The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-09-08
Il GREAT Union PRAYER MEETING.
]. -. an.,I 1plnrA Sent. . 1866.

a Union PRAYER meeting was held this
evening at the rooms of National Union
Climb on Chesnut-st., near Twelfth. Inc
rooms were packed, most OF those present pc
inc delegates to the Convention. The dl1-
ferent delegation thought this mode OF spend
ing the evening better one than converslng
in their committee-room.
Hon. Ira Harris, in opening the exercises,
| said that we had assembled In devononal
exercises previous to our meeting in the de
alterations of an important convention, the
results of which would affect essentially,
perhaps vitality, our afflicted and distracted
country. What could be more appropriate
than that upon this evening of the christian
Sabbath we should meet to commend the
country to that God who has so slgnally
favored us in the trials through which we
have passed, and plead with him that he
will not desert us as we enter upon new and
unexpected trials Prayer was then offered
by the Rev. Dr. Newman OLA. Mr.. Eaton,
of Memphis remarked that in connection
with any great civil question there was
special fitness in the American people seek
| ing counsel from on high, because the hber-
ty which we enjoy and which has been Vim
Dictated by such patriotism and by blood was
first developed on these shores as religious
liberty of conscience, and out oft sprang the
idea of free and representative government
1t was fitting that we should seek guidance
from above, from the fact that the Church
| OF the SOuCn mas Dcen one VI Iue SICtC
cies and supporters@of Rebellion. The cler-
| gy of the South were using the arguments
and influence to-day that theywere using be-
fore the war; They teach now, as they did be-
| fore the war, that the negro is beneath the
man. They would not profit by the expert
ence of the past, nor listen to the teachings
of the present. We could only leave themto
that God who was able to make even the wrath
of man to serve him. The Rev. MIR. Con-
way, of La, then engaged in prayer. Senator
Lane of Indiana trusted that although he
was stranger to the sacred cause OF Christian
civilization In the advocacy of which they
had assembled, he would not desecrate the
occasion by any allusion which could prove
| offensive to those who differed with him, and
| vet he felt there was much to hope for and
pray for by Christians of the United States.
| He felt that he was bound to those around
him by the ties of christian brotherhood, and
in the hope ola common redemption through
| a common Savior.
After five wears of terrible conflict, and the
martyrdom of 300 900 soldiers we had come
| in sight of the promised land, and we should
now see to it that the fruits of that conflict
| and the purchase of that blood were not lost
to us through the treachery of mean, false
prophets. Though the land was crying for
peace while there was yet no peace, for in the
South a legal convention was dispersed in
| New-Orleans because of RIO, the streets OF
Memphis had flown with the blood of the
only loyal men there left. But recently in
| Maryland men of God, while kneeling in
prayer, had been slaughtered by ruffians-
All this blood had been she'd by the wild
spirit evoked by slavery. There was yet
no peace We should pray for it. We
| should pray also that our rulers may be en-
dowed with wisdom from on high. We
should stand firm, not as politicians, but as
! Christians, to secure the triumphs of right
| eousness and peace, and the prevalence OF
truth and religion. A kind Providence had
guided US through five years of war. To
Him we owed our deepest gratitude. We
have had an intelligent, able and patriotic
press. We owed much to it, and to the cler-
gy notwithstanding the signal OBJECTIONS of
some of these clerical teachers to whom we
had looked with Difference and respect. The
people generally were patriotic. Let them
see to it that they had piety as well as patri-
otism-tha they prayed as well as spoke
and acted-and the country would be saved.
Mr.. Strong of St. Louis desired to press
one idea upon the assemblage We were ev-
er ready to recognize the hand of God in the
great events of the world, but were too prone
| to underestimate Gods dealings in minor at
fairs. 1t had been easier for us to recognize
! that God was on our side when we were sue
cessful in battle. But we should have felt
that he was not the less with us in defeat and
danger God gave defeat in the battle of
ness of the struggle before us and be melted
! to greater eXertion. God had brought us thus
far in safety. He would not desert US now.
He did not believe that the great controversy
was intended to leave the destinies of the ma
| ton in the hands of men who would carry
us back half century in the race of progress.
God had higher work for US, and would
help us to do it, if we look to him for
help.
Here Horace Maynard of Tennessee said,
that on one occasion Mr. Webster when ask
ed what was the most important question
that had ever engaged his attention, replied:
" My own personal responsibility to God.'
He knew of no occasion where men taking
part in public affairs, and who professed faith
in God and the redemption which He had
promised to mankind, should feel these great
questions more strongly and consider them
more earnestly than those present. 1t was a
time when no one could fail to understand
that there God that moved among the
inhabitants of the earth and welded the des-
TIMES of nations and of empires. 1t had been
well said during the struggle we have just
passed through that the hand of Divine Pow
er was so obvious that men bowed in sub
mission and said this control is not fOrnaught,
it is to accomplish great and important re-
suit. Could they fail to understand, in view
of the events of the last Winter and Spring,
that the same power was still working for
the accomplishment of purposes that still lay
in the future They had seen the country
just on the eve of a permanent, secure, unfal
tering peace. Yet, just as it was about to be
accomplished, they had seen hand inter
pose, and the result still in the indefinite
future, showing that there were yet purposes
in the divine mind, and they must bow rev.
erently until his will was accomplished, at
the same time doing that which seemed to
them right There was no ground for dis
couragement or despair. They might be
perplexed, and they were, but when they saw
much had already been done, they knew
that the same hand that had brought them
thus far in safety would carry them still fur
ther to happy and safe consummation.-
They must trust in God and to the high pur-
poses which he had formed concerning them.
He knew that the human mind was incredu-
lous, full of unbelief, ready to distrust when
it's own resources failed, Instead of fix
ing itself firmly on divine support. 1t was
part of the common inirmity of our nature
that infrmity which we should pray to
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