The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-07
Pray for Our Afflicted Land.

The opening week of the year has
been set apart, for many years past,
as. d season of prayer. BY common
consent, the churches in our land and
in all Christian lands, meet together
to supplicate the mercy of the Giver
of all good. The custom is rational
one, and if properly observed, cannot
fail to increase the spirituality and
power of the Christian life. The need
is great, and the promises made to
united and preserving prayer are
many. And that individual Christian
or church, which makes the first week
Of the year week Of sincere and ear
nest prayer, will surely find rich re-
ward in the year that follows. The
year that has just opened presents a
special reason for a week of prayer.
Never perhaps, in the history of the
race, has the existing condition of
things uttered a louder call to fervent
prayer. than that which confronts the
opening of the year 1894. The whole
world is in ferment. A spirit of un-
rest has taken possession Of the ma
tions. Almost every civil government
is in the midst of a great crisis, or
trembling in the fear of impending
danger. This is especially true of our
own nation. 1t enters upon the new
year under dark cloud Of depression,
doubt and gloom. All its Industries
are crippled, its manufactures at rest,
the currents of business stagnant. in
comes diminished, individual and na-
tional revenues falling off, business
failures multiplying, great army of
laborers out of employment, the cities
and towns thronged with needy and
suffering poor, and the end not yet.
In the meantime the National Govern
ment, which is in some measure re-
sponsible for the existing condition of
things, having, at least, precipitated
the business depression by AN unwise
determination to change at once the
governmental policy toward the in
dustries of the nation, is struggling in
q vain effort to eXtricate itself and the
imperilled interest of the land from
their present embarrassments., And it
is becoming painfully evident that the
economic problem is too much for the
combined wisdom of the legislative
and executive departments of the gov
ernment. They are manifestly cropping
in darkness. The way of relief has
not yet been disclosed to their vision.
And there is great danger that this
legislative cropping in the darkness
may lead to still greater disaster before
the light comes. And the moral con-
dition of the country, is little, if any
better tar the material. The great
national evils of Sabbath-descration,
the liquor traffic, and general lawless-
ness still prevail. The spirit of an
archy il abroad in the land. AS statis-
tics show, vice and crime are ON the
Increase. The past year furnishes a
larger list of murders and suicides,
than ahy previous year in our history.
The number of divorces granted dur
ing the past year indicates a most de-
plorable condition of family life. The
highwayman, the assassin, the bank
robber have become almost recognized
and accepted elements in our business
and social life. Great masses of our
population are living away from the
churches, without the teachings of
the Bible, "without God and without
hope in the world" And as a natural
and inevitable consequence, lawless-
ness, riot, aud social disorder are be-
coming so common as to scarce elicit
remark. And for all this there Is but
one remedy. "The grace Of God that
bringeth salvation to all men, teach
ing US that denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously and Cody in this evil
world" is the one thing needful. And
this comes from God, through the gos-
pei. But just in the present emer-
gency, a great responsibility rests upon
our national authorities. They are the
responsible agents through whom re-
lief must come in the emergency that
is upon the land. For them therefore
constant and fervent prayer should be
made by the Christian citizens of the
nation. They need that wisdom which
cometh down from above. And that
wisdom is given in answer to prayer.
Let prayer be made continually for
Congress and all in authority. And
let us confess our sins as Christian cit
izens. In government, whose rulers
are chosen by the people, the people
share in the sins of the rulers. And
even Christians have large respon-
sibility for the present distress. Let
US confess our sins, and return to God,
in penitence, while we pray for the
divine guidance for our rulers and law
makers.-W. J. Robinson, in States
man.