Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-03-12
1flistGl lannon's
From the Christian Advocated
Providence in Our War.

To discern and accept GoD'S wish and de-
sirn in given event is TO half aschleve sue
cess. To fail TO see this, or, see mg it, refuse
10 forward that design, is TO take guarantee
for ruin. To say that Con has no design TO
be Developed in this great ciVl war, IS TO de,
ny his interest in man, which is deuying his
SentIent existence.
It requires little wisdom to see The moving
Of bis hand in this war, less 10 sec tue design
to be ultimately accomplished. Seeing the
struggle as inevitably coming as punishment
follows sin, be graCiSOus!y prepared Us Tor IT,
1t is tue we were uuprepared, SO lar as hu-
nau foresight had made ready for success !;
buI better preparation was al hand made oy
Providence, divine and direct.
The normal Staa Of society shows slight
excess Of the female over the male sex. Bot
!0T the terrible s!aughters 10 which we were
to be subjected, and the society might be IN
its normal condition for prosperity at the end
0i the war, Con provides an access Of seven
hundred thousand males in the Northern
States. He opened gold fields in abundance; !;
for without gold no war can be waged. Cur
Iency he made stable, business thrive, and
Starvation he kept at bay. We were IN tar
way to Squaudtr it all on our vanltles, senutng
Il abroad. just previous to the war an un
pFeCedented crop of cereals at home aud tau
ure Of crops abroad made the world oar deot-
OrS, and gold flowed back in readiness Tor the
struggle TO come The same was repeated a
second year. binding the nations to keep the
peace when their leaders longed to interiere
Good men recognized the providence, and
SAW what great blessing for the nation GoD
designed TO bring from this terrible outbreak
Of tbe wrath Of man. But the nation would
not see it. Politicians denied if not the right,
yet the wish Of Cop to interfere in the strng
gle, least of all, to so interfere as to bring lib
erty to the slave. But bis design was unaI
terably fixed from the first. Ruiu or freedom
for all were the only alternatives set before
th nation. 1t could follow either path at
will.
Itchose a viciIation between the two !;
varied fortunes followed but on the whole
utter disappointment. The marked successes
Of the spriLg of 1862 caused the nation to
forget G OPS design Gen. Halleck was for
getful of it in the West, Mcclellan in the East.
and the President revoked Gen. Hunters or
der of emancipation in the South.
This was too much Summer followed, the
terrible battle simmer of 1862, when We were
temiuded Of our refusal to co operate in GoD S
designs by such q succession of disasters as
would have ruined any nation that GoD had
not determined to sustain. That be did sus-
tain while be punished, who can doubt Moth
ing but a severe aud special storm among the
bills prevented the junction Of Lee with Jack
son, the annibilation of Pope, and the capture
Of Washington before the possible arriv al of
Mcclellan.
A victorious army on the borders of the free
states couSpred, with sense OF unknown
disaster, to make the nation ready to accept
Cons plaa And so with the first flush OF du-
olous victory came a promise, welcome only
oy necessity, to follow in the path of Cons
Command.
Disaster ceased, and confidence justly re-
tOFned But good men feared that no success
could come till the promise was redeemed
tne poor slave no longer prayed for s-ccess TO
Tue northern arms, for the measure of that
success would be the measure of continued
bIndage.
Meanwhile the North poured out its mighty
masses of men. Every pint was reinforced.
toelpcieDt officers were taken from commapds