Smyrna times., 1863-05-07
The Sin Affecting Us.

On the late Fast Day-which was so gener-
ally observed throughout the Nation. as we are
pleased to see by our exchanges-a number of
Conservative divineS, in diScourSing upon the
cause that has made it necessary for such "hu-
miliatOn fasting and prayer" passed over. or
rather obscured, the great cause that is aff1ict-
ing the nation, and dwet entirely upon our in
dividual and community sins sabbath break
ing, intemperance, idolatry of wealth, the cru
city to the Indians, profanity, speaking evil of
our rulers, &c, as the cause why God is visit
ing us with such sore displrasure. We would
not underrate these sins; they are enormous
Heaven knows and cry aloud for Divine ven
geance, but that they are the cause of the pre
sent bloody strife We do not believe. because
We are no worse i'll these regards than other
nations, ami not So bad as most of them. Our
special national sin has been the fostering of
an institution the dirict tendency Of which
has been to pampcr the recipients of i'll gotten
gains produce haughtinesS. vanity pride, ar
rOgance, self-sufhcicncy, dissnlutions. and a
preference for lorlly habits over that of simple.
plain republicanisln. Accustomed to obrviuo
no beheSts but their own proud wills, and every
one else to go when they say go and come
when they say come, and the nation. NOT
yielding to their naughty dictates. they became
rebeiiOus to the laws the land and the mandates
OF God, and blindly malIy md disastrouslv
we think, have rushed on the thick bos,is Of
Jehovah's bucklcr' The nation had anil
would have continued to tolerate the bliphtinp
effects of slavery in Difference to them. Int
intolerant themselves, when temporarily dis
Placed from power, they rcbellcd against their
government, and set the command Of God at
dehance-Obey those who are in authority
He''ce ne cause Cf the War, and the necexSity t1y
hasmt'idt on ant prayer to LhOrnh Il, STAN N,
tide Of deS0latioa
That section which has SO recklessly and
without cause forced our beloved country inn,
the vortex in which it Is now STRUGGLING is in .
special m inner receiving the iu reward duc +,
It's gleaF SIN. in November Of 1860 before il
was officially known that the present heads O.
our government were elected, on the very sno
where, tor more than a third of century. trea
son was Matching the overthrow Of the govern
ment, one of the leading conspira,ors in tb,
great work Of wickedness, Mr.. Boyce. of fSoutl
Carollna.( proclaimed to his intensely excite,
auditor that
Ihe way - cieatc rrrolutioa IL fo start y
! mink the only policy for us-the only Thin,
:cl' m ror uS ID 40 a. soon as we receive authentic
Intelligence of the election of Lincoln and IIa,n
I'm, IL TOR South Carolina, in the quickest mnm
ner, AMI by the most direct means IN With
draw from the Union WIN
The infatuated populacc stimulated bv N,
Passionate appeals Of this and other Of the;
dfmegogue>, amidst thundcrs of applausc.
a. Their Journals declared at the time, rcceive
t1ese incentive appeals for treason. and mos
heartily joined in all the measures which cul
minated in the attack upon the gallant hand .
heroes who had charge of Sumter. and wb
were entrusted with the preservation Of III
nag OF their country from dcsccration. Amid.
immense cheering the orator added.
Then we will submit to ten millions
19Inencrn .n men whether they will take side
"sn our enemies or take sides with MS Tbn
- Suno' 20 with our enemies; they must stan
Oy Us, One who had studded H. Ill go ei u
of revolutions has said that the ',rn.. P'il,osol'
ssVolutlon Was tr ddre! 10 CJqrelI m Ioro -
ADVICE u, that it is our policy to darri ,
|se! to dare -" p''' - u"'o'
u le result Of such appeals is written in II
ssVers OF blood which have been shed since n
tinle fhey We're uttered-thc horrors Of wa
sach probably as have never been w;tno~sa
slpce Fhe filll OF Jerusalem and the conore.t ,
go go Oy the Roman lcgions, have proved th,t
|O' ,ne greatest sin which the ann,ls of ~
%Or'd have chroniccd, the greatest nun;.h,.o' h u.
mas been awarded by a God of Jps.;oo ',o''"iIi =
g'atf,''e in all ages and dispens,tionS o, Lo. ~ -
looked upon as one of the v;Io.t s,O',' naS pc0
man eau be guilty, and this ain w. Ss s'n " "iilc
Tested in the effort to DESTROY . 80 ao,c ,'S man
ssa. a.,On th.a',l, which the Most High had permit
iatio"ar. a,Ough the Instr1imentality of our Rev
be bly ss.aIr s,res after seven years contest
'''hshed @a on this continent.