Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-30
Fast Day-.sumsIsas,on and prayer

Vast Day-ftumffiatsou and Prayer
ihH day Is set apart by the President Of de
Uni'el States for national prayer and humiIia
ton In his PROCLAMATION he saysa s Eve know
tat BY His divine law. nations, like individuals
e subjected TO punishments and chastisemen's
in dis World. may We not justly fear that the
awful eaismity Of civil war, which no" desoates
he and. may be bus Just punishment inflicted
upon a. for our presunptuous sins. 10 the need
fol ena Of our national reformation az whole
peopIeYy
And whyi The President Of this great ma
ton thu- indicates the necessity of Humiliation
and reformation. lie ssss: ~
we have been the recipients Of the choicest
bounties Of Hesvea. We have been preserved
these rnanv years In peace and prosperity. We
have grown in numbers wealth aud power. as no
Other nation has ever grown: But zoe hare for
gotten God We have forgotten the gracious
hand <lrch preserved IA in peace. aud nrultipiied
and eurcilei and strengthened US; and we have
vanlF Imagined In the deceitfulness of our
heartss thst III these blessings were prodnced by
some superior wisdom and virtue Of our own.
intoxicated with uubroken success. We have he
come too self sufficient to feel the necessity OF
redeeming and preserving gface--too proud TO
pray the God that made u.s.
With THE confession Of national guilt and
short comiaes. il behooves us a. a nation and
individuals ito confess our national sins. and 10
pray tor ciemency and forgiveness" Says the
President: ''AlI this being done, in sincerity and
truth. Iet Va then rest humbly in the hope
authorized by the Divine teachings. that the
united CRY Of the nation may be heard on high.
and answered with blessings. no less than the
pardon Of our national sins, and the restoration OF
our now divided and suffering country to its
former happy condition Of unity and peace"
This Is day set apart for " National prayer
and humiIiati5n.y How shall il be Observer A
great calamity Is upon individuals aud
Nation. And whyl The President. in his proc.
lamation. gives a most significant answer: I'VE
have forgotten God 3" The recipients OF uunum
bercd aud nndeserved blessings. we have vainly
imagined that they were produced by our own
wisdom and our own virtues. Shall We TO day
attempt TO teach Godg Shall we endeavor to ex
plain the reasons or the causes for the csamities
that are upon Va? Some will say that our nation
al punishments are inflicted upon US because we
have not made war upon slavery. What neces-
sity can there be for prayer aud humiliation if
we look tn our wisdom and virtue instead of "rec.
ognizing the supreme authority ana just govern
ment of Almighty God /?
We are finite creatures: we are short sighted:
We know not what a day, hour, even a
minute. may bring forth Man proposes. but
God disposes. To day appeal to Divine wis
dom and goodness u guide ia out OF our Nation
al troubles. Let US then, upon occasion, set
apart especially to propiliate the Divine favor in
humility and in earnest faith pray to- the God
that made in whom We live and move, aud
have our being; who holds the earth in the hol-
low Of His hand. and permits not the humbest
thing to fall unnotced. TO forgive US our individ-
ua and National sins, and restore to US the bless
ings of peace and National unity