Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-07

The duty and responsibility of the individual
citizen is most forcibly portrayed in the following
extract from an editorial in the New York Jour
nal Of Commerce upon Thanksgiving sermons"
The day of thanksgiving is day on which to
remember every cause OF gratitude We are by
no means, sure, however that the men who stand
up in pulpits and tell of this that particular
national sin, know anything more about that
subject than do we. III they confne themselves
to individual sins and individual responsibilities
we can understand them, and they have a right to
bear Gods messages TO the soul of man But
some of them speak of national responsibilities,
national sins and national punishments in way
that leads US to believe theywould consider steam
engine moral agent, and that il their
duty to bear their message to that grand result
of mans ingenuity. and warn it not to be EN-
pioved IN doing evil Without discussing the
question how far God deals with nations as az
| generations of responsible men, or why He
permits some idolatrous dynasties TO last for cen
turtles, and overthrows some pr0fessedly Christian
nations in the very da~n of their existence we
may relieve our minds of a great perplexity by
remembering that our relations to Hin are per
sonal relations. our sins are our own. and our re
wards Some clergymen will to-
dav waste a deal of precious breath in talking
about national sins and Gods dealing with the
nation. These are ignorant meddlers with Gods
mysteries-these men who preach gospel they
have never received from heaven. and Who in
stead of going with their message to men,
To whom they were sent. go with it to govern
ments and powers and States to which they were
never sent. Who commissioned these men TO
preach TO the United States-to warn the United
States OF righteousness, temperance, and judg
ment to GOMEZ When they reach the bar Of
God will they be met there by the United States
of Amerieaf or will they see any accredited rep
=. .
hear the doom OF the American Union7 If we
have read the Bible Alright these human inven-
tons. called nations, these princpalities and
States and Unions and governments will have
vanished like the dream of night, and men will
stand nakei at that bar TO answer each for him
self. and only for himself and his own sins.
Where is the common sense of this foolish race
of preachers? Did Christ die for Judea, or for
Rome, or for the empire OF France, Great Britain
the United States, New York; Is the atone
ment applicable 10 n nation or people? Mayit
not be just possible that, in the wisdom and mer-
CIV OF God, Tie may destroy the American Union
and sweep its very memory from existence as
means of saving to himself some Door soul? l.
not that one soul. thus saved. worth more in His
sight than thousand American Unions worth
more than whole world. Let the clergymeD
who afflicted with the insane notion that they
are sent. AS were the prophets of old. with spe-
cial messages TO nations and thrones, subside into
the true limits Of their mission, and talk to poor
sinful men. and they may do some good. But
when they talk to nations. they might as well
talk 70 stea mship on the ocean, which goes
: plungipg along under the care of a score or a
hundred men. and which the breath OF rhe Al
mighty may overwhem in an instant. while he
summons the individuals to His bar to answer as
. individuals. . -t5..s 80 ,.f..isi ~. + -
To-day, then. let men seek and find abundant
causes for thanksgiving IL themselves, their per.
sonal history, their individual relations and bless
ings.z IL we are called on 10 show causes Of ma
tional thanksgiving, we may be 10 difficulty. We
know nothing of what God intends to do with our
nation, We see no such brilliant lights In the
future as TO lead US to be certnin that this Is q
! time for the nation TO give exuItant thanks to
God for evidences of his intention TO save il from
ruin On the contrary. Tho state Of the country
calls rather for prayer that the threatened de-
structioD NAV be averted.i Sc ~ a.
But every individual Of has thousand
, causes for deep hearty gratitude. Whatever ruin
overtakes the nation, whatever national suffering
} or uIsion IL impending. through all the dust
Of strife, the masses Of falling structures, the very
mire and blood Of the conflict, every one Of ms
may fni the pure, clear stream Of blessing flow
ing calmly unfailing. and each BY bis own spring
may knssl and be refreshed and grateful. teh