Baptists and the American Civil War: October 29, 1863

Civil War States MapA North Carolina Baptist minister this week rallies the faithful to their patriotic duties, via a stirring newspaper commentary.

At a public meeting in Albermarle county, Virginia, the county in which President Jefferson lived and died, the people passed these resolutions:

1. To pay all their tax in kind.

2. To take another tenth from their produce and sell it to the Government at the old prices before the war, to be laid out in Confederate bonds.

3. To sell the remainder they can spare to the Government or consumers, at or below the schedule prices fixed by the Government and to invest the money as far as they can in Confederate bonds, instead of land and negroes.

If such resolutions were carried into effect in every county in the Confederacy, much distress might be relieved.

DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

Every church in the whole land ought to have such days frequently. God has sent a partial famine this year. He may send it fully next year. Famine never comes without pestilence. God’s rods are famine, pestilence and war. If people turn from their sins with prayer and fasting of the right kind all may be averted. Let us pray for the lives of our great Generals. If we had praised Gen. Jackson less and had prayed more for God to spare his life, the country would have been more benefited. We should pray for the lives and salvation of our officers and soldiers.

Source: “Patriotism,” Biblical Recorder, October 28, 1863 (link)