Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-04-18
NATIONAL FAST BAY.
PROCLAMATION ny THE PRESIDENT

WmEREAs. The S-uate Of The United
States. ,!evnuii. recognizing the SH?leme
authority and just government Of Al
ruioLiy Cod ~ nj. the Affairs Of men and
nations, has. by resolution. requested
the President lo designate and So apar:
. day for national prayer and huml.la-
e ton
And Where's, it i ibc dutv Of M
tion>, as we'll n If men, to own their
iniencnie,cc upou the overriding pow
er .ot God. to confess their SINS and
transer-S,ions, IN humble sorrow, yet
with assured hope that genuine reprn
tance wall lead to mercy and paidOn,
and TO recuaiiza the sublime truth, an
nounce,l in the Holy Scriptures and pro-
sen by oil history, Hint those nations on
IN are h.e>>r. whose God IS he lori;
And ii.>puuch rs we know HAT by
His divine law, nations, Ike individuals.
IRE subjected 10 pdrIehueuts AID chas
tseMct.t- IN this world. may we not Just
IL fear that the awful Gala. ilv of c vi
war whicl, now dysola'e- the lani, NAV
be but punishment inflicted upon Us
for our presuHp.unus SINS, I" tile need
ful end of ouf rat oual reformation As -
whole people We have been tic rect
n.ent> of the choicest b"uni"s "f heaven.
We have been preserved, these many
yeas. III peace and prosperity. We
grown ii numbers, weain and power =.
no other nati1n has ever grown. But
we have forgotten God. We nave f,r-
gotten the gracious hand which pre-
served us IN p:ace, and multiplied mud
enriched and strengthened us; and we
have vainIv Imagined. IN the de"cil!nI-
ness of our hearts, that AL these blessing
were produced by some superior wisdom
and virtue OF oar own. Iutox cated
with unhrokcn spHcess, We have become
too selfsufiicinnt 10 fee! the necessity of
redreming and preserving grace, too
Iroud 10 pray to tee God that made US ,
Il behocvps Us, then. to humble our
selves before the offended Power, 80 con
fasS oar national sins. and 10 pray for
c,emcucy aud f2l9iyedcss.
Now, therefore in compliance with
he request, and fully concurr.n@ IN the
views Il tho S,uate, do. - this r1v
PROCLAMATION, designate aud set apart
Thur>dar, the 30th day cf April, l863.
~ dav Of national humiliation. fasting
and prayer And do hc,ehy request
al The people to abstain Oh thHt day
from tncir ordinary secu!nr pursuits, aud
to unite, ut their se9erai places Of public
worship and tier resdectise homes, it
Ike, ping the day hoi~ 10 the Lord, and
devoted 20 he humble discharge of the
religious duties proper % that solemn
occasion.
All this beiag lone in sincerity and
truth. let rs tlan rest hrm|iy in the
hope. authorized by the Divine teach
ings, that The united cry Of the nation
will he heard on high, and answered
witt! blessings. no less than the parIon
Of our national sins, and restoration Of
Our now divided and suffering country to
its former happy condition Of unity and
peace.
In witscsS whereof, have hereunto
set nv hand, and caused the sea! of the
United States to I've affixed.
Dono at the city of Washington Tins
18Th day of March, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and
sjxtv-ii,ec, and of the independence Of
the United States the eighty-seveuth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
u. sIo Droe;,E.at d..