Year: 1862

We have fallen upon troublesome times
While some hearts are bleeding under
bereavemsnts caused by the present strife
others are aching with anxiety for the
objects Of their love who are girded for
the battle, and prepared to 90 forth to
the field of blood. First obliged to part
with Injuries, comforts were afterwards
removed from beyond our reach, aud now
we must content ourselves with homely
neeessaries. Homesteads have been
abandoned an d the in mates obliged to take
refuge from the spoiler under tho roofs of
strangers. Those Who counted their
possessions by thousands, have been re.
duced to want, and many contemplate
with disquieted minds the probability of
being deprived of those means whereby
they maintain wife and child.


We arc now experiencing souIe of the
evils of war, and we feel that they are
the most terrible of the rods which God
stretches over people in punishment of
their wickedness. We must not over.
look the vital fact that our trans gressious
aud obstinacy and ingratitude h,ve caus-
cd the Judge of all the earth to iufict
upon US this, the heaviest of all calami.
tiles. 1t is true that all arc not guilty to
the same extent many are free from the
more heinous iniquities, and, in compar-
ison with atrocious offenders appear right
eous and holy. But none of us are uu-
accused by conscience, aud the smallest
transgression kindles the wrath of Heav.
Ell and deserves eternal punishment -
Mere temporary evils, such as effect the
bod y-no matter how numerous and how
grievous-cannot atone for the most in
different misdemeanor or delinquency
for every sin is an Insult and indignity
offered to Jehovah, an open expression of
contempt for his authority, breach of
his honor. Every infraction of Divine
law is an act Of rebellion, which, unless
repented of and forgiven, the Amigh
Sovereign must punish with fitting retri-
button.


The judgments We are grcaning under
have been visited upon is in our national
capacity. The transgressions which have
cried to heaven against US, and made the
Divine anger to burn as a dcvouring
fame, are the iniquties and omissions of a
people. And this terrible aggregate is
made up Of individual sins How meal,
culable their number What terrible
force stands arrayed against US If we
are appalled, and distressed when We count
over the offences we commit in a single
day, or when we call to mind the sins of
which others are guilty, what terror must t
seize our souls when We contemplate the
long black catalogue of crimes which the
recording angel has written down against
US a nation


If God permitted tho chosen people to
nee before their enemies, becanss one of
them had INDUCED his sordid love for
lucre, and slew seventy thousand persons
because their king had yielded to the evil
promptings of pride and vain glory, of
how severe punishment are We worthy
who have piled up sins until they reach
to heaven.


When We consider the number and
enormity Of our trausgressions, we are
obliged to acknowled &c that our suffsrings
have thus far been Eght-that there is
no proportion between our crimes and the
affecting rod. And this knowledge sho'd
cause us to apprehend yet many direful
calamities, if We continue to provoke
God to anger by breaking His holy CON-
nandmeuts and refusing to amend our
ways. 1t is made tho bounden duty of
US all to confess and forsake our sins
We must break to pieces the idols We are
worshipping in the stead of God; We
must sever the bonds that bind us to
vicious habits We must weep bitter tears
over our transgressions and shortcomings
and beseech God, with strong cries and
groans, to blot out our iniquities, and
grant us grace whereby We may walk be-
fore Him in the exercise of lively faith


in the practice of every virtue in the
performance of every duty


We are disposed to murmur at the
evils We are called upon to bear. Itseems
hard, according to our foolish way of
thinking, that in the prosecution of a
purpose so noble and just as the one
which has forced US into the present con-
test, we should be required to endure so
many privations, hardships and woes
If We will consider the iniquities and
sins which have lighted the fire of Gods
anger-their number, their blackness,
their wantonness-we will be smitten
with dumbncss, and our murmuring will
appear to US as it really is-one of the
most enormous of our great transgres-
sions Instead of charging God with
harshness and cruelty, and wickedly call
ing in question his justice and loving
kindncss, trembling under a sense of our
guilt, We would fall PROSTATE in the dust,
bewail our offences and deprecate severer
chastisement.


Profound and hearty convictions will
fill our hearts with adoring gratitude to
God for not having meted out to us the
full measure of punishment we deserve,
and make us ashamed of our complaints
and We shall be resigned to whatever evils
He shall see proper to visit upon US.


The Emancipation Question Solving Itself.


Washington cor. y. Y. Herald.


l have just returned from Manassas
the job of getting up and back having
been somewhat difficult military opera
tion. What l saw and heard there
would furnish matter for several columns
of the Herald, if Manassas were not now
thoroughly eclipsed by the stirring news
from Yorktown. l went up on the top
of car load of hay, and came down in a
freight car, without seats, filed with fu-
gitive slaves, men women and children.
For three weeks, at the rate of twenty,
thirty, forty and fifty per day, these con-
tr,bands, from the rear Of Gen. Banks
and Gen. Mcdowell, have been pouring