Year: 1862

] " A7htHN4V"t A. A2"N.


am not going to preach sermon, nor
dole out sanctimonious sentences. Such is
not my vocation, But still, think the peo-
pie Of this country, and, indeed the whole
civilized world must see and acknowledge
the fact that God directs this war. His
providence is not al accident At His will
nations rise and fall, and planets roll in the
beauty Of harmony IN their upper courses.
He speaks, and the windows Of the clouds
are opened and the parched earth drinks in
the bountifal shower. He declares it, and
the thunderbolts OF heaven are hurled
athwart the lowering sky in terrible fury
sending terror and dlsmay into the very
souls Of the children Of men and crushing
in their train massive piles, built up as in
destructible by the puny hand OF his crea-
lures. He mods, and tue gorgeous crest Of
the sun outspreads its briliance over the
earth, and fills with life and beauty the
whole face Of nature. At His decree the
oceans roar and toss in foam-tipped majesty,
and the purling brook sends up its gentle
music to the zephyrs. He sees the iron
winged Eagle pierce the clouds in his on
ward career toward the sun and marks the
lifeless sparrow's fall upon the bosom of its
mother dust All that is, and all that
moves, ana all that breathes, are subject 10
His holy will and exist only by reason of His
Divine and immutable law


How then can it be that the Omniscient
/ .t,
earth who holds or lets loose at will the
elements Of nature who fills all space and
directs all human destiny how can such a
powerful, just, and Holy God, stand neutral,
as it were, in this conflict between Liberty
and Slavery, in which are involved some Of
the most sacred principles which go TO make
up the divine economy, and from which flow
50 many Of the choicest blessings inwoven
| in the government Of this his chosen people
for their prosperity and happiness? Who
believes any such more than half infdel no.
ton as this Certainly no one who has
4 studied the rise and progress of this nation.
! Did God call US as people, from the depths
Of the worst form of political bondage, TO
have but an ephemeral existence, and then
abandon us to the fate Of selfdestruction
Did he sever the clanking chains Of monar-
/ chical tyranny from our bounden bodies,
that we might, ere yet q century had passed
away, be manacled with heavier and more
cruel letters, forged within our own domestic
national household by cotton lords and aris-
tocgatic trafiickers in human flesh and
bloodf Did He give unto our fathers cour-
age and wisdom and strength and endurance
to resist the power Of oppression, and con-
quer amid the sanguinary strife of bitter
war, only that they might entail upon their
posterity, anarchy, desolation, blood and
ruin while yet in the morning of their pros
1 perity, and when most they had reason TO
believe that lie had been leading them into
the paths of christian enlightenment and
universal liberty? 1t seems like sacrilege
to think SO and yet the coward rebel-trai-
tors would dare to call upon God to bless
them in their efforts to do all these things


and destroy the only form of government
bearing the divine impress, and basking in
the divine favor that has yet appeared in
the world.


But the successes Of the armies of JUS


ticei Law, and Liberty warrant us in the


belief that He refuses to hear their unholy


calls, They impress US with the conviction
that instead Of prospering, He is prostrating


their efforts, and that, by the inspiration of


patriotism and duty He is leading, unseen,


the hosts of freedom on to victorious and


speedy conquest over the enemies of His


favored people, who still cling with reveren-


tial tenacity to the government of His ap-


pointment, and the christian principles,
which, plucked from the written revelations
Of His sacred word, form the basis and chief
corner stone Of the national fabric. We


see in the mysterious results of our battle


labors, the evidences Of His over-ruling
care and we feel safe. We hear amid the
roar and din OF conflict His voice calling up
from within us all the power and energy OF
our souls, in behalf of the righteous cause
and we stand firm as n rock, while around
and about is hurled the demon-iury of mad
dened and despairing foes, whose selEinfict
F ing vengeance is hurrying them on to sure


destruction. Born and reared in the cradle


of iniquity, the curse of God follows then


whithersoever they may flee and from the
malignity of their fury and hatred arise
their direst punishment and surest means o


self-annihilation.


God loves Truth and Justice with an un
alterable love. Whether found in the calm