422 / Christianity and War

rather to have our portion in this life with Lazareth the poor beggar, and after death be carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, than to fare sumptuously with the rich man every day, and after death lift up our eyes in hell, being in torment?

And who would not rather after death, receive the reward of the righteous, which is so great, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season? And who would not finally wish to be numbered with the great multitude, which John beheld in his Revelation, standing "Before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; who hunger no more, neither thirst any more ?" Rev. 7:9, 16.

But he that wishes to be numbered with them, must like them, come there through great tribulation, as the apostle says that we must, "Through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven." Acts 14:22. What, if our enemies should come and take away our property!-If we have the Lord on our side we are safe without his will not a "hair shall fall from our heads." The Psalmist says, "Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Ps. 37:3. He never saw the "Righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread," "and having food and raiment, let us therewith be content." 1 Tim. 6:8.-We brought nothing into this world, therefore it is very evident that we shall carry nothing out of it, and if one soul is of greater value than the whole world, what then can be gained by war? Is not the victorious party most always the loser in the end, beyond all calculation? It is believed that even in the present struggle in our own land, less than one half the amount that has already been spent, would have preserved the peace of our country; and thus saved' thousands of lives, and millions of money.

But who can tell if perhaps the sins of the American people were not so great, and the cup of their iniquity so brimfull and overflowing, that the Almighty God in his divine justice, saw proper to give "them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient?" Rom. 1:28, or perhaps it was the object of the Almighty, that the North and the South should punish, and chastise each other for their great wickedness, and with all, at the end, do away with Slavery: I say, who can tell whether this was not the cause and the object?

God said to the Jews of Old: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat of the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, he shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Is. 1:17, 20. But it might also be said of the people of America, as it was to the Jews: "Wherefore should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more." Is. 1:5. Even now, after the rod of affliction has passed through the land, and many ten thousand have been carried away with a flood, behold, what wickedness still remains in the Land! Behold, the awful pride and haughtiness, the blasphemies and outrages, that are daily committed! Unless America as a nation reforms, we need not be surprised at all, if the Lord will suffer righteous judgments to be still increased upon us, for our sins, even to seven times more. Surely judgment has not come upon us before it was fully deserved.

0! what an awful scourge is war! What could be more dreadful upon the earth. It cannot be the work of Christians-they will not make war, and why