American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-11-02
! ,h;rd and last tb0uoht presented

The third. and last thought presented
In the text. which we can but briefly con-
slider. is the reason why we should return
to God. It is this: "He hath torn. and
he will heal us: he hath smitten, and he
will bind US up" That God has torn MS
sorely. and smitten us with heavy stroke,
we know from sad and painful expert
ence The graves of hundred thous-
and of our brave countrymen, who have
laid down their lives in defence of the
liberties Constitution, and integrity Of
our loved country, abundantly attests this.
A hundred battle fields, fattened with the
lifes blood of our slain friends and fellow
citizens, gives ample evidence of this
The families bereaved, the hearts bleed
ing, and crushed with anguish, and the
ten thousand happy homes made desolate,
affords ample evipence of this The lam
entation, weeping, and great mourning,
all over our once smiling land, for hus-
bands, sons and brothers, who will return
no more, until the grave shall become
tenantless, and the sea shall give up her
dead; abundantly attest this. The wild
owed wives aud fathefless children the
halt and the MANNED the fruitful fields
made desolate and the pleasant towns
burned with fire, all show how severely
God hath torn u.s. and how hardly he hath
smitten us. But if we humbly repent
of our sins and. return unto him, he will
freely forgive us he will heal us, and
bind up our bleeding wounds. God only
can save ua. None but the arm of AL
mighty Power can rescue us from the
dangers which imperil our natioual exis-
tance, and give us complete triumph over
rebellion, and an honorable and righteous
peace. All human power and human
means are and must be vain, without the
aid of the Lord God of Hosts We have
instrumentalties in abundance, but they
of themselves will be of no avail. We
have vast armies, the power Of our coun-
try. strong, noble, brave men, well equip
ed and disciplined, and ready to dare and
to die for Union and Liberty, but this will
not suffice. We have a great and pow
erful Navy, iron-clad ships with skillful
and heroic commanders, and daring crews,
rivaling and ready toNcompete with the
proud Navy of Great Britain, once the
queen Of the seas but this will not suf-
fee. We have munitions of war in great
abundance and of every kind, but these
will not suffice. We have military skill
of very high order, but this is not
enough We have vast resources of men
and money and provisions, to defray the
expenses Of our Government, and sustain
our armies in the field, but all these will
not suffice. "The race is not to the swift
nor the battle to the strong: God setteth
up one. and puttesh down another" We
put too much confidence in men and in
means. We exat human agency and
controlling power Of the Most High. We
glorify our Generals aud forget to give
glory to the Lord our God. Let us sin
cerely return from our wanderings unto
God, and put our trust in him, and seek
help and safety from him only. The
voice of Gcd calls us saying: "Return
We backsliding children, return, and will
heal your backslidings." God is infinite
ly kind and gracious, and willing to de-
liver us IF we truly humble ourselves
befose him, and repent of our sins and
return unto him, he will have mercy up
on us He will say of us as of his people
Of old - How shall | give thee up, Eph-
rain? how shall deliver thee Israel ?
how shall | make thee rs Admahe how
shall set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is
turned within me, my repentines are kin
died together. | will not execute the
ferceness of mine anger" Hos. 11-S,9.
He is a God, That pardoneth iuiquity,
and passeth by the transgressions of the
remnant of his heritage; he rctaineth not
his anger for ever, because he delighteth in
mercy. lie will turn again and have
compassion upon us" Micah, S-1S,19.
IF then we come to him with true humil-
ity and submission, he win raise us up,
and exalt us, and maks us yet a great and
good, glorious and happy people. We
shall be his people, and God himselfshall
be our God. And Happy is that peo-
pie that is in such case: yea, happy is
that people, whose God is the Lord"