Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-11-27
victory or Annilatiatfon.

Doctor Elliot, the Bishop Of Georgia il
late sermon preached in Savannah. e1hib
1 Its the alternative before us, In few sen
fences pregnant with all the fire Of a pro-
phet and patriot. These are, indeed
words that burn:
Forward, my hearers, with our shields
locked and our trustin God, is our only
movement now 1t is too late even to g
backward. We mighthave gone back ward
a wear ago, when our armies were victori.
|ously laundering at the gates of Washing
ton, and were keeping at successful bay
the Yankee Hessians of the West, had we
been content to bear humiliation for our
selves and degradation for our children -
But even that is no longer left u.s. 1t is
now victory or unconditional submission
submission not to the conservative andC Chris
tian people of the North, but to party OF
infdel fanatics, with an army Of needy and
greedy soldiers at their backs. Who shall
be able to restrain them in their hour of
victory When that moment approaches
when the danger shall seem to be over and
the spoils are ready to be divided, every
ontlaw will rush to fill their ranks, every
adyenturer will rush to swell their legions.
and they will sweep down upon the South
as the hosts of Attila did upon the fertile
fields of Italy. And shall you find in de-
feat that mercy which you did not find in
victory? You may slumber now. but you
will awake to fearful reality. You may
lie upon your beds Of ease, and dream that
when it is all over you will be welcomed
back to all the privileges and immunities
of crazy citizens. but how terrible will be
your disappointment! You will have an
ignoble home, overrun by hordes of insolent
slaves and rapacious soldiers. You will
wear the badge Of conquered race. Par
iahs among your fellow creatures. your
selves degraded, your delicate wives and
gentle children thrust down to mental SER
vice, insulted, perhaps dishonored. Think
you that these victorious hor les. made up in
the large part Of the sweepings of Europe,
will leave yon anything? AS well might
the lamb expect mercy from the wolf
Power which is checked and fattered by a
doubtful contest is very different from pow
err victorious, triumphant and irresponsible.
The friends whom you have known and
loved at the North who have sympathized
with you in your trials, and to whom you
might have looked to for comfort and pro-
lection, will have enough to do then to take
care of themselves. The surges that sweep
over US will carry them away in its refuent
tide Oh! for the tongue Of prophet, to
paint for you what is before you unless you
repent and turn to the Lord, and realize
that His hand is upon all them for good
that seek Him" The lang uage of Scrip
ture is alone adequate to describe it: The
earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon
is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like
wilderness. They that did feed delicately
are desolase in the streets: they that were
brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills -
They ravished tho women of Zion and the
maidssin the cities of Judah. They took
the young men to grind. and the children
fell under the wood. The JOY Of our heart
is ceased; our dance is turned into mourn
ing The crown has fallen from our head;
wo unto us that have sinned."