| The Life of Dr. J.R. Miller |
Chapter 4 |
Page 7 |
And again he wrote:
“Gradually the clouds of war are lifting, and rays of glorious light are bursting upon us. May we not hope that the end is near, and that when this terrible tragedy is over, our land may never again be called to witness such scenes of suffering and strife? The only fitting posture for the Christian in these days of blood and heart wrecks and home wrecks is on his knees. Let us never cease to beseech God to have mercy on us, and to take away His sore judgments from us. ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’”
Not long after these words were written there came the event that tried the faith of the strongest and drove them to their knees in voiceless, agonizing prayer. Under date of April 15, 1865, this appears in the journal:
“Every man’s heart is broken today. The sorrow could not have been greater if in every habitation in the land a loved one lay dead. One sees no smiling faces today, and hears no more peals of laughter on the streets. All is sad and solemn. Thousands of flags had been flung to the breeze yesterday in honour of raising the national emblem over the ruins of Fort Sumter. Every window had its bright colours, and from every building the gay bunting streamed. But this morning, immediately after the news that Abraham Lincoln was dead, every banner was placed at half mast, and draped in the symbols of mourning, while on every house front were festoons of somber black.”
Page 7