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The Synod of Illinois on the State of the Country.
The New York Evangelist of the 24th ult., contains the proceedings of the Illinois Synod of the N. S. Presbyterian Church, at its recent meeting in Jacksonville. The following is the minute adopted by the Synod, on the present state of the country:
1. The Synod of Illinois cannot repress the expression of its deep sympathy with our government in the fearful contest in which it is engaged to put down conspiracy and rebellion, and maintain in their integrity the Constitution and the Union established by our fathers.
2. We acknowledge the hand of God in the scourge of civil war. We confess that our national forgetfulness of God, our lust of power, and above all, our complicity in the sin of slavery, and in all those iniquities by which it has been upheld, have merited this our National chastisement and humiliation, and we affectionately enjoin upon all the members of our churches that they give themselves to such confession, repentance, and prayer, as shall contribute to arrest the judgements of God. An especially do we enjoin the most thorough self examination in reference to the sin of complicity with that gigantic wrong which is the chief occasion of this Divine chastisement; that if there be among us any who, in their personal, social, or political relations, have failed to clear themselves of all responsibility for this iniquity, they may hasten to repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.
3. We deeply sympathize with the gallant men, our fellow citizens, and many of them our brethren of Christ, who have taken their lives in their hands and gone forth to do battle for the great principles of civil and religious liberty, of justice and humanity, which the conspirators are seeking to subvert. We commend them to the Lord of Hosts, and pray that he will protect them in the camp and in the field, and make them victorious.
4. We tender to the loyal men in the rebellious States, who still resist the terrorism of the conspirators, and to the kindred and friends of our soldiers, who have laid down their lives in this sacred cause, our warmest sympathies, and assure them of an abiding interest in our prayers.
5. We recommend that unceasing prayer be made for the President and his advisers, for the Commander-in-Chief, and or all the officers and soldiers of our army and navy that they may have wisdom, and courage and strength so to plan and so to fight that the rebellion shall be speedily crushed.
6. We recommend that we forget not to pray for our enemies, that God would open their eyes to see their folly and sin, and bring them to a better mind.
7, and finally. We urge all the members of our churches to sustain with a generous confidence the Government and all who do its biddings, and to cherish such a view of the momentous importance and sacredness of our cause that they will bear with cheerfulness all the sacrifices which the war imposes, and whether it be long or short, cheerfully pour out, if needs be, the last ounce of gold, and the last drop of blood to bring the contest to a righteous issue.
The above resolutions were unanimously adopted.