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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
justly chargeable to the upholders of the slave system, whether they
be Southern or Northern men.
The North and the South were presented before me. The North
have been deceived in regard to the South. They are better prepared
for war than has been represented. Most of their men are well skilled
in the use of arms, some of them from experience in battle, others
from habitual sporting. They have the advantage of the North in this
respect, but have not, as a general thing, the valor and the power of
endurance that Northern men have.
I had a view of the disastrous battle at Manassas, Virginia. It was a
most exciting, distressing scene. The Southern army had everything
in their favor and were prepared for a dreadful contest. The Northern
army was moving on with triumph, not doubting but that they would
be victorious. Many were reckless and marched forward boastingly,
as though victory were already theirs. As they neared the battlefield,
many were almost fainting through weariness and want of refreshment.
They did not expect so fierce an encounter. They rushed into battle and
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fought bravely, desperately. The dead and dying were on every side.
Both the North and the South suffered severely. The Southern men
felt the battle, and in a little while would have been driven back still
further. The Northern men were rushing on, although their destruction
was very great. Just then an angel descended and waved his hand
backward. Instantly there was confusion in the ranks. It appeared
to the Northern men that their troops were retreating, when it was
not so in reality, and a precipitate retreat commenced. This seemed
wonderful to me.
Then it was explained that God had this nation in His own hand,
and would not suffer victories to be gained faster than He ordained, and
would permit no more losses to the Northern men than in His wisdom
He saw fit, to punish them for their sins. And had the Northern army
at this time pushed the battle still further in their fainting, exhausted
condition, the far greater struggle and destruction which awaited them
would have caused great triumph in the South. God would not permit
this, and sent an angel to interfere. The sudden falling back of the
Northern troops is a mystery to all. They know not that God’s hand
was in the matter.
The destruction of the Southern army was so great that they had no
heart to boast. The sight of the dead, the dying, and the wounded gave