In order for God to bestow victory upon His chosen Confederacy, white southerners have a duty to perform, a duty that includes refraining from criticism of the South’s political and military leaders, according to J.D. Hufham, the editor of North Carolina Baptists’ Biblical Recorder.
An esteemed brother, writing on business from a point which is peculiarly exposed, says:
“My confidence in God is strong, that He will yet give us deliverance. I know he will, if we will only humble ourselves low before Him. O, that we could, as one man, prostrate ourselves in the very dust before Him. Christians can not be too much in prayer. God will hear the cries of His children in the hour of trouble. I feel that it is good, yea unspeakably good, to have such a refuge as God the Eternal Jehovah to fly to in such a time as this.”
This indicates the right spirit in these exciting times, and is the true view of our danger and safety. With God on our side, the utmost efforts of our enemies to subjugate us will be in vain. How easy it is for Him to carry confusion into their councils, and to scatter their grand armies like the leaves of autumn.
This can be done in a thousand ways, and at any moment. God will do it if His people seek Him aright. Our fate is in His hand. Let the christians in the Confederate States remember this and keep their eyes steadfastly fixed on Him from whom proceed the issues of life and death to nations as well as individuals. It is the heart of true wisdom. The condition of our country is painful enough, and is sufficiently critical to awaken the most anxious solicitude, even in the stoutest hearts. The fall of New Orleans, the evacuation of Norfolk and Yorktown, the destruction of the Merrimac, the steady retreat of our forces from the Peninsula, and threatening aspect of affairs about Richmond are humiliating enough and well fitted to awaken serious apprehensions for the future. But there is nothing in all this to afford ground for despondency or murmuring. Leave it to those who “have no hope and are without God in the world,” to despond under these disasters, and to murmur against our leaders. Let those who trust to human wisdom and human strength alone, complain and be discouraged at the apparent inefficiency and failure of human plans. The christian can look beyond these secondary causes of defeat. He can recognize the hand of God in these things, leading us, as he did His ancient people, through present difficulties and trials for our own good, to permanent peace and prosperity, or, at the worst, chastening us for our sins. His chastisements have been severe, but not more severe than we have merited. The season of His wrath will pass away and He will again smile graciously on us, if we do our duty.
There is no cause for discouragement.–The aspect of affairs is somewhat dark, but not desperate. Let none despond. We believe that the cloud is already breaking, and that the great heart of the Southern people will soon be cheerful again. But if we should be disappointed; if it should–though we do not think it will–be necessary for our forces to fall back from Richmond; even if the larger part of our territory should be overrun, there will still be no just cause for despondency. We may weep over the devastation and misery which would ensure, but this is a part of the price which nations always have to pay for independence and liberty. To God we look for victory; and even in the darkest hour, he can soon dissipate the gloom and bring back joy and triumph. Let us continue to look to Him in faith, and though we may first be sorely tried, He will, in the end, grant us the blessings which we need.
Let us also be careful how we utter complainst [complaints] against our leaders or listen to them when uttered by others. They are men of acknowledged ability. Their past history show this, and our enemies admit it. Let us remember the difficulties and embarrassments under which they labor and the fearful odds against which they contend; and if they fail to accomplish all that we wish or expect, let it not be attributed to inefficiency or want of zeal on their part. This is not the course for patriots, much less for christians. It only weakens the hands of the government and gives aid and encouragement to our enemies. Let us all act the part which the crisis demands of us and which the world and God expect at our hands. Let us be determined and hopeful even under accumulated disasters.
Belief in divine Providence, combined with a sense of human duty, thus provide hope for white Southern Baptists–and the Confederacy at large–during a dark and gloomy time.
Source: “The Right Spirit,” Biblical Recorder, May 21, 1862 (link)
