The Portland daily press., 1863-05-05

| this true Christendom shall saw "Amen!r
Before leaving this head Of my discourse, l
must say one word OF a less encouraging char
acter. The signs do not all point in one way
Amid many indications of a Divine guidance
of the nation to a safe and righteous issue of
our present discipline, there are some indca-
tions which disclose plainly, that part of the
| people are not partaking of the benefit. That
| purifying fire. which is, we trust, to make the
nation as awhole more clear from its sins seems
| in some measure also TO make its dross more
obvious. There has been, and it is well for us
| to know it, a fearful amount of corruption dis
closed by the war. There are vampires by
thousands to whom the nations agonies are
but favorable occasion to suck themselves
| full. Vampires in office, and out of office,
| there are by myrllds, supporters OF the Gov
| ernment and opposers OF it as well, who fasten
on the struggling commonwealth at every
pore, and fat their miserable existence at the
expense of the state.
And there are too every where, also, traitors
| hope to the nations cause: traitors to every
| of humanity and every design of God, which
hangs on the successful issue of the trial we
are undergoing. There are many whose vo-
cation is to SOW discords and suspicious among
the country's friends; men whose souls are
saddened within them by tidings of every ma
tional victory; men who have unlimited vo-
cabularies of reproach for those who guide
| probation for its foes; men who are swift to
discover difficulties and unconstitutionalites
| in every measure which promises success to
the Federal cause, who see little but "irregu-
lar opposition" in rebellion wading in blood
to the knees, against that cause.
Still this is only matter to be expected
No great cause of God ever enlisted all men
in its support. There were Cavaliers in the
days when English Roundheads carved out
English liberty. There were Tories in the
war Which achieved for our country its in
dependence, and for every soldier OF that
| Continental army memory which is
legacy to his grandchildren to-day. Even
arevival of religion, which saves many to glo-
| ry ripens some To perdition. When Bunyan
| beheld the man sweeping the room in the In
| terpreters house, he saw that the very process
which was to result in its publication stirred
| up the dust. aud for while made its flthiness
seem greater than before. Let il not be
wonder, therefore, that there are those on
whom all the mighty meanings of this present
time are wasted, as heavens sweet showers
on Sahara's sand. They do indeed mperil
the righteous cause. They WILL lift miscarries
be the occasion OF its loss. But we believe in
| spite of them it will prevail. We may indeed
be by them humiliated. We may need ito
| purge us thoroughly from their leaven to
be beaten very small. But out of the agony
we still trust that the nation will emerge when
| those who exulted in her distress, will be like
the tde-bedrabbed shapes which the victori-
Gus lsraelites, left behind as they emerged
| alone from the hungry sea.
The last point to which | was to ask your
| attention was the Duty which such recogui-
tion OF Gods de ings with us and OF his gri-
cious purpose toward us lays uponus. And II
lays upon us, in the first place, the Duty o.
Hopefulness respecting our nations future.
II the tokens which have pointed out-and
they are but "A few OF ma y-do indicate a Di-
vine leading in our affairs, a progress in its
main current toward something better for us,
then 1t is every maas duty to bear a brave and
| hopeful heart as he looks forward. We eau
not indeed tell what saddening scenes lie in
the future. We know not what deeper humi.-
iations may possibly be appointed unto US
But we have no right to despair; we have ne
| right to defect one another. The Prophets III
terrogatory may pertinentiy come 10 us:
Wherefore should a living man complain;
man ior the punishment OF his sins 2" That
| is God, who is dealing with Us, and that He /,
| Christening us, Is a rock OF hope Ours is q
| cause where we may well pray with David
Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD
| for His mercies are great. Let us not fall in-
| to the hand of man. ID this were indeed
as the politicians would have us believe-a
matter wherein the moral element was insig
niticant, matter toward which piety had n
| distinctive obligations, and the Chiistia
| church no duty, then indeed we might des
pair. Ii there is only going ON IN our lam
the clash of brute forces, guided by no all
controlling Hand in the interest of liberty, hu
| manity, the Gospel and Christ, then the SOON
| er We drop our pasied arms and hide our ia
ces from the day the better. In that case L.
be OF an elastic hope were TO be denented
| Ii ewho should mock US with words OF cheer
would deserve to die the death.
But il God be alive and not dead il in GU
two years past He has written Himself in Ii,
ing light i'll our story; il He has led us onwar
TO clearer visions OF His will, and to juster ac
tions toward our fellow men, then to doubt is I
dishonor Him. to despair ofour future is to sin
Let us be OF good courage. Let Us be willin
to see dark days. Let US humble ourselves be
fore Him, and await His time in Hope.
Again, the considerations which have been
suggested, lay upon us the duty OF bem
thorough in removing from us our iniquities
However many and oil howseeyer various ma
ture they are, it becomes us TO make clear
work OF them. The time past OF our experI
ence may well suffice, to have wrapped ihe
round, and vanished them, and compromise
them, and pretended to repent OF them, Will
we hugged them still. We are admoniShe
that Gods judgments can scent niquil
through the santliest attire, and strike down
crime even though pupts and senates conspir
70 call IL virtue anu lalner IL upon 0oG. III an
voice comes clearer To us than another out
the turmoil Of this time, il is that voice which
| bids MS be thorough. That voice walls to u
out of hospitals and dismembered households
the wind bears it TO us from graveyard ant.
battlefield, from shore aud sea, BE thorough,
Be thorough! Do this work so well thai nei
ther in yours nor in your great grand-child
rens day, the pestent heresy of State right
| supreme over central law, shall ever again b
heard. Do it so that America shall have a ma
tonality, aud our country unity from whicl.
no acre shall ever be shorn. Do il so that OF
no rod of soil from sea 10 sea, shall man b
found, who says L am not my own; or VIII
shall dare 10 say of brother man, that man j
mine.' Do it so that mortal man would a
soon dare proiler that claim at the bar
Chrsts assize, as before the bar Of Ian
which shall have indicated for every inhabi
tant it, the equal liberty of the free
The duty of loyalty, too, is one which ur
ges itself upon us. BE loyal! it is your obi
CATION TO be, even though your countrys wel
a failing cause. Be loyal, you have com
try to be loyal TO, and it has a future whc
will fill her sons with pride. Be loyal! yo
are working in good fellowship: Christendoni
is looking on, and Gods shoulder is at th
wheel.
Take up your share of the burden; stand i
your lot, at ballot-box, at taxing -day-if nee
be, in the bayonet-bristllng line.
Stop despondng, stop growing, stop search