This week an anonymous writer in Georgia Baptists’ Christian Index newspaper reminds Southern Baptists not to be overconfident of victory over the enemy. While pragmatic, his is not a popular public message. Nonetheless, many of his fellow Baptists of the South most likely share the same concerns, albeit quietly.
It will not do for us to expect uninterrupted success over our enemies. Indeed, when we consider the vast preparation the Federalists are making, in building an iron-clad navy, and in hastening on to the seat of war 60,000 additional troops, we may well expect some serious reverses. It need be no matter of surprise, if during the coming fall and winter, every seaboard and river, city and town are in their hands; and if, by reason of their numerical majority, our army should have to fall back into the interior of the State. We mention these things that our people may brace themselves up to what may be, and not to be unduly cast down, if they should happen. We must not forget that our enemies are vastly our superiors in numbers, in wealth, and munitions of War; our equals in discipline, and that they this day, after all their reverses, fight better than they have ever done. We do wrong to ourselves by underestimating the fighting qualities of the enemy. And now with all those advantages on their side, what have we? We have superior generals and braver soldiers, and a good cause. But these do not necessarily give the victory. Superior generals and brave soldiers may be overcome by the mere weight of numbers. A good cause does not always triumph in the world where “might of ten overcome right.” What then is our dependence? THE ALMIGHTY AND EVER BLESSED GOD. He is our hope, our refuge and our defence.–Christian reader, do not forget this. This is no time to slack in prayer. As all our energies must be brought to bear upon the carrying on of the war; so all our Christian energies must be in action, to take hold upon the living God, in earnest and importunate prayer that He would now, for the sake of his dear Son Jesus Christ, come to our help. If we fail in prayer now, we may be lost. Let every Christian, determine from this day, to pray more than ever. In walking, in attending our business, when awake in the hours of night, let us pray. We assure our readers there is at this time, great need. Do not forget to pray for your country; now there is need, it may be more than ever.
At a time when many Baptists leaders of the South publicly voice assurance in God’s providential hand upon the Confederacy, this Baptist writer thus indicates that the more and harder God’s faithful pray to Him, the more likely God will intervene on behalf of the Confederacy. Conversely, should the North conquer the South, the blame should be attributed to the enemy’s superior military and a lack of prayer on behalf of Christians of the South.
At the least, there is some prescience in the writer’s warning of the foe’s superior military.
Source: “What May Be Before Us,” Christian Index, October 21, 1862
