Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-08-18

How We Escaped.

HOW We Escaped.
Mr.. BpIroR The pulpit and this press
are mighty powers. which rightly welded
may effect great good, and especially in
these momentous times have We a right
to expect from Our editors and ministers
bold, practical applications Of the Thrill:
ling and stirring incidents of the day.
have anxiously watched for some refer
ence TO tile manner, for example, in which
the late day F5f humiliation and prayer
was observed. The day was sugsesttd
by Congress, through the President, aid
the people were officially requested to
observe it, But alas, not even the Mil
itary and other government officials gem
eutiy regarded the recommendation.
The question therefore arises, are we as
nation determined to ignore Providen-
tial overruling and to defy the Almighty!
Our only hope is, that as ten righteous
men might have saved Sodom, so God in
his great mercy may not utterly ann'hi-
late It's as n nation for the sake OF the few
righteous people who certainly do exist
in the land and who do honuf Him Il,
this connection, however. an incident has
occurred which. in my humble opinion, Ii
most melancholy. which had apparently
no sort of show of necessity, but which
has no doubt had sad effect upon a
great mass Of the people by way of bad
example. refer to tile fact, dis publicly
stated in the papers that on the Sabbath
preceding the day of prayer Our Chief
Magistrate himself desccratdtl tito day
and defcd Gods law by leading party
on n pleasure visit to the Norfolk Navy
Yard. via City Point having left
Washington; Saturday c';clilhg. dhd r.
turned Monday morning, on this dtrdiiiIl
we asa nation of Sabbath breakers sui
Chief Magistrate luadlng off--(and Sab
bath breaking is one of our national SINS
on this account and fof many other rca-
sons, we should certainly have humblcd
ourselves as a people before the lord on
the day especially set apart for Tile if'ir-
pose, ahd perhaps If we had done so lie
would speedily turn away l,is fierce anger
from us. 1t is amazing tllu. any one,
whether Unionist or Secesh sympathizer,
could refuse observing such a day at least
in appearance by, on that day, ifnever on
any other day. attending the. house OF
God; and metllinks it should have been
the duty of all officers In command u
stations and departments not only to do
so themselves but also to ,vquirc all their
subordinates to attend; and not Ufify so,
but guards should have patfoled the
streets aud compelled all street ltafets,
pleasure seekers, and other atscfilees u
attend i. g. forcca them for once to place
themselves under the sound of the gospel
And especially is it amazing how any orr
protesting to be Christian could refuse
to unite in confessions of sin and in pray
crs for pence and for the restoration of
the Union. Is there no wish that the
desolation, distress and loss Of life should
be stayed, ere both PORTIONS Of the coun-
try are laid waste, by sword uhd fire.
Have they no charity, no love of country,
or must everything bow to the Moloch of
Slavery.
And rs to Sabbath breaking and its
consequences, l venture the opinion that
Cumberland owes its escape from rapii"
and burning to the fact that on the Sab
bath preceding their arrival in our vicinity
McC ausland's rebel horde had committed
one of the grossest and most unjustifable
outrages of the war. Having thus doub-
ly disgraccd themselves, they became
towards, (if they ever wero brave for
conscience doth make towards Of us ALL
They became panic stricken and as the
wicked who "Heo when 10 man pursu-
eth," and have been worsted in every
encounter with our troops since leaving
Chambersburg. We owe our safety t.
the orderings of tho Supreme General Of
the Universe, who cannot be Knocked with
impunity, and have thus special cause both
for thanksgiving and humiIiafion. y.