Year: 1862

property and extend protection to their own oppressed
and prosecuted citizens. Not single intraeton OF
their constitutional rights by the National Government
could be produced by those who took up arms and un-
sheathed the sword If grievances had existed there
were peaceable modes of redress. But there were
none that could be alleged against the duly chosen
authorities And these authorities must either see their
country dsmembered and ruined, its flag grossly IN
suited, its citizens wronged, imprisoned and compelled
by terror to aburo their native allegiance, must submit
to movement of dsintegration and insubordinaon to
which no limit could be set or they must exert the
power with which they had been entrusted. Armed
rebellion must be resisted rightfu authority asserted
and the integrity of the nation maintained against fraud
and force, menace and violence When under such
circumstances battle is joined it is the side the
exercise of lawful rulefor the word OF God hath said
of the Magistrate, lie beareth not the sword in vain
On the other side it war; and of the most unust
fable character causeess, aggressive insurrectonary
and sedtous.


If we should 60 deeper into the moving causes of this
rebellion should find still more conclusive proof of
the justice of quarrel This do not propose to do
here, but will merely say that if in the providence of


the Almighty, the issue of this struggle shall be the
end of institution which has borne these perncous
aud baefu fruits the fountain of these bitter streams
the one great of strife among those whom
many bonds and interests couspe to draw together; of
that which has been reproaoh among the nations of
the civilized world the glarng contradiction to our
boasts of liberty, the blot upon Christiany if such
shall be the issue, then do believe there will be praise
among the angels of God and joy in heaven.


| cannot doubt then on which side of this contest is
nOy GOu. W. make our appeal without a shadow OF
misgivng to the Judge of all the earth, Him who is
respecter Of persons, to Him who hath ordained the
magistrate His minister tor good to Him who is the
protector of the helpless and oppressed to Him who
has represented the shedding of innocent blood
foul and grevous sin.


For the vast numbers of our misguided and deceived
telowcountrymen who filling the ranks of the
belon and manifesting q courage and endurance
worthy of better cause, should entertain nought
but kindly feeling. Many of them are reluctantly,
many of them under strong deusion enlisted in the
strife. The Lord hasten the time when we may meet
in fraternal embrace, and renew old bonds of friendship
and brotherhood My tears ready to ow their
desoated hearths and ravaged fields But no words of
condemnation too for the rngeaders of this
revolt; for the arch consprators and midnight potters
who abused the power confded to them by unsus-
pectng generous people, to undermine the foundations
OF the State and subvert their cherished institutions for
the lnt1ammatory writers who applied the torch to
knde this confagration aye, and the ordained minis
tiers of the gospel of Jesus Christ who have attempted
to sanetlty this enormous crime against humanity and
God and who have made the Christian pulpit the apollo
gist for treason Upon such men charge the guilt of
this terrible warfare and all the misery that flows from


it. Let them answer they for all this havoc for
murdered men, widowed wives, bereaved parents
phaned Children and souls sent unprepared to their
count, for the weeping and waing that resound in
many once happy homes, and for the nfaming of the
worst passions of the human heart widely and so
iercey.


desire not to dwell on SO unwclcome a theme, but l
would impress the truth that though the urid fires of
war still light up mountain, river, and may and
ought to glonty our God; glory Him for the merces
multiplied and rich that still flow on to us in un-
Interrupted channels glory Him for the examples of
heroic selfdeyoton and generous sympathy energetic
charity and uncomplinng patience that have shone


forth in the night Of our caamities; gorfy Him that
the cause in which suffer the OF right Justice
and mercy and that we have such clear grounds for
our confidence that we are on the Lords side.


Ifi were his will that the nation should go down in
this struggle let her go down as the Cumberland did,
with the flag of right and freedom flying at the mast.
head. But She will go down. He who hath done
such great things in times past will not forsake now
He who hath permitted the flames to kndle is able to
quenc them. Whatever betide, we will not let
go our trust in Omnipotent Protector. However
spreading the conhagraton and scorchng the heat let
us gorify the Lord in the fires" And grateful for
mercul preservation, let our hearts and hands
be freely open relieve the suffering and to succor the
destitute "Blessed is he that consdereth the poor
the Lord shall deliver him in time OF trouble"