Mr. G. It is the duty of you, and me, and of us all, when we feel prices high, and comforts few, to be patient under our troubles, remembering all the far greater sufferings our poor fellow-countrymen in the Crimea are enduring. We have at least shelter, and clothing, and fire, and food, more or less; while they have been without these, or, at least, the supply has been very insufficient in kind and quantity. So patience is one of our duties. Another duty is humility. Humble yourself before God for your own sins, and for your country's sins, which God has seen good to punish by sending his sore judgment of war upon us. You need not go farther than our village to seek for sin enough to deserve and bring down judgment. Confess to God our Sabbath-breaking, swearing, drunkenness, fornication, all the sins you see openly in others, and the many you feel inwardly in yourself. Humble yourself for them, confess them, and pray to God to forgive them. Thirdly, Trust in God only to give us the victory. We have been very proud and very boastful; we think ourselves the first nation in the world; we are too proud of our brave and noble soldiers and sailors, and well we may be proud of them, for finer fellows never breathed; but we must not trust in their arms to give us victory. David says, "The battle is the Lord's." The Lord's prophet says the same, "The battle is not yours, but God's." If God be with our troops, the victory will be ours; if He be not on our side, the battle will be against us, however clever or brave our men may be. Trust therefore in the Lord, and not in man, and beg Him to give us the victory, and that speedily, if it please Him, that an end may be put to all this misery and bloodshed. Then, fourthly, Pray much and often for all engaged in the war, that our rulers may have wisdom to carry it on, and our troops valour to carry it out. Don't waste your breath in blaming what you or others may fancy wrong or foolish in those in authority; pray for them instead, and thus you may help them, whereas blaming them will only make you angry and injure yourself. I will give you a very nice little prayer which the Bishop of London has written, to help those who wish to pray for those engaged in the war. Learn it yourself, and lend it to your neighbours, and when you kneel down to pray each day, in your families or in your bedroom, add this little your daily petitions. prayer to O ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, the 1 Sam. xvii. 47. 22 Chron. xx. 15. Protector of all that trust in Thee, accept, we beseech Thee, our humble intercessions for our Brethren, Thy servants, now fighting the battles of our country by land or by sea. Protect them with Thine Almighty power, and prosper their arms with success. Give them true courage in danger, and mercifulness in victory. Be pleased, O Lord, to succour and relieve the sick and wounded, and to bless the means used for their recovery. Grant that all they who fall in the service of their country may depart this life in the true faith of Christ. Minister abundantly the consolations of Thy Holy Spirit to the fatherless children and widows; and to all who are in sorrow or anxiety; and in Thine own good time restore to all the nations of the world the blessings of peace. Grant this, O Hea venly Father, for the sake of Thy dear Son, the Prince of peace, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. THE END. TONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET. |