Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-09-06
Thn YnIne or One SonI.

The value of One soul.
We believe it was Senator HASNEoAN,
who in his place in the Senate lin the
course Of the debate on the "Ten Regi-
ment Bill" answered the objection made
by Senator, to the clause providing for
the payment Of chaplains, by saying that
"if these chaplsins should saVe Jm one
soal, or administer the consultations Of re-
ligion to the sick or the dying, that all the
expense would he as nothing" Admit
ting, as we freely do. the conclusiveness
of this argument-and the consequent
great value Of one soul, what argument
can be framed or urged in justification of
the ferocious, soul-destroying war policy
Of the Administration of ABRAHAM LIN
COIN whereby so many thousands of our
race have been hurried all unprepared and
unregenerated into the presence of their
maker and their judge? There are those
we know, who are willing so far to per-
vert the requirements Of the gospel, as to
argue that God will accept the PATRIOT
ISM of the Jldier who falls in defense Of
his country as an atOnement for sin, and
in lieu of that love charity, and brotherly
kindness, and Of that general obedience to
him, which he has so oexprcssly demanded
OF his creatures. We say there are those
who, in the ianAticism of their ferociOus
thirst for blood have gone thus far in the
porversion of Gods holy religion but
we trust we are not mistaken in the hope
that such gross and fragrant infdelity can
never attain to general approval or in
dorsement And yet, we confess with
alarm and dread that such is the logical
tendency of the times. The French Re-
volution eliminated in the most shocking
phase Of infdelity which ever cursed our
race, or darkened the page of history.
No judgment, no resurrection, no God !
Death was an "eternal sleep" Infdelity
follows violence and bloodshed as natural
| ly as falsehood follows crime. Ehou
shalt not kill, is a commandment of GSd
TO man, and hence those who "kill" have
no refuge from the anger of on offended
God except within the works" Of iufdel-
ity, and there they naturally HE them.
There was no refuge for those who had
caused the Seine to run red with human
slaughter, except in the assumptions oi
atheism, and neither can there be any escape
for those who favor war and bloodshed in
1 the present terrible days, except by denial
of linn who has exhorted them to peace
fulness, and commanded them to turr
their swords into plow-shares. The idei
that Heaven will be the sure reward o
those who die upon the field of battle
bravely fighting for their flag, without any
other justification or reconciliation, is Dor
rowed from the traditions of the savages
and has no other or better foundation.
But we only meant to inquire in thi
article if the salvation of one soul is o
such importance, that no amount of none.
is too much to pay for it, what are we t,
gain by this war, as an equivalent for tn
innumerable souls it is sending to perdi
ton ? Do not tell us, that there is n,
perdition-no place where the "worn
dieth not and the fire is not quenchOd, -
for that is iyfdslity--neither tell us tina
death in battleE-or any exhibition of mer
bravery will save souls from perdition, 70
that is infdelity, too. But tell us ''tIuly
we implore" if the salvation of tn
Union, by the shedding Of blood vii
offset the loss of human souls, which, &C
eording to the plsinest precepts Of tn
gospel, the war for Union neCessaril,
, involves