Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-09-11
VOL XIV.
God-Our Nations Hope.
A Sermon Preached in the Presbyterian Church
Of Liberty, July 18th, 1858, by Rev. l. s. Fine
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.

d: COLtlfTV-tne relaIl00S we sustain 10 neI al
J the obligations we owe her. She is the moth
er and kind beneiactress of US all, and as
mother with the tenderest care and warmes
E love watches over, cherishes and protects be
children, so does our country tenderely an,
kindly watch over, cherish and protect US
The peaceful pursuit of business, the opportu
nity and incentive to individual and public ex
ertion, the sure reward of true greatness-iI
word, all our liberties, privileges, comforts
and real prosperity, we owe under God to hel
institutions. Just laws, and wisely administered
government. And as that son would be regar-
ded monster Of wickedness, who, if his
mother were surrounded by enemies, her pro-
perty imperiIled her honor insulted, her very
| life threatened, should refrain from doing all
be could to rescue her-so are we monsters ol
| iniquity if now when our country is in peril
we withhold our aid, our sympathies, our pray
ers. But none of us, none who hear me this
day, ar6 such monsters of wickedness. We
have not been Indifferent spectators of the
great events which have been trauspiring a
moug Us as a nation, but with the deepest So
licitude have watched this rebellion from its
very conception when the cloud which has since
enveloped US was not bigger than a man s
hand, until now when that cloud covers and
darkens the whole land.
Ever since the war commenced, we have
been alternating between hope and fear now
the clouds open, the sun peers through, and
for while every heart bounds with joy then
the clouds close together, the sun takes his de-
parture, the darkness grows stronger and black
er, and every heart trembles with terror and
dismay.
For the past two or three weeks we have
had much to encourage us. In the midst of our
gloom light has appeared, and we have been
singing the songs of victory. Success has
crowned our arms in almost every quarter
Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Helena
the strongholds of the enemy on the Mississip-
pi, after vigorous resistance and desperate
lighting on both sides, have each and all fallen
into our hands, and now we have the entire
control of the navigation of that mighty
river.
Rosecrans has driven the enemy from Ten
uessee Blunt has been successful in Arkansas;
Sherman is in hot pursuit after Johnson; Nor
gan and his band of robbers are surrounded
and must soon be captured; Lee and his army,
which but few weeks since marched forth in
all their pride and greatness to invade our 10y
al soil, devastating our fields, destroying pro-
perty, and purposing if possible to seize upon
our Capital-have not only been boldly met
and severely defeated, but have been driven
back in dismay, their plans frustrated, their
force crippled, and their prestige shorn of its
glory and last tho not least Charleston, the
birthplace of rebellion, the citadel Of treason,
has been attacked, and if we can believe the
report Just received has bowed her naughty
head to our victorious arms. Surely in all this,
we find much to make US thankful. We can
see the silver lining of the cloud and coming
together this morning in this sanctuary we
should with one voice and one heart bless the
Lord our God for the help he has vouchsaf
ed Us.
But let US rejoice with trembling. The re-
6eIlion is not yet crushed, the war is not yet
ended. Though defeated on almost every side
and driven back from loyal soil, the South is
as fully determined as ever to succeed many
of her most influential men are conscientious in
their views and believe they are fighting the
cause of God and justice; their resources are
not exhausted and we may rest assured they
will contend to the end, succeed or perish.
1t is clear as the sunlight that we shall nev.
er subdue the South, unless we are united; and
one of the worst signs of the times is-there is
considerable party in the North found prin-
cipally in our larger towns and cities but found
also 10 our rural districts, who are in favor OF
compromise, of preserving the Union in other
ways than by subduing the South. We have
not so much to fear the division of the Union
as we have the overthrow of the government.
From the very beginning of our troubles there
has been a deep strong undercurrent of polite
al Vaccinations underlying all the movements
of the war, giving character and color to the
development of public opinion. There are
many in the country and many even in the
army who do not believe the war will end, un-
less we concede the independence of the South,
and unless the government is again restored to
Southern coHtrol, or convention held to form
Constitution under which both North and
South can live together in common Union.
We see evidences of this spirit in the indis-
criminate abuse which for so long time has
been stowered down upon the Administration
and its acts, in the bold affirmation that they
are unconstitutional and tyranical, that our
liberties are endangered and our very lives i'm
perilled. And we see what this spirit leads to
as we look upon the disagreeable scenes which
have been transpiring in the city of New York
during the past week. Not that 1 would
charge it upon the leaders of the party oppos-
ed to the ADMINISTRATION that they counseled
directly the resorting to arms and a resistance
to the draft by the use of force, but who can
deny that they did so indirectly; that their
speeches and papers engendered in the minds
of the common people the feeling that their
rights are being trampled upon, inflamed them
with the desire Of revenge, and thus led them
to commit acts of violence and outrage which
may well make us blush for human nature p
[ do not intend here to argue the question
whether the Administration has been right or
wrong in all its acts; am willing to admit it
has in many respects failed of its duty, but
believe its faults have been greatly exaggerated.
1t is not tgranniodl Administration. The
President and bis Cabinet have no desire to
restrain tie liberties of the people, and have
never resorted to extreme measures unless they
seemed necessary in order to carry on the
war Every loyal man is just as safe now as
ever before, and has as many liberties as he has
ever before enjoyed-it is only he who carries
within him a traitors heart, who needs tC
fear.
And as regards the conscription act, against
which there is so much opposition. Though
we may not approve of all the details of thai
act, yet it was passed by Congress, and unit
the Supreme Court of the United States de
: clares it unconstitutional, it is binding on u,
all and no one has a right to raise his voice Of
his band against it. trust that the Admin
istration will be firm and prompt in seeing tha
the draft is carried out, for if the government
has the authority to levy a draft-and who
] doubts that authority lit surely has the au.