having done this, you may be able to hear the voice from heaven, which Dr. Stiles said you would, and be able to witness the destruction of all the Yankee armies by those "cataracts of angry power" of which he spake. It may be-have you ever thought of it ?-that the reason why you have not already been completely successful over them, is, that you have counted on God's "interposition" without using God's means. Beware of such presumption, hereafter. We recommend this amendment in your "strategy." But one thing, especially, bear in mind. Don't "shout" the victory too soon. This was a point on which the people were particularly cautioned at the taking of Jericho under the ancient Joshua.

THE CONFEDERATE ARMAGEDDON.

We have another suggestion, which will still further illustrate the good policy of your adopting this ancient mode of warfare. As "every thing in God and from God assures" you that you can whip all mankind and Satan's hosts into the bargain,-with the United States composing the "left" wing, the great European Powers the "right" wing, and "the gates of hell" the "centre" of the grand army, why not call the "priests," get the "rams' horns," and make a final end of all your enemies at once? You will then have a fair field for your Slavery Propagandism. You can then carry out universally, the "Christian Slavery" which is so pleasing to the mind and heart of Drs. Armstrong, Thornwell, Palmer, and the rest of "our Southern brethren" who mourn and pray over “free society;" making masters of whites who are "rich," and slaves of whites who are "poor."

And there is another element of encouragement. There would unquestionably be a wholesale desertion to the Confederate standard. The moment the rich music of the

THE CONFEDERATE ARMAGEDDON.

301

blast from the trumpets of the priests carrying the new "corner-stone" faith in the "Confederate ark," should reverberate along the line, the entire "centre" would go over to you in a body. They are one with you now, in heart, and only want the opportunity, to be arrayed with you bodily. You would then have a triumph which would cast all the Jerichos of the world into oblivion. Would it not be the battle of the Millennial Armageddon?

One of your preachers, you know, the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, wrote a volume, a few years ago, entitled "Armageddon." He imported the plain of Esdraelon from Palestine, and located the scene of the battle in the Mississippi Valley. According to Scripture, God's "chosen people" are to fight this battle, and against them are to be arrayed all infidel nations and all the corrupt ecclesiastical hierarchies of the world. Now, as you are the "chosen people," as you regard your nation the only righteous one among men," whose Constitution itself approaches God with a reverence never similarly expressed by any other people," especially the "corner-stone" article, as Mr. Stephens claims,―as you regard all other nations "infidel" and all other Churches " apostate," because they are wedded to "free society," and as you are to bring in the Millennium, you undoubtedly believe you are to fight the battle of Armageddon. The "terrible thunder," and the "vengeful fires and lightnings," and the "cataracts of angry power," of which Dr. Stiles speaks, exactly corresponding with the imagery of the Seer of Patmos, and the "direct interposition of God" which is claimed, all show that the great Millennial battle is meant by the preacher. Only amend your "strategy," then, in the manner here respectfully suggested, and,-with the desertion to your ranks of the "centre" in a body,-you undoubtedly will triumph.

Then the whole earth will rejoice that the long-wished

for Millennial Day has dawned!-with universal slavery for the "poor," mastership for the "rich," all Yankees destroyed, the Confederates everywhere triumphant, and Jefferson Davis God's Vicar-General over the world!

But seriously,-Do we need any better evidence that the leaders of the rebellion are demented, than that here furnished, in such religious rhapsodies as these leading divines indulge in? If these were emanations from ordinary men, they might be passed by as idle breath; but they come from the greatest intellects and the ripest scholarship among Southern Churchmen. That they are uttered to "fire the Southern heart" is undoubtedly true; and yet, that these men are sincere we as little doubt. That they have had more influence over the more serious portion of society, in urging on and keeping up the spirit of the war, than any other class, is confessed by Southern politicians and patent to the world. Our solution of the matter is, that they are judicially blinded; given over to strong delusion to believe a lie, yea, even a legion of lies; and that, through their delusions, the God of universal providence is working out great purposes of good to mankind and glory to His name.

PROVIDENTIAL DESIGNS IN THE REBELLION. 303

CHAPTER IX.

PROVIDENTIAL DESIGNS IN THE REBELLION.

WE have given in the previous chapter the doctrine of Divine Providence, and the remarkable perversions which are made of it by writers interested in the cause of perpetuating human bondage by a wicked rebellion. We propose here to set forth what we regard as some among the true purposes of God, now in process of being wrought out, by the stupendous events which are occurring in this nation.

If we speak with confidence, it is only because our convictions are strong and our faith abiding. At the same time, we claim no infallibility, in judging of events, either present or future. We say here, once for all, that we only utter our opinions upon what we regard as God's designs. To them we are entitled. We allow others the enjoyment of theirs. We aim only to interpret rather than predict, and give merely our best judgment of some things which we think the present contest is likely to work out.

The true doctrine of providence, as entertained by the common consent of Christendom, embraces, among others, these elements: it includes all beings and all things; and through all, God is working out great purposes of ultimate good to the world and glory to Himself.

If these positions embody the truth, they may be applied to the rebellion now in progress, and to the efforts made for its suppression. God is controlling all agencies and events at work in the contest, and out of all He will bring

good to mankind and glory to Himself. No doubt great errors may be committed in attempting to interpret God's providence, so as certainly to declare, beforehand, what He specifically intends in a given event, or in a series or long course of events. We think that here Southern writers have deceived themselves, and have gone counter to one of the sound canons for interpreting God's will, whether referring to certain portions of His word or to His providence. It is a principle of prophecy, that rarely, if ever, is it so plain that it can fully be determined before its fulfilment. It is so with providence; we must wait for the issue, in most cases, before being able to comprehend fully the design. But as in certain prophecies there are waymarks which may guide the sincere inquirer to an approximately true interpretation before their fulfilment, and lights which cast a glimmer of truth along the path he would travel, and thus he is profited in their study and enabled to enter the vestibule of the temple which is ultimately to be opened to the full view of all men; so in providence, the honest and devout student, aided by God's word and Spirit, may be able to indicate with some approach to truthfulness, some, at least, of the grand results which the providence of God, as illustrated by daily occurring and consecutive events, is designed to reach.

While we would guard against the folly of committing the same error into which Southern writers have fallen, there is a marked difference in the position they assume upon the grand designs of providence as applied to the present contest, and that which we propose to take, which may aid in their solution, even though we should occupy precisely the same ground with them, or they with us, in reference to the canon of interpretation to which we have adverted. The sum and essence of the "trust" which they regard as "providentially committed" to them, and