, 1863-05-01
which protected the monstrous sin of human

better, In moral point of view; to purif
+; from long continued evils; to uproot Mls
systems. corrupt habits, and pernicious in
d1fgences; thereby bringing the people m t,
q higher standard Of action, and estabjishin'
the nation thus dealt with on u basis Of ius
uce. from which 1t could never be shakcn
| II the present terrible trials and apparent ~
| lamlt1cs in which We arc involved. shouid r.
suit In purifying this nation from it's sius- II
| 1utnIc destiny would be fir more glorious tha,
mate1y present before God aud The world a,
! example Of virtue, morality and prospcrit
which would compensate for the imtnens
| sacrlnce made in bringing shout its purifca
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
"A large audience was in attendance at thi
church. Tie Pastor, Rev. Mr. Patton. nrcechc
from Isaiah, 5th chapter, 25th verse: "Fo
all this, Ills anger Is not tnrncd AWAY, hut nj
hand @ isstretched out still" The subject vas
still upon the nation.n IIe reviewed the bis Il
tory OF The war, and mentioned the earl,
hopes OF its speedy success, and the sad an;
continued disappointment, with the groun,
Of expectation thut there would yet be mucl
delay before the close of the conflict. Tn
Providential reasons for this he thought to b
four: i. The sins which brought the war upo1
US were 900 many and grfevous to allow Of
brlef and light penalty. 9. The slowness o
the nation and its rulers in rcpenting of thes,
| sins proyokcs corresponding slownees on tn,
! part of God in our relief. Each step Of reform
has been reluctantly taken, and eycn the cal
Of the President for this last day omits al
mention Of slavery rs one Of our sins, ane
| specifies ingratitude and pride. 8. The per
eistence of u large part Of the people in the
old course Of Fin which has brought down
this wrath- Here the spea kcr bore down or
| those who oppose the war and the measures
| ar1.f fn "a
| Infamous doom. 4. A reason Of mercy. God
is preparing the nation for it's glorious future.
Our revcrses have been our salvation. God
will protract the war I'LL all needed results oi
ouT glorious future, with brief description
Of which the preacher concluded
CLARK STREET INSTRUMENTATION MEETING,
At the Clark street II. E. Church, there
were interesting and appropriate exercises.
The congregation Of the Wabash Avenue NJ.
z. Church united with that of the Clark stree.
church, aud these, together with numerous
attendants from other congregations, made
up a large audience.
Of the Presidents Proclamation, by Rev. F.
- Heminway, pastor Of the Clark street
church. This was followed with singing nv
the choir IN which the congregation Joined.
After the singing, an appropriate PRAYER was
Offered by Rev. Mr. Hemingway, who then
1 1saa sererni select passages Of Scripture. per
another hymn, Rev. R. L. Collier, pasto2 Of
the Wabash Avenue II f. Church, proceeded
to address the audience, choosing for his
theme, :. National perfection in national
Tounds.n
The speaker remarkcd that wounds were
often necessary to the accomplishment Of
great and good results. The tuman race
would never have been offered salvation, had
not the great Author of 1t been wounded. The
same Wounding process was neelful to the
publication and salvation of nations. Eng
land had been repeatedly wounded and reyo-
lut!onizcd, for centuries past, but now stood
out before the world one Of tic strongest and
most prosperous nations ever known.
Our own nation had always contained the
elements Of prosperity; but in it were also
numerous elements Of revolution. This re-
bcl]lon was not ga ca,,scless one," as was
often stated, for no results could be evolved
Without cause; But it certainly had been
inaugurated without any just cause.
Slavery was the greatest sin Of which this
nafion was guilty. Intempertuce was de-
ploIable sin; but it was acknowledged bv
everybody to be sin. Political ambition was
also crying evil amongst us as a people :;
but this Was ltot our great national sin. Ex-
trayagance and financial corruption were great
What had called down the Judgments of
Heaven upon us. The great national sin over
which, more than over ill others, no were
called to mourn, WAS the sin Of African
Slavery. This abo1ninablc Institution lad
been nurturca, protected aud pandcred to-,
y ior many years, and now had eliminated In .
wicked rebellion, aimed at the life of our
Government. Notwithstanding the prevail
iEg sentiment Of the people on the subject Of
Slavery, there was deep-scated lla ncd to-
wards Abulitionism, which manifested itself
in ya1ions forms Of sympathy with the pro-
slavery rebellion: If the speaker were tho
he should be afraid to walk the streets at
night, for there were those in our midst who
would gladly stab the Government to the
heart.
Our nation contained bnt ono element Of
dissolution; that was Oppression. Let this
be swept away, and our beloved but now dis
tr:1cted and bleeding country would present
al example Of moral grandeur and OF physical
prosperity such as the world had never yet
sccn.
The next speaker was Hon. Grant Goodrich,
who spoke Tor brief time in his usually for
chile and logical manner.
Judge Goodrich remarked that government
was Instituted by the Almighty tor the lappI.
ncss Of mankind. The first form of govern
mcnt introduced was that Of the family; the
next. that of tribes. But both were cstab.
the human family. Bat the Creator % never CT
designed that ono class of human beings
should hold another class in bondage; and
the history Of tho world showed that when
ever 4 nation had been visited with heavy
Judgments, it was compelled either to
suffer ruin and overthrow, or rid itself Of the
curse.
In our own country, slavery had been built
up with our wealth, protected by law, and
allowed greater guarantees than our fathers
ever designed it should have even for the
brief time which they expected it would con-
tinuc to exist. The cries Of oppressed and
down-trodden millions in our land had not
been needed; and now, rs the legitimate fruit
Of slavery, we were suffering under this re-
be1lion.
Slavery was born Of Hell; freedom was the
child Of Heaven. They were antagonlstic and
is1cconcilable: the conflict between them
must 80 on till one or the other was over.
thrown.
1t was significant fact that the meaner and
more ignorant men were, the more ardcntly
would they defend and uphold slavery. Such
persons always seemed anxious to hare q class
OF beings around them who were meancr than
they: q race whose position should be that Of
animals, go that these lovers Of oppression
anl ignorance could look down upon them.
But human slnyery in America had heard its
dc4sh-knell, and whenever 1t vas swept entire
" away. then should we have peace through
out the land.
Tic third and last speaker was Rev. DR.. T.
N. Eddy, Of the Nouhwest1n Christian .Id,u-
cate, who addressed the audience as follows:
The proclamation conrening us is the act Of the
Shici Magistrate, hy the aavicc Of the National
senate Il il. therefore, the voice of the nation by
It's Chief Executive and highest legislative body,
saying that the nation has God OF supreme ao-
ithority II our mad 'naterjal'sm We had almost
until the idea Of Divine government was well nigh
eblite;atsd know It lived in our creeds, VIC con
feseed It in onr litanies, and tolerated it in ser
n IN nm t1af{ ~
iaitl. II this hour Of sorrow, the roices Of most
eminent authority summon MS back to the old
faith, and BID us look away from armies and Gen.
government Of Almighty God in ali the affairs Of
men and nations" It becomes us to consider the
wcsshty trntk: lest We meet the old invectiye OF
inc days Of Zasaar1ah: when re fasted and
There 's also recognition Of tho authority of
.ne Moy sfsRtggss TheI! inspiFoa is
spoken a1uth2,|tatively ut e. in them, and these are
therefore. let us come screrent'y to these Holy
tAincd, that the voice of God may be heard taat
thc! may &c our Euide out Of our path1css gloom
III Ihe chlei MaEi;trMate M assumes as something
teuia as TO etsiisl out palpaple truis,n iuis-
7utable as an axiom: Thosc nations only are
blessed where God Is the Lord.
Ministers have offen said 60, and men received
their sayrg as something not to be disputed o,eu-
IL but yet not to be believed in practice. 4 nation
Who hat literature, commerce. science, 1nanlfac-
flag was everywhere honotcl-which had within
itself nl the elemrnts Of material grcatness-must
bcprospcrous and happy. Itmight legalizeintcnl
and heat break; might proiane GODS sabbath:s. bbs
1sand: smile upon .fek!ng, seeshng political cor
worship Lucrr. the dumb and filthy; might permit
the spelling Of foEr millions men and chill
drcn ot hecdom: knowledge manhood, and char