Daily national Republican., 1863-11-23
THE PRAYER At GETTYSBURG.

but as soon as the clear tones of his voice be-
gan TO ascend The multitude became hushed
into the most profound silence. The white
locks, pale face, and attcnuatcd form of the
speaker, gave him the appearance Of one who
holds communion with the spirit land. All
were. fascinated by the spectacle, and melted
by the sublime doluencC OF the prayer, attest
ing by tears that would not bc rcprcsscd that
their souls were penetrated:
PRAYER ny REV. TBos. II. STOCKTON.
Oh God, our Father, for the sake of Thy son,
our Saviour, inspire us with Thy Spirit, and
| Sanctify us 10 the right iulllnenl Of the duties
| of this occasion.
We come TO dedicate this new historic centre
| ne a National Cemetery. II all departments of
! the one Government which Thou hast ordained
over our nion, and OF the many Goyernmcnts
| which thou hast sybordinatcd to the Union, be
here represcnted-ir all classes, relations and
Interests Of our blended brotherhood and peo-
pie stand severally and thoroughly apparent In
Thy presence, We trust il is because Thou hast
called ue; that Thy blessings await us, aud that
Thy designs may be embodied il practical re-
sut Of the incalculablc and impcriBhable good.
Aud SO with thy Holy Apostle and with the
the Church, OF all lands and ages, we unite in
the ascription Blessed be God, even the Faith
CT Of our Lord Jesus Christ-the Father Of mer-
cies and the God of all comiort-who com
forteth us IN all our tribulations that We may
he able to comfort them which arc in any trou-
bic, by the comfort whercwlth We ourselves arr
comfofted Of God"
In emulation of all angels in fellowship with
all saints, and in sympathy with all sufferers,
in romcmberance of Thy works, in res erence
oi Thy ways, and in accordance 18th Thy
Word, We love and magnify Thine infinite per.
| iections, Thy creative glory, Thy redeeming
grace, Thy presidential goodness, and the pro-
gressively richer and iaircr developments Of
| Thy supreme universal aud everlasting admin
| istratiOn.
In behalf VI all humanity, whose ideal is
Divine-whOse fret memory Il Thy image lost
and whose last hope is Thv image restored !;
and especially in behalf Of our own nation,
whose history has been so iayored-whoee posi-
lion 10 opeerlees-whosc mission IL SO sublime,
and whose future is so attraCtiVe-wc thank
Thee for the unspeakable patience of Thy COM
passion, and for the exceeding greatness Of
Thy loving kindness.
In contemplation OF Eden, Calvary and
Heaveu-of Christ in the God-on the Cross
aud on the Throne-nay, more, of Christ at
coming again In all-subduing Power and Glory,
We gratefully prolong our homage.
By this altar of sacrifice, aud on this field of
| deliverence-on this mount of salvation-with-
| in the heryand bloody line Of these munitions of
rocks, looking back TO the dark days of fear
and trembling, aud 10 the rapture of relief that
| Sauic aitei VIC huitlplS our luduh5blNlns anu
| confess our obligations TO renew and perfect
our personal and social consec ration TO Thy
| service and glory.
Oh had Il not been fol God For, 10, our
enemies, they came unresisted- -multtudinous,
mighty, flushed will, victory and sure of sue
cess. They exulted on our mountsins-they
| reyelled IN our valleys-they leasted-they rest
ed-they slept-.they awaked--they grew strong.
| er, prouder and bolder every day.
They spread abroad; they concentrated here;
they looked beyond this horizon TO the stores OF
wealth; TO the haunts Of pleasure aud to the
seats OF power in our capital and chief cities.
They prepared to cast the chain of slavery
around the form Of freedom and to bind life
and death together forever. Their prematur,
triumph was the mockery of God and man
one more victory and all was theirs. But be
hind these hills was heard the feebler march O
. smaller but still pursuing host. Onward the,
hurried day and night for their country ant
their God-footsore, wayworn, hungry, thirsty
faint-but not in heart--they came to dare all
to bear all, and to do all that is possible to he
roes.
At first they met the blast ON the plain an,
! bent before II like the trees, but then, led b
/, thy hand T. these hills, they took thei
stand on these rocks and remained a
firm and immovable as they. In vain wer
they assaulted. All art, all violence, all despe
ration failed 10 dislodge them. Bafied. bruised
I and broken, their enemies rccOied. retired an,
. disappeared
Glory for thie rescue But oh, the slain! Ii
D the freshness aud iullness of their young ant
manly lilc-witl such sweet memories o
father and mother, brother and sister, wife ant
children, maiden and friends; from the coast
beneath the Eastern star, from the shores o
, Northern lakes and rivers, from the flowers o
c Western prarics, from the homes of the mid
way and the border, they came here to die fo
US and for mankind.
Alas how little We can do for them. w
( come with hunlli,yOi prayer, with the pathetic
elOquenCc of venerable wisdom, with the ten
der beauty of poetry, with the plaintive harmo
Iny of music, with the honest tribute of Ou
. Chief Magistrate, and with all this honorable
attendance; but our best hope is in Thy bless
l. ing, oh. Lord our God Bless us, oh, Ou
Father-bless the bereaved, whether absent o
prcsent-bless our sick and wounded soldier
and sailOrs--Lless all our rulers and people
4 bless our army aud navy!
Bless the efforts to suppress this rebellion
and bless all the associations of this day an,
J., place aud scene forever. As the trees are no
c dead though their foliage is gone 81 our heroe
, arc not dead though their forms have fallen
with their proper personality they are all wit
u Thee, aud the spirit of their example is here.
vi II ILLS the air, II fills our hearts, and long a
n time shall las, II will hover in these skies an
rest On this landscape. And the pilgrims Il
u | our own lard and of all lauds will be thrille
n with It's inspiration and increase and con6rl
their de NDlipu a Liberty RpliUipn and God