be against us-dislster Upon disaster has Attended
our arIns-the enemy is in possession OF three
States and beeaguers in all coasts. His re-
sources and armaments are Immense. and his ener-
gy and resolution desperate. His numbers are so
much superior, that We are like Hpek OF kids he
fore hum. We have nothing to stand on but The
eternal principles of truth and right, and the pros
lection and alliance of just God Can we look,the
danger in the face and calmly resolve to meet it
and subdne il? Can We say, IN reliance upon Prov
idence that were his numbers and resources thou
sand fold greater. the interest at stake are mo-
mentOus, that we viii not he conquered? Do we
feel the moral power of courage of resolution, of
heroic will rising and swelling within us until It
above all the smoke and DUST Of the invasion?
Then we are in condition to do great. deeds. We
are in the col dtion Of Greece when Xerxes hung
upon the borders of Attica with an army Of five
millions that had never been conquered, aud TO
which State after State of Northern Greece had
yielded in it's progress. Little Athens was the OBJ
Ject OF his vengeance. Leonidas had fallen-four
days would bring the destroyer to the walls of
the devoted city. There the people were, mere
handful. Their first step had been to consult the
gods and the astounding reply which they received
from Delphi would have driven any other people to
despair. "Wretched men!" said the oracle, winch
they believed to ne nfallible, why SIT We therc?-
Quit your land and city, and flee afar! Head, body,
feet and hands alike rotten; fire and sword in
the train of the Syrian chariot shall Ovewhelm You
not only your city, but ether cities Also we'll
many of The temples Of the gods, which are
sweating and trembling with fear, and fore
shadow, by drops Of blood their roofs, the hard
calamties impending. Get We away from the sane
tary with your souls stepped in sorrow" We
have had reEerseS, but no such oracle as this. 1t
afterwards modified so as to give ray of hope
in an ambiguous aluslon to wooden walls. But tine
soul of the Greek with the danger, and have
a succession Of events IRON the deSertcn Of Athens
to the final expulsion Of the invader, which make
that little spot of earth immortal Let. US initiate
in Christian faith this sublime example. Let
spirit be that of the pagan Greek, and we sue
coed in making every pass ThcrnopylB. every
street a SalanIS and every pain Marathon We
can conquer. and we must. We must not suffer any
other thought To enter our minds. If we are over
run, we can at least die; and if our enemies get
possession of our lands, we can leave it bowling
desert. But, under God we shall not fail If we
a. o true Him and true TO ourselves glorious u
is before us. Spirit spirit spirit and faith
these and these alone are what We want"