University of Virginia Library

25. XXV.
OBSERVES A DAY OF FASTING.

Yisterdy wuz set apart by my congregashen
ez a day uv fastin and humiliashen for our misforchunes
at Gettizberg, and the loss uv Port
Hudson and Vixburg. I ishood the follerin direxshens
for the proper observance uv the fast,
to-wit:

1. Nip before breckfust not 2 eckseed two jills.

2. For breckfust no animil food permitted,
ceptin ham and eggs, beef, etz.

3. For dinner, ditto; supper same ez on uther
daze.

4. Beer 2 be taken by the single glass, and
pretzels to be eaten without salt on em.

5. These rules to be void in the case uv peepil
over 35 and invalids, who may hev ther sustainin
flooids ez usual.

I preecht frum this text, “O, mi sole, why art
thow cast down?” I told em we wuz cast down
becoz uv Meed's whippin Lee; becoz uv Grant's
takin Vixburg, and Banks's takin Port Hudson.
That 's what 's the matter with us. That 's what

hez cast a shadder over owr countnansis, and
changd the hue uv our nozes from the brilyunt
crimsun to the gastly bloo! The flattrin hopes uv
a successful invashen uv the North is dasht—
likewise the releef uv Vixburg, and now, to fill
our cup uv sorrer, Jon Morgan's command is destroyd.
But still, my frends, ther is a silver linin
2 evry clowd—wich is poetry. There is wun ray
uv hope amid all this gloom. I allood 2 the late
constooshnal demonstrashens in Noo York. Ther
wuz a victory. The draft-books wuz destroyed
and the draft wuz stopped. But ther wuz a bigger
triumph than stoppin the draft. Niggers wuz
killd—the prowd Anglo-Saxn riz in his mite and
stoned the niggers! Halleloojy! At this pint
sum uv the awjence becum sleepy, and to arowse
them I becum faseshus. Why, sez I, wuz the
Dimokrasy, who mauld the niggers in Noo York,
a most ennerjetic and perseverin people? Becoz,
anserd I, they left no stone unturned 2 effect their
purpus. The ijee uv interdoosin conundrums in2
the pullpit is orijenel with me. I closed by exhortin
uv em too stand firm. Ef we kin elect
Vallandigum, we may yet check the Fedral guvment
in its victorus carere. With Ohio all rite
for constooshnal rites, the game uv subjoogashen
wood be playd out. Let us, sed I, never falter
nor faint, but press onnard 2 the mark uv our
high callin. Ez the Isrelites threw down the
walls uv Gerryko by blowin rams' horns, so kin
we by blowin our horns throw down the walls
of this Abolishn Gerryko. Blow your horns, my
brethrin; for whoso bloweth not his own horn,
the same shall not be blown, but whoso bloweth
his own horn, the same shall be blown with a
muchness.

We took a numerashen uv owr Church with a
vew to the draft, with the follerin result:

           

Hole number uv male members,	200
Over 45,	50
Under 18,	50
Badly rupcherd, and utherwise diseasd,	92
Gone to Canady 2 visit ther uncles,	8
Total	200

We are easy in our minds on this subjic.