The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-02-17

evil, will Be The blessings that will follow
in its bloody path. As have faith in
God, and ia hnman- progress, I cannot for
a moment doubt that tEis war will be the
means of securing for the nation manifold
and incalcuble blessings. War in itself
is one Of the greatest calamities, ret in its
consequences it has often been .Qrsas
blessing. The red Demon, barbarous him
self, has been the world 5 greatest e;7ilizer.
Even the Prince Of peace says, Rhen "ye
hear Of wars and, rum0Es of wars see that
ye be not troubled, for such things must
come, There MUST, there is q NTECEssT-
TY for them. Like the opposite pOiegin
.eleetrieity good and evil -repal each other.
There must be conflict between them until
one gains the victory. The dreadful war
in which we are engaged was moral
necessity, As the lightning and Btozms
are necessary, to purify the atmosphere,
this war was necessary to purify and save
the, nation. AS 1t was necessary thai
Christ should suffer, as without the she'd.
ding of his blood there could Be no re-
mission Of SINS SO it. was necessary tina
this nation should be baptized IN the
blood Of her patriotic sons in order thAs
she might, rise to her highest destiny
among the nations Of the earth. 't--'
Now, my brothers, a few more words
and I am done. Il You have had a terribly
hard campaign Aside from marching
and fighting, the long period Of incessant
excitement and watching has been very
wearing on your nervous system. Yet
few Ofyou are sick, and mono Of you com
plain Of The hardship. Then,3 since Gsd
has kindly spared you, through 50 many
dangers and hardships will you not turn
to Him with new love and obedience 2
Has HebeeG mindful eflyou, aud can you
be fOrgetful of Him2 In the faceiof all
His goodness can you disregard his laws
and holy precepts2 ? Soldiers are not IN.
grateful. More than any other class, they
standup for their friends. Why should
they not, in the sames spirit, STAND UP foR
GoD2 As you love your commander,
you obey his known wish, even without
an order. Letit be SO IN regard to theii.
vine Commander. Hebas issued ten "GRN!
ERAL ORDERS, and many 9SPE0IAEl On.
DERs," all Of the highest importance.
Yet, how often are some Of them, especial
! Iy General. Order N0ABE THREE, violated
| by some Of you Fhoughtlessly it may
be, but thoughtlessness does not excuses 8
soldier from violating published Order.
| God has been kind and forbearinR With
US, that his goodness might lead Us to re-.
pent and turn to him. He has spared DC
from day to day, perhaps that We might
have still another to accept his offers Of
pardon and eternal life, through the merits
of the Savior. Perhaps another day, This
day, the next HoUR,=er this, may send
some Of Us on ouEfnal. fpFlOugh.I Your
work is not done, You are again IN the
/ advance, and in the face Of the foe. These
/ bursting shells have a voice more ELOQUENT
than mine to tell the uncertainty of our
lives. Then, while. you have faith in
/ your military leaders, above al things
have faith and Implicit e6nfdshee in the
Captain Of Salvation, He is the Wisest
and best of. leaders. He is chief in every
department. As a General be has al
power IN heaven and earth.7 Asa Sur-
geon be is most sympathizing, always.
willing to help and able to heal all the
maladies Of the soul. As Chief Quarter
master be wrongs no soldier nor the ser
vice for his own agrandizemen6 but all
ways has on hand liberal supplyrof tbe
best clothing, the white robes Of his oul
righteousness. As Chief ComDissary be
always has an abundant supply of rations,
food to strengthen the soul and she puFe
waters of the river of life TO- slake It's
thirst. You know what it is to be on
half or quarter rations, and to Be parohsa
with thirst on a weary march Does nos1
the soul hunger and thirst for bread 7HHd7
water that this world cannot give 4? In the
march and battle of Life does not the soul
grow faint and fatigUed, needing noufish-
ment to strengthen it for its duties, and
for bearing its constantly raocumulatiDgI
load Of cares2 And for this food be makes
no accounts against you, His stores are
even more free than Christian or Sanitary
Commission stores to the wounded. His
announcement is "HO, every one that
thirstethl Come to the waters. Buy
wine and milk WitheatmoRe and without
price, He gives out his supplies without
partiality or faVOritism. All are on a lev
el in regard to them. He would have bis
servantsand aids and orderlies 90 out and
even compel the poor, the halt, the lame
and the blind, to come and partake Of
them. As Chief Of Ordnance Depart
ment, he supplies his soldiers with the
best Of arms and amunition-7the shield of,
faith, the helmet Of hope, the syOr2 Of
the Spirit, the breast-plate Of righteous
ness. As Pay-master General, when he
shall settle up all accounts at the close Of
life's battle, he viii give every man his
reward according to his works,
On the hard march you have often been
weary 50 much 50 thatyou WsuId gladlV
drop down on pile Of stone, on. brus6,4
anywhere for bodily rest. So in hfe's
pilgrimage the soul grows weary with ita r
load Of sin and care and trial. In vain
does it seek from earthly objects its need
ed repOss. To all such. our great leader
and .exemplar says, Come unto me, and-I
viii give you rest; rest for yeur souls.
Be it ours to obtain that rest, and then
whatever may 7betide; Rhatever hardshiDs
we mhy have TO endure. We shall be e.hap-
Py-happy In ourselves aud happy in our
God, Without that ono thing needful,
there IS no happiness in any condition OE
under any circumstances Of fife,5- Lord
Byron, with his brilliant genius, and sur
rounded by wealth and luxury, and every
earthly qualification, said be had NOT BAD
ONE DOZEN HAPPY DAYS IN ALL HIS LIFE.
Near the end Of bis erratio course, he
says :-.,-s d. e.. .- ...- .-
-nAIr dnra arc In the yellow Leaf