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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
they would be exposed to terrible encounters with the rebels without
the least hope of conquering them. In this way they could dispose of
daring, thoroughgoing men, as David disposed of Uriah.
2 Samuel
11:14, 15
.
Valuable men have thus been sacrificed to get rid of their strong
antislavery influence. Some of the very men whom the North most
need in this critical time, whose services would be of the highest value,
are not. They have been wantonly sacrificed. The prospects before our
nation are discouraging, for there are those filling responsible stations
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who are rebels at heart. There are commanding officers who are in
sympathy with the rebels. While they are desirous of having the Union
preserved, they despise those who are antislavery. Some of the armies
also are composed largely of such material; they are so opposed to one
another that no real union exists among many regiments.
As this war was shown to me, it looked like the most singular
and uncertain that has ever occurred. A great share of the volunteers
enlisted fully believing that the result of the war would be to abolish
slavery. Others enlisted intending to be very careful to keep slavery
just as it is, but to put down the rebellion and preserve the Union. And
then to make the matter still more perplexing and uncertain, some of
the officers in command are strong proslavery men whose sympathies
are all with the South, yet who are opposed to a separate government.
It seems impossible to have the war conducted successfully, for many
in our own ranks are continually working to favor the South, and our
armies have been repulsed and unmercifully slaughtered on account of
the management of these proslavery men. Some of our leading men in
Congress also are constantly working to favor the South. In this state
of things, proclamations are issued for national fasts, for prayer that
God will bring this war to a speedy and favorable termination. I was
then directed to
Isaiah 58:5-7
: “Is it such a fast that I have chosen?
a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a
bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call
this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that
I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy
burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor
that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”
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