The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-01-08
The Resource of the South.

The following excellent advice in this hour
of our suffering, is from the Baltimore Episco-
pal Methodist, paper in full sympathy with
us:
The last year has been, in its merely tempo
raj aspect. one of uncommon gloom, suffering,
and disappointment to most OF our readers.
The ordinary calamities of life have been ad-
ded to mmeasuraby by the extraordinary Wis
itations of God 1t seems that the South was
destined to taste of all His bitter judgments.
War; pestilence, and famine have desolated the
land, "yet for all the hand Of the Lord Is
stretched out still. " 1.-The glory of the forest
and of the fruitful field is destroyed. That
which the palmer worm hath left, hath the To-
Gust eaten; and that which the locust hath
left, hath the canker-worm eaten and that
which the canker-worm hath left, hath the
caterpillar eaten" at is day of darkness
and of gloominess; day of clouds and OF
thick darkness" But this is not all the truth.
It is day when God is Christening those he
loves; when He is showing that His people
ARE not bastards, but sons 1t is day. for
looking back upon the life, and searching into
the heart, and drawing close to God: IT.
day of salvation to many, who, but for having
their nests broken up by the hand OF God,
And now let us take the counsel OF the
prophet whose language we have quoted, for
| it is singularly appropriate: Therefore,
saith the Lord, turn we unto me with all your
heart, and rend your heart and not your gar
ments. Blow the trumpet in Zion Sanctlfy
fast call solemn assembly. Gather the
people; sanctify the congregation; assemble
the elders ;Sgather the children; let the minis.
tiers of the Lord weep between the porch and
the altar; and let them say spare Thy people,
oh Lord, and give not Thine heritage to re-
proach. Then will the Lord pity His PEG
ple. Yea, the Lord will answer and say, Be
hold | will send you corn, and wine, and oil.
and We shall be satisfied Herewith. And 1
uoM renaoce far from you the Northern army. -
| Amenl
Now the South has no resource but prayer.
They have vainly trusted in boosted 'resour-
ces,' which once they allied their own; Their
intellect, and ststemaMIip: and wealth; and
Sys G65 p1d left bs% Now all bd faee
limited to one resource let them pray. DO
not let Satan gull any into the wretched ex-
pedient of cheating misery by reckessness. -
Sin never yet helped anybody out of sor-
row. Mirth is often the most dreary kind of
Madness The savage foolery of an Irish wake
is not an example for the great people of the
South how to deal with desolation. Mr. Jay
says prettily, eve may consider the year
before us as desk containing three hundred
and sixtyfve letters, addressed to us, one
for every day, announcing its trials and pre-
scrbing its employments; with an order to
open daily no letter but the letter for the
day. Now we may be strongly tempted to
unseal beforehand some of the remainder, but
this would only serve to embarrass us. -" We
have received many kind and comfortable let
tiers from our Father during the past year, and
some of US many very distressing ones. Let
us hope for what we pray for, in our next
years letters; and remember that if we are
faithful, we will soon receive the last letter
calling us home And there the wicked
cease from trouble, and there the weary be at
| ract ~