Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-10-03
NEW VOL. 3O---NO. so.
despotism of rs years.

despotism of rs years.
Iearnestly desire for the North stabls
government with fee aud prosperous
people, but with universal suffrage, whica
as the population becomes crowded, wilt
more and more make the lower stratum
of society the government, my only hope
even for freedom to worship God" IS
in the evangelization of the masses, not
only of our own people, but of the in
flowing millions of ignorant, vicious but
immediately naturalized foreigners. The
South has proved that the Constitution
cannot protect US from secession and
the present Administration aud the pres
ent Congress has proved that 1t cannot
protect us from the most revolutionary
acts. Our security then is III the charac-
ter of the maSScS-the majority OF whom
in all countries as soon as they become
deusely populated are poor people. un-
less they have that capacity for seli-re-
straiut which religion alone can give,
they will either act without law or speed
ily make laws TO suit. This will soon
produce anarchy-6rSt III large cities
aud manufacturing districts in times OF
scarcity and from these ccnters II will
spread.
But war in Republic-more than any
where elsc-not only paralyzes the work
of cvangeliziug the people, but breaks
up order and law and all the ordinary
powers of restraint and rapidly augmenis
the dangerous classes. To get up wars
to kill them off as despotic governments
are some times charged with doing will
not do here. War will make more than
il will kill. Weare driven then TO peace
for our security aud to the arts OF peace
under which that religion can flourish
which alone can save US from passing
through the most sanguinary revolutions
TO strong government not of the people.
Macauley as you arc aware and the
wisest political philosophers OF Europe
who nevertheless wish we'll TO our expe-
rimcut, think we maSfpass through the
process by the close of this century or
early in the next at fartheSt Let us not
| prccipitate il by war.
The first rush of favor which the church
gave to this war seems To me to have
been in the hour aud power OF darkness
and that no event in history was calcu-
lated to produce 50 serious a doubt OF
the truth Of christianity itself as the re-
corded speeches and acts of some OF the
ministers of religion in reference to It.
That these speeches aud acts will be
bitterly rcpented ofby all lwho have truly
submitted themselves TO the gospel OF
! Christ. | do not doubt. or that their re-
pentance will find forgiveness OF Heaven.
but not, alas, in time to prevent that de-
struction that they have contributed To
produce.
Assuming then that we differ about
the cxpediency of continuing the war
(which cannot beieve), if II be probable
that in your situation would think as
| YOU do, IL ~ CGTtain ana, y"~ s~ minc
would think as do, forI was Que OF the
last $50 far rs know the very last OF
our clergy who yielded to the conviction
that a separation was not only inevitable.
but under the circumstances best.
In our daily prayer meetings here for
peace which have continued for more
than four months we do not presume to
bring TO the throne OF grace any con-
dtions OF peace, but have at least tried
to be willing to accept any conditions
which God in his providence should de-
termine.
Praying that your own homo may never
be reached by the calamities which have
reached and desolated so many Of ours,
ain with all the sincerity and affection
of former years, yours in the iaith aud
as hope in the Spirit Of our Lord Jesus
| Christ
{. w. ANDREWS.