John L. Dagg

“ The land is filled with widows and orphans; and mourning, lamentation and woe, have spread through all its extent. Oh! for a return of peace! When will the calamity be past? If some envoy from European power would lift up his voice, and in the name of humanity protest against the wrongs which we suffer, what relief would it afford! And if our enemy, whether yielding to necessity, or a sense of justice, should authorize a proclamation of peace to go through the land, how would our hearts leap for joy! ”

“ God reigns, and justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne, though clouds and darkness are round about him. Our feeble minds fail to penetrate his designs, and comprehend his ways. But one thing is clear, that when his judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousness. We are assured that if a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him: and the present awful outpouring of divine judgments, ought to bring our iniquities before our face, and prostrate us before God in deep humility and sincere penitence. ”

“ That men are at war with one another is terrible; but that they are at war with God is more terrible. Because they fight against him, he leaves them to fight against one another, that they may see the evil of their ways, and turn away from their wickedness. Let us, then, even amidst the roar of cannon and tumult of battle, listen to God's proclamation of peace; and if men will not put an end to the cruel war which they wage against us, let us take hold of God's covenant, and be at peace with him. His peace the world cannot give, cannot take away, cannot prevent, cannot disturb. ”

“ Through all the clangor of arms and uproar of battle, this proclamation of peace sounds in our ears. Why, then is it that the war still rages, and that men still imbrue their hands in each other's blood?
Heaven, where God has fixed his throne, is a realm of peace and love; and the great Sovereign has formed the gracious design of extending his peaceful reign over this wretched world which we inhabit: but men oppose this gracious design. In heaven God is the centre of all attraction and the source from which all derive bliss ”

“ In this selfishness the wars originate in which men oppose and destroy one another. Were men's hearts right towards God wars would cease, and the peace and bliss of heaven would come down to dwell on earth; and God would reign unopposed below, as he does in his high and holy place. Because men oppose God's gracious design to extend the empire of peace and love, he permits their evil passions to manifest their malignity, in bloody wars and cruel oppressions. ”

“ Many thousands of our citizens have perished in battle, or by disease originating from the hardships of military service; and other thousands have been so maimed and enfeebled, as to be unfitted for the duties and enjoyments of life. ”