The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-08
The Great Conflict.

VOcafc has the 1OOWlnS luuiciouo lehoo''o''
Neither Scripture nor reason gives co unite
nance TO the idea that Christs kingdom Is tt
l.. established in the world without comno
tivu. The annals Of all time ar bat " his
tory of fierce and persistent conflict between
Christ and Satan. Holy Scri pturc depicts
the same stern controversy raging from gen.
Grafton to generation, and spending its forces
in acts of hostility growing more deadly and
bitter with the progress oil ages. am not
said the Christ to send peace on the earth,
but sword His own fearful encounter
with the tempter in the wilderness, and with
the powers Of darkness in Gcthsemane's Gar
den, is but specimen of tho moral warfare
that has ragged in all times and among all
nations, He was tempted o all points like
as we. II he teaches non.resistant doctrines,
he in the same breath requires persistent adj
hesion to truth and virtue at every expense
and at every risk. His followers are admon-
shed to discard all fear of men. Fear not
them which kill the body, but are not able to
kill the soul Thus Christianity stimulates
courage in good cause as one of the noblest
attributes Of humanity. Even while at the
bidding Of Him TO whom vengence belongs,
all yengeful feelings plans and purposes are
prohibited it requires its disci pies to be stern
| rcsistants of evil and patient laborers ior its
exterpation. In its 6gurative forms of speech
life is warfare. and all who enter upou its
stage Of action engage in succession OF con-
Aicts that terminate only when death dismiss
,b,, tln ar az th. \ 10
the offspring Of moral contests. Vice has
like urigin. Man is what makes himself in
lite's great batlic-lic;d--a moral hero, or \
moral wreck.
This great mora! conflict casts into the
shade the civil war nov raging within the
limits OF ,he republic Its superior grandeur
may DC illustrated III some points.
In conducting the var Tor the suppression
Of the rebellion and the pun shment OF reason
the energies OF the nation exhibit no decay,
WEAKNESS or ataring. They have gathered
force from reflection. And to-day the deter
mnation to crush out the rebellion is more
quietly expressed but more sacredly cherished
than at the fail Of Fort Sumter. Still with
this changeless purpose, spirit, self-denial and
sacrifice, an anxiet,' is everywhere .elt that
the war may be pressed to an early close -.
The nation, conscious Of its grea, strength is
ready to chidc every cause OF DELAY. 1t
counts with sorrow the hours taken from 10.
dustrial pursuits and devoted to the work of
destruction and death and it looks forward |
with a sense Of relief to period when re-
belIion shall meet its fate, and the land again
enjoy peace. Such an era is in store for cur
distressed country. But within the limits of
this life the great conflict can witDcss 10 ces.
satlon. Tie struggle for physical existence
Is rot more stern, relentless, incessant than the |
struggle Tor moral birth, Development and
culture. In this moral warfare no truce is
ever proclaimed no treaty stipulations ever
Scpcrate the contestants; no respite is grant
cd from the stern conflict.
The time employed in the suppression of
the rebellion, though crowded with startling
rumors and more startling events has been
bIiet. But ten months have elapsed siace
the bombardment of Fort Sumter Within
that period the rebellion has risen, reached
It's zenith, and entered upon its decIue. And
the lmpaticncc OF the nation, conscious CT its
vast resources and great strength, even MUIR
murs that this bret interval Is permitted to a
rebellion 80 netarious. But what j, this !
when pat In comparison with the duration Of
the great conflict Ages have come and
gone : generation have started up. like bub.
bless. on the bouudlcss ocean of being and
disappeared ; nations have risen, played an
important part upon the stage OF life, and
s""S INTO oblivion, since good aud evil en-.
tered the arena of controversy. And tbe
end Is not yet Events that shall be uuro)led
from the scroll OF coming years, enpircs that
shall be evolved from the surginys of the
mighty future, aud unborn races whose
achievements shall surpass al! that is EN-.
oan'ed in history and song. will behold the
contest between them raging without cessa.
ZION. LINES vast continent is not ,oo ,,r..t
an interval Tor determination of the con.
troversy
The magnitude Of civil war now aalc,;oc
the country is difficult to estimate. Ono
million OF men at least confront each o,hor
along an extended line Of military operations
poth inland and Oh the sea coast. The e,u;n-
ment and subsistence Of armies 81 ;,,,,onrr.
are taxing the nations utmost energies. NJ
spectacle more sublime aud imposing has
been known in the history of military aff,;rs
But all this is as nothing in comparison with
The dimensions of the great conflict w..
scene OF action is now changed. Not VI
81 nfvl., q