Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-11-09
@ortester Daily Spp
The Nations Call and the Citizens
Duty.-FrOm Rev. MIR. richardson
sermon.

morning, Kew. Mr.. richardson ueHNcleu
discourse which greatly interested his hear
ers, who desired to see it in print. lie con-
SCENTS to the publication of the following ex-
tract from it. The text was from Galatians,
vi. 2:-"Bear We one another's burdens, and
SO fulfil the law of Christ" He discussed the
call for troops, and the duty to use the efforts
and means necessary to raise the men called
for. He sad:-
l have said this for our encouragement and
to base upon the precept of the text an APP
peal to bear more equally our present burden
of war. Say that our communities have done
well in relief for the soldiers, and meeting the
state and national expenditures. We need
more Dlea. The call is made, and it must he
met. | urge it as a christian duty. There is
burden to be borne, great, pressing and per-
ilous. 1t comes upon every loyal society.
We should share it AS equally as possible.
All cannot go to the field. The lot must fall
mainly upon the strong young men of the
State-thoSe who can endure hardship and
more readily accommodate themselves to new
habits OF life. Now those who are exempt by
law or for any reason are not to say ''let those
who will, or whose age and health require,
go, without such an expression of sympathy
and aid as shall declare that we share in their
burdens" This would be sheer selfshness,
and as mean as wicked-a violation of the
gospel as well as of the spirit of our institu-
tons.
The cause is common to all. The soldier
does our work no less than his own. He
serves and suffers for us, in his duty to the
country. This is understood. The question
10 ,rhot a., tl,,s Lur,l.,,, .
Evidently, good pay is a part of it. How
much! This kind of labor has its price in
ali nations-hgh or low, according to the
demand or value of other labor. With us,
wages are relatively high; and at present the
demand is beyond supply.
OF course war wages are high. Like other
things, it has market value. Not fixed, nor
very uniform; but this is one answer to the
question. Let the pay of war work cores
pond to the wages OF labor generaly-taking
into account its severity and dangers, and
somewhat its intrinsic value.
But, it is asked, shall patriotism 20 for
nothing? Is not this work that pays IN the
doing its own reward, like service to God
Very well. But is not this part of the re-
ward as good for us who stay at home, as for
those who go? There is patriotism in gener-
GUS giving, as in faithful service. Why
should men, whose business is good, be ex-
empted from blessing 50 good for the sol
der? There is that which is invaluable, be-
yond price, in this love of country. Scrip
ture, poetry, history, so present it. 1t CLOVIS
in the soul of the patriot in whatever service
rendered.
The more we do and suffer, the richer is
this reward.
will never degrade this sentiment by a
money value l only claim it for all-for all
need to feel it in this crisis of our country.
But is a man any the less worthy of praise,
who is faithful, because he receives fair sup
port? Is the true minister of Christ ''hire-
ling" because he receives salary? Paul,
the apostle, received as much as the average
clergymen of our country. He had his liv-
ing, and ministers, as a class, have no more.
He claimed that a preacher, like other men,
should live by their work. 1t is no more
against the patriotism of our men that they
want pay, and such pay as bears some relation
to the service, than it is against any other
class Of men presidents, statesmen, generals,
general representatives, or ministers, that
they want pay.
''But our soldiers are paid double of those
of any other nation" Yes. So men are
worth double in this country. SO is all la
Dor; and so are our institutions. Personally
VIC nave ltii-lOii Uiblt at SldhS. lel us IT,
joice in this, and cheeriuly pay according to
value received; even if we double the pres
ent price! Let public sentiment come up to
the point. With our prosperity and abun.
dance-ycS, and our unparalleled extrava-
gance-it will do us good to feel and to share
this burden of war. Except in the labor
and suffering and desolated homes of those
more personally involved, our communities
arc not making great sacrifices. The gains
of business render many indifferent to the
struggle. And while it is prolonged for the
want of men when bounties can hire men,
our supinenesS and extravaganza are criminal.
They may prove our ruin! Our peril is
not over. Our great armies are half paral-
lied for the want of men. There is no use
complaining OF the government, for their
want Of foresight in this particular, or any
other. The people must do this work; and,
thank God, there are clear indications that it
will be done Let our own legislature, that
is to assemble this week, understand that the
people are ready to share this burden as
equally as possible, and not fear to make
such provision as the exigency demands, that
the 10, 900 men required from this state may
be raised without draft. Had the nation
another 100000 men ready for the field to-
day, it does seem the battle might be ended.
With three hundred thousand ready by
March it must speedily end. Financially re-
belli0n OCftS its ruin, and no forced loans or
seizures can restore it. Its sun of hope in
England has set, trust, to rise no more. Its
northern support is failing, down even to the
New York World. My Maryland" has quit
them, and her shareholders gone tor immedi-
ate emancipation; Missouri likewise More
southern states are following the example.
How long can their Kingdom stand thus d.
vided and rent? No longer when it sees a
united north, determined, at any sacrifice,
that the republic shall live zone and indivisi-
ble!" Then, once the victory won, the cause
of freedom and humanity triumphant, who will
not rejoice that he bore his share of this new
trial and burden of liberty!
FAN we must not! 1t would be the doOms-
day of freedom for the world So high the
sun OF liberty rose, suddenly to set in such a
night! 1t cannot be! All the heroic strug-
Cling alter the rights of man-the earnest
prayers for freedom, heard in all the AGES
from the dungeons OF tyranny-the successfu
efforts Of our own fathers, and our own rae,
the instructive. divinely implanted senti
ment in every hcart,-it cannot be that nj
this has been deusion, only to tantallze aue
to torment! No! And now that this last enc
my of our republic is in the very swuon n
DEATH its gait staggering, its staff broken. it,
frenzIed eye glazed and CHASTITY, let all lovers
of their country aud of God, of Christ an,
his cause in the world, stand firm; and eacl
do his part to make glorious and sacred til,
final triumph of freedom.
On the Sd the iron bridge across the live
Rusb ('bipnup hrpka in t,vp vol,