Year: 1866

Our neighbors of .he Seatinel seem to be
solemnly impressed with the conviction that
nothing but prayer will save the country
In an article article headed IA Sign ofthe
Times" written most propably by the Senior,
the Rev. William E. Pell, they say:


Meanwhile, the condition of public af-
fairs demands the earnest efforts of the wi
sest and best men of the land, to save the
country. 1t is no time for mere partizan ef-
fort, but the Republic is in danger, and it be-
hooves every man, who loves the country, to
be cool, thoughtful and sober. Especially
should the godly of the land betake them
selves to prayer. The destinies of the nation
are in the hand of Jehovah. His people ev-
erywhere should call upon Him. Special
prayer should be made for the President and
for the Congress, that Jehovah may guide
and control them"


If poor sinners like ourselves could ever
object to prayer by any one for any good pur
pose. We should be inclined to object on the
present occasion. We remember that the wor
thy Senior Eltor of the Sentinel prayed
fervently for the Confederacy" He pray
ed especially for Charleston, for Richmond,
for Raleigh, that the Lord would dispcrse
and destroy the Vandals," even as the an
gel of death destroyed the host of Sennecha
rib, so that they might never draw nigh to
occupy and desecrate those places, wherein
1ourished tender-hearted commandants of
conscripts, delectable Confederate" restau-
rants and drinking houses. well-to-do and
patriotic twenty negro men who did their
lighting by proxy, and pious quartermasters,
and honest, clean-fingered tithing-men and
impressing agents without number. But
there was no answer. save in the guns of
Grant and the tramp of Sherman's host to
the sea. The fervent prayers of our ex ell
lent and most reverend friend were not an
swered as he hoped they would be. That
which he prayed for fell, and that which he
prayed against triumphed If so be his
prayers are as efficacious new as they were
then we beg him to put noneof them up for
the United States of America In the first place,
the country does not stand in special need of
any exercises of the kind on his part; and
In the second place, judging by the result of
| his petitions with reference to the Confed-
eracy," they might seriously damage the in
tegri.y and permanency of the Union. We
beg him to turn his pious thoughts into some
| other channel. The Radicals have brought
the " old ship" thus far in safety through the
stormy and bloody breakers of rebellion, and
we think it more than probable that, with
the assistance of Andrew Johnson, the pilot
who stands at the helm, they will moor her
in a secure and tranquil haven.


So far as the Junior is concerned. we fear
his prayer will be like that of the young
man who knelt in Church with the rest of
the congregation, and during an almost in
terminable petition by the good minister,
which began with Adam and ended with
the last falling Of the stars, he went to sleep.
The congregation began to disperse, when
he was reused and asked what he was doing.
He replied, that after he had gotten through
with following the minister in his petition
for the congregation, he had been simply
ongaged in saying few words for himself.