The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1864-03-16
The Preachers Duty in Time Of
Civil WRf.

| attempt not now, never have attempt.
ed. while exercising the office OF your spirit
ual teacher, to iRpart lessons OF political es
economy, to make intamuatory appeals to
your patriotism, or to stimulate the passions
OF conflict. | am very free to say, that res
gard such things as an abuse Of privilege, az
derogatory 70 the Office and work OF the
Christian minister, as betrayal Of the trust
you have reposed in Inc to whom you should
look alone for guidance in your pilgrimage to
heaven. The pastor Of souls is not the man,
the Church consecrated 10 the sole service
and worship Of God is not the place, for the
argument of secular issues. Too much OF
this, too much Of this already for the infu>
ence Of the ministry. the spiritual welfare Of
the people, and the good OF the country
! High and clear above all the sounds OF the
earth, like the pibrocb piercing the air Of tho
| Highlands, must the Christian clarion sound
its call to arm for the veal OF the soul and
the honor OF Jesus. leave for others that
for which have no time, no talent, no vo.
cation, while the cause Of Christ and the
soul are committed to me as one Of the
watchman on the walls Of Zion. And through
the popular mind now is warped by the strsir
and pressure OF an exactiDg sentiment, the
tday will come Cor ''the Word Of our God
endureth Tor ever,"J when we shall have
return to the simplicity OF gospel preaching,
when inhammable themes shall be excluded
from our pulpits, when the altar shall not be
tribune oi the people, when congregations
shall not gather for political instruction and
secular meditation, but simply TO receive the
lively otacles Of God, which are only able to
make them "wse unto salvation"
2e r lnfa -,
time OF peace to prepare for war, so let it DO
maxim Of the Church, 10 time Of war to
prepare for peace. Through God not only
"giVeth songs in the night" yet herarfter
will He give us Psalms for the morning aud
Hymns for the MONDAY. And may not
some melodies be wsrblei now ny our o%n
conscious souls, other than those which Hc
give'h? Is it not time to cease our evil
speaking Of each other, our suspicious, our
false judgments? Shall We not open our
arms once more to embrace the rieod whose
| sympathy and love we have frozen by ous
ICY manner, or forfeited by our open hostiti-
ties? How long, God! how long shall our
Christian charity refuse fellowship TO thoss
who only differ from us in questions we
shall ignore in death and forget in eternity
| Let us, on this day when we come to thank
Sod for his preserving care, and acknowl-
edge with gratitude, His chastening, let III
bury deep in the grave of forgiveness ths
petty an,mosi,ss which bsve embittersd our
lives and suspended our growth in grace
Here we are, standing in the vestibule oil
death, our friends each day passed within its
gloomy portal to return no more, and yet We
are wrangling with bretbern around us the
questions which convulse the land we are
leaving. Let as rise to higher levels oi
thought, to more loving forms OF lie, to the
more momentous interests given Us to guard
! The greater our freedom from passion the
greater onr liberty, the purer our faith the nc.
bier our patriotism, the more loving and long
suffering our human hearts the sooner will
| they thrill responsive to tho joyous strains
OF peace. Be this then the theme Of oer
song in the night ofour national sorrow, and
soon the darkness shall be lifted, the orient
shall ki die to beauty, and the morning Of
peace make glad the hearts 0 four people. -
The "songs OF the night" shall be changed
to the anthems OF day, and the voice OF
thanksgiving sent upward to God the refrain
Of the soul --"weeping may endure for tho
night, but joy come'h in the morning -.
The Rev. N. II. Sctsncs's Thanksgiving Day
| Sermon. ...'.