32. XXXII.
PREACHES.
Church uv St. —, }
November 15th, 1863.
I preeched yisterday frum the follerin text: “What shel
we do to be saved?”
This, my brethrin, is a important inquiry. Speakin ez a
Dimekrat, who for thirty years hez never scratched a tikkit —
vewin things frum a Dimekratik stand-pint — I hev no hesitashen
in sayin that we need savin in a eminent degree. The
dark waives of fanatticism, wich wuz mere rippels in 1856,
were mountin-high in '60, and now they roll unchecked frum
Californy to Mane. One island is yet unsquelched. Noo
Jersey yet is troo to Dimokrasy — a oasis amid the sterile
desert, a green spot by the wayside, a beekon-lite to the
shipwreckd mariner, a whisky-jug in Maine. Thank hevin for
Noo Jersey — halleloogy! I am prowd to say that I, yoor
paster, wuz born in Noo Jersey; that my father sawd wood
for the President uv the Camden and Amboy, and my mother
wuz his washerwoman. Umble wuz our lot; but wat sez the
good book? “It is better to be a door-keeper at the house uv
Dimokrasy than a postmaster in the tents uv Ablishnism.”
But to resoom: —
Wat shel we do to be saved? This inquiry is uv pekoolyer
interest jest now. Let me ask, Why do we need savin?
Dimokrasy is the pure, refind salt uv the guverment — to
speek uv savin salt is a absurdity. Ah! my frends, wile
Dimokrasy savd the guverment, the guverment savd Dimokrasy.
It wuz a strikin illustrashen uv the eternal fitness uv
things. So long ez my venrable frend hed a post-orifis, he
wood be wuss than a loonatik ef he did not sustane the guverment
that give him the post-orifis. Every thing went on, so
long ez we hed the post-orifises. Wat we want just now is
votes; and how to get em is the question. Whisky used to
do it; but, alas! the amount uv whisky nessary to convert a
Ablishnist to Dimokrasy wood kill him afore he cood vote —
they not being seasond vessels.
We lost control, my brethren, by bein stubborn. O! let us
dodge that fatal errer. The last elecshen showd that we cood
not lead the people — let the people lead us. Ef the people
want war, let us be war men; ef they want peece, let
us sing hosanners to peece! Ef they want war in Ohio, let
Ohio Dimekrats be war men, and ef Noo York wants peece,
let em be peece men. Our platform is broad enuff to accommodate
all; and on the mane question, which is post-orifis, we
kin all agree — halleloogy!
Hevin settled the matter uv faith, we will considder that uv
works, for faith without works is uv no more use than a whiskypunch
without the whisky. Ther must be no draft — the
men must be razed by volunteerin. Exstrordinary indoosements
must be held out for Abolishnists to enlist; for evry
wun who goes, stands a lively chance uv troublin us no more.
We must hev our voters back frum Canady. My frends, ther
were enuff good Dimekrats in Canady to hev saved Ohio and
Noo York. They must be hum to-wunst. We need em.
We hev not suffishently improved the nigger — we neglected
him. Ther is two sides to the war question; but on nigger
we air invulnerable. Why? yoo ask. Becoz he has no frends.
The Abolishnists air afeerd to defend him, and by tacking uv
him to them, we hev wun many a fite. O, bless the Lord for
the nigger! He is our tower uv strength.
My brethrin, we hev a big job afore us. Let us dally no
longer. Think uv the consekences uv another defeet. Sech
uv our Dimekratik leeders ez did not git commishns in the
army air in a bad way. They can't git whisky on tick forever.
Sum uv em hev got so low ez to be obliged to drink
dilootid camfene, wich hez a bad effek upon the stumick. I
tried it wunst. They must be releevd. They must hev their
posishens and ther regler salaries, for without em ther stumicks
is gone. Brethrin, to the breech to-wunst.
My Church depuytized me to assertane the wherabouts uv
sum Dimekrat who hezn't exprest a opinyun since the war
commenst, and tender him the nominashen for the Presidensy.
Petroleum V. Nasby,
Paster uv sed Church, in charge.
