Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-02-02
ron THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
A PRAYER and Confession for the South.

-H - EE=LE Soy ~
o Lord. God, the Great, the Good, Jehovah,
From thy throne OF thrones in the highest HeASns,
Deign to look down with pity all Thine own,
Upon our land so lately and SO long
The cline Of halcyon days and lustrous nights.
The home of peace, of plenty and their joys.
But now how ehang'di how fird with siooml /
Our sunny skies beclouded with the smoke
OF battle. and our soil drench'd with the biooo
OF fathers, husbands, sons and brothers;
And how sorrowing aud how sorrowful
AS well our habitations as our hearts.
Our foes have come, and still are coming in
Upon us like a Hood, deep ana high. and
Overwhelming.
Thou hast bid them curse us,
And to them Thou'st giv'n the power to smite;
They've led cur people c lptive. and our sons
They've slain; our lands they've wasted, and our
Homes made desolate; they hate Us with o deep
And cruel hatred, and with cut a cause. af
Into their hands, Oh, God commit US not.
Nor loager subject us to their hate,
Their deeds of rapiRe, violence and blood.
Speak, Lord, sweet peace to our troubrd land
Then shall its angry surges. big with strife,
Be calm'd and still, placiG as some sylvan
Lake by gentlest evening zrphyrs famed 8s.
God of all Power and praise. speed, oh, speed the
hour: -
Or hast Thou cen forgotten to be gracious,
Or is it that our sins so many and
So great, stand as a wall, 'twixt Thee and us ?
Or have they calrd to Heav'n for vengeance
Upon our guilty heads, and Thou art
Answering now?
o., God! we've sinn'd. Thou knowest
Our pride. our worldlipess and vanity.
Thou seest the thousand affairs rear'd to
Mammon and his worship DER all orr land,
Out numbering far those rear'd to Thee.
With worshipers and offerings too, by far
| EXCEEDING those that how AT holy shrineS.
And worship there. The d~evoteees of gain,
And pleasure, of place and power, Thou see'st
How low they bow before their wonted shrineS,
And what their offerings are, themselves the
Victims, cen do they immediate their living
Bodies with their precious, never-dying souls
Upon the affairs of the Gods they love
So much and love so well. 5
o, God! of Gods,
Forgivei o, Lord of Lo rs, Thy sovereign mercy
Show! 0, King of Kings, Thy pardon grant to
All this people, and repentance give. e#s
Lead us in the way Thou'd have us go, and
Give us hearts to do those things alone
Wellpleasing in Thy sight. Our Lord and God,
We do beseech Thee, into Judgment
Enter not against US, for we cannot -
r Answer Thee for one of ten times ten thousand
Of our crimes. Into the deep. deep sea
Of Thy forgetfulness, cast, Oh, cast our
I Ouls. tilu 10 Ii upon US III light VI
Of Thy benign and glorious countenance.
: We are unworthy most of all, but thy
Dear Son is worthiest of the worthy
In thy sight ; and in His name we plead,
) Through his merits look for pardon, peace, and
j oys restored.
But still we thank Thee, Lord, for
p What Thou hast already done for US.
d We do thank Thee for our oft-repeated
Victories. Thou hast child our enemies, - -
" Their pride Thou'st humbled and their progress stay'd
Go Thou forth with the leaders of our hosts:
Be- Thou their shield and buckler too. Gird, Oh,
L Grid them with strength as Samoan, and with skill
AS David, and all their followers ... a..
'e In arms, the brave defenders of our rights,
D Our friends, our n%eighbors, and onr kindred dear
II Who still are standing in the deadly breach
\ Between our foes and us if it please Thee,
80 STILL, o Lord, make strong their arms, and sure thei
~ Aim in our defencei O! bless them every one:
n, Vouchsafe to them Thy good and gracious sniles,
a And ever go out before and with them
90 All, their God CT Battles, and their Lord Of Hosts.
* Oh, God, Most Merciful, Thine aid we seek, *
Re, Thy mercy we inplore, for the thousands
no OF our sick and wounded soldiers. Oh, how
n. Many languish, droop, and die, tor lack of -
\ HON e, its kind attentions, and its wonted
II Good. Jesus! Thou Great Physician, hear them
Nncn Lney Call IOr lhee, and III Thy mercy
u Answer. Underneath them put Thine arms Of
Love and Power. Send them the Comforter Divine
inc Raise them anew to life-prepar'd the while
To better service, as well for God and
Country, as themselves. Make all our Hospitals
ga Like HOME, as near as such CAN BE, to all
Who linger there, or die. Grant them to find
- What cen shall compensate for Woman's
w. Matchless tenderness, and q Fathers care.
a5S @
ay, o. Lord God to thy secure protection,
II Sountecus Providence, and paternal c are,
H. Would we commend, with boundless confidence,
!, The mighty widowhood and orphanage
OF this bereaved, and sorrOw-stricken land.
Oh We know not, o., God, but Thou, Omniscient know
How many husbands, and how many sircs
ned Have fallen, and still must fall before our cruel
tn And relentless foes, in this murderous
War, 'gainst US and ours. How many happy
- Firesides once, that now are miserable:
1uo How many houses. long the homes of peace
a Amp joy, that now are left all desolate;
'ay, Where oft was Aeard the minstrelsy of mirth,
ave A dreadful silence now broods DER their halls,
hn Or send they forth the moan of lamentation
And the wall of woe.
But among the Gods,
There is none like unto Thee, @, Lord: for
bv Thou alone art the "Widow's God, and
Orphans Father" In their sore bereavements