The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-24
Leading Editorials from the New York
Papers This Morning.
THE WAR AND TUE CMRIsTTANITy
or IISE LAND.

THE WAR AND TUE CHRISTI ANITY
or 1EE LAND.
Il is most significant thing that tho religious
and mora element Of the nation is precisely the
element which is strongest for war. The fact ia
iudisputahle. It is no. only manifest to every
man within his own sphere Of observation. hut it
has its official proof in the emphatic resolutions
approving the war, which have been adopted by
nearly oycry great ecclesiastical organization
with entire or almost Cutiro, uuguimiiv
IL found an irreprCssibc uttcrsucs in the an
nuaI meeting of the American Board Of Foreign
MISSIONS the other day, in Worcester, the largest
religious association in America, when this fact
being announced that out of more than one
thousand missionaries abroad thorc was not one
VINO was not sustaining the cause Of national
unity and human freedom, with sympathy aud
prayer, the great gathering Of four thousand
clelgmen and lGyme from all paris OF the
Moth, united 20 a man in & regular vote that the
Government must be sustained and the Rebel
lion crushed. There arc about one hundred and
htty religious newspapers in the loyal States
Nine cut Of tn of 'h,m are out spoken for Lincoln
Th,re are about twenty-five thousand clergy
men ~ tie loyal states Of this number there
arc probably not fvr hundred who are not for tho
reelection Of our President OF course, an abso
luto uuauimity, with human nature as il is, must be
impossible. There are some minds so curiously
made up that even the sracc Of God cannot pre-
vent their sticking limpet-like, to the past There
weretory clergymCn in the Revolution and godly
men too There were bishops ia England who
Clung 10 the slave-fraie to the last And who ON
the episcopal bench in Parliament, voted against
WilberiOTcc's resolution, that the sayo-trade was
Inconsistent with justice, humanity, and sound
policy"
There are ministers Of the gospel. and even
doctors Of divinity, here in the North, who wor-
ship slavery even after it is Dead as the priests of
Isis Old their sacred crocodile. Such executions
are always sure to exist, butthc anomlly is rather
mental than moral II has little moral conse-
'quence. The fact still stands, that the whole
force of the religious and moral sentiment OF the
country is on the sla Of the Baltimore platform,
and against that Cf Chicago.
This Is q Tremendous power. Whatever the
combinations or the wiles of politicians Il is the
sober thoughuulnesS OF the religious element
that, more than any other gives public opinion
Its final direction. Politicians may oyerbear /,
for time They did so in 1854, when, against
the protest Of thrty-Eyo hundred New Englaud
clergymen, and of one hundred and ifty of the
ostpromineut ofthe ciergymen of this city, they
repealed the Missouri Compromise. The remoa-
STRANGE was that the act not only opened the door
to an unrighteOus extension of slavery but hat
It would produce alienation Of feeling between
different sections OF our beloved country, great
agitation, and gerilouS dssensiOn"
The majority in Congress turned a deaf ear
They repealed tue compromise at the bidding of
the slave power, and the result was a train of
consequences that led straight TO this bloodiest
Rebellion the world ever saw. Unit rs it is for
preachers of the gospel to mingle in the ordinary
political brois of the day vet when vital princi-
pies are involved, when the life of the country is
at stake-in these great juncturcs when passion
and prejudice should be hushed, and calm dis
cretion rule the hour, IL is every way meet that
Christian ministers, who are isolated from the
political arena, whose calling il Is TO study those
great principles which are the only true elements
OF national IS well Gs individual safety and pros
perity, should speak, and boldly too. They have
spoken most nobly Tor the Union, and have every
where found response in the Christian senh-
ment of the people
How are we TO account for this extraordinary
accord in the support Of This war by men who
preach religion Of peace II President Lincoln
has, as his opponents say, kent the country in
this sea OF blood without necessity OF reason, how
should il happen that the very class of the COM
munity which is trained 10 have the greuest alb.
horrence of blood, should he the very class that
most unitedly sustain him Has some sudden
blindness seized them, that they can no longer
distinguish between good and evil Are their
hearts turned 10 murder, that they should cling
to the dripping sword, rather than accep. the
olive branch
The religion Of this land is no such mockcry.
IL Sustpins thi7 war; because IL has always been
accustomed TO estimate law az the vital force
without which no Government either human or
divine, can exist and because itwell understands
that force alone can save law whom law is defied.
II di.Cerus mat there is no such thing as con-
pounding with reHoll!on wi GOu. sacrificing law,
and thai all The peace that could be gained by any
Of the Niagara Chicago devices would only be a
deusiou ana snare. Il yeatGs for peace with
an intensity nowhere exceeded; but only for that
true and solid peace which vindcaied Cons dtu-
tiOn alone can give.
Moreover, il has the heart to abhor slavery as
il deserves. 1t finds joy IN the prospect OF the
absolute and final destruction Of ofsavery, and has
been drawn with all the greater confidence TO
Mr.. Lincoln, because he has not spared that
accursed source OF all our woes. Every moral
consideration Is on the side of the war; and it Is
this which imparts an irresistible strength to the
war party. The loyal sentiment of tho laul has
much TO 90 with this persistent fighting OF rebel
lion to the death, but tue loyal conscience OF the
land more yet