American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-06-07

schooled into apathy.
But when his work is done, and the
operation is successful, he puts his head
between his knees aud bursts into flood
of tears. So, while this war was upon as,
the pain Of our hearts was intense; but
we could not falter. We were forced to
be as composed as possible. And when
reverses came, and some were predicting
failure and ruin, it was necessary to 60
forward with steady perseverance. Some
even seemed to think that those of us who
had friends in the army had hardly nat
ural affaction for them. But we felt that
the sacrifice was necessary, and that ex-
pressions of grief might weaken the hands
of those whose work it was to suppress
the rebellion. Now, when the surgical
operation is performed, and the patient
relieved, we feel unnerved. The foun-
tain of our hearts is broken up. We may
weep tears partly of sorrow and partly Of
Joy, as We come before God this day.
Z The work. is done-the crisis is over
let us weep upon each others necks, and
bless our God But especial ly will we
sympathize with those whose husbands,
sons, and brothers have laid down their
lives for their country. Of this congre-
CATION we may mention Lieut. Alfred G..
Reed, and Capt VIM. Jack, who died
after receiving grievous wounds; Neyman
Beatty and Thomas Seamen, who were
killed in battle DIR. Lowman, Drvid
Walker, Capt Samuel Martin, John jam
~ NY ~, Hhorlas Nj Ia
Candies and VIM. Thorn, who died of
disease contracted in the service Thos.
s. Byers, James NJ. Byer5 and Solomon
Moser, who died under the treatment re-
ceived in Southern prisons and William
Beatty, whose death occurred, if / recol-
lect, by disease Elisha Bracken, too, was,
not long since, one Of u.s. He was. killed
in battle. Wounds, resulting in the loss
of limbs, have been received by Samuel
Walker, Francis Eastman and Jefferson
Burtner. Severe wounds by several
others About 60 members of this con-
gregation have endured the tolls and dan
gers of soldiers life. So far as | know,
they have done it cheerfully and the
most Of them have been brave and patient
soldiers God will own their services, SO
far as it has been from right motives.
We will honor our country's defenders,
and cherish the memory Of those of them
who died in the service.
If President Lincoln is to be honored
and his memory cherished as a martyr, so
will we cherish the memories of our sol
diers who shed their blood for the same
great cause. They were not so conspicu-
Gus, but in their sphere they labored as
hard and fell as honorably for their
country.
Booth aimed his weapon at the nation S
head The rebel leaders aimed their
blows at the whole nations existence.
Our sol iers stood between lis and the
blows, shielding our heads at the expense
of their own. 1t is said that tens of thou
sands of those brave men fell sacrifice.
But our tears are mingled with thanks-
giving that it was for law and right that
they fell.
A third cause for sorrow and humilia-
tion is, that our financial loss is so great,
The debt of our country has run up TO
rearly S3,000,000,000. This is some.
thing like 100 dollars for every man.
woman and child in our great Republic.
IT could not have been expected that
with four years war of such magnitude,
the debt would be much less. Tothis debt
are to be added the immense losses of
property, especially in the South, by
which lovely and and fruitful land has
been turned into desert. The spectacle
is sad indeed
A fourth cause for sorrow and humil,
iation before God is, especially the sins Of
our country, that brou9 this dire evil upon
US. do not consider SIaUery the only sin of
which we have been guilty. But its con-
nection with this dreadful rebellion, and
the cruelties committed by those who have
had special charge of the institution, show
that 1t is an evil Of the greatest magni-
tude.
DR.. Boardman says, " We must all
reprobate its agency in stimulating the
leaders of this rebellion to their assault
upon the Union"
He also says, " that it has produced an
untold amount ofevil, physical and moral. "
No doubt this is true, that after all that
has been said, in the pulpit and by the
press, the " amount of evil produced" by
slavery is untold" No tongue can tell
it. Our own General Assembly reiterates
the action Of A. d. 1918, in A. d. 1864
thus: " We consider the voluntary en-
shaving of one portion of the human race
by another as gross violation of the
most precious and sacred rights of human
nature, as entirely inconsistent with the
law OF God, which requires us to love our
neighbor as ourselves, and as totally ir-
reconcilable with the spirit and principles
of the Gospel of Christ, which enioins
shat all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to
them"
Slavery creates paradox in the moral
system. 1t exhibits rational, moral and
accountable beings in such circumstances
as scarcely to learn them the power of ac-
tion 1t exhibits them as dependent on
the will of others, whether they shall
receive religious instruction; whether they
shall know and worship the true God;
whether they shall enjoy the ordinances
OF the Gospel; whether they shall per-
form the dnfias and cherisb tba andaar