23. XXIII.
OBSERVES A DAY OF FASTING.
Church uv St. Vallandigum, }
July the 20th, 1863.
Yisterdy wuz set apart by my congregashen ez a day uv
fastin and humiliashen for our misforchunes at Gettysberg, 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 breakfast not to eckseed two jills.
2. For breakfust no animil food permitted, ceptin ham and
eggs, beef, etc.
3. For dinner, ditto; supper same ez on other days.
4. Beer to 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 peopil over 35, and
invalids, who may hev ther sustainin flooids ez usual.
I preecht frum this text: “O, my 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 our countenansis, and changd the hue
uv our noses from the brilyant crimson 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
cap uv sorrer, John Morgan's command is destroyd. But still,
my frends, ther is a silver linin to evry cloud. There is wun
ray uv hope amid all this gloom. I allood to 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-Saxon 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 energetic and perseverin people? Becoz, anserd I,
they left no stone unturned to effect their purpus. The ijee
uv interdoosin conundrums into the pulpit is originel with me.
I closed by exhortin uv em to stand firm. Ef we kin elect
Vallandigum, we may yet check the Fedral govment in its
victorus career. 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 to 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 our Church with a view to the
draft, with the follerin result:
| Hole number uv male members, |
200 |
| Over 45, |
50 |
| Under 18, |
50 |
| Badly rupcherd, and utherwise diseased, |
92 |
| Gone to Canady to visit ther uncles, |
8 |
| Total |
200 |
We are easy in our minds on this subjeck.
Petroleum V. Nasby,
Paster uv sed Church, in charge.
