1861 June 9 New York, N.Y.

From The March of the Seventh Reg't

A SERMON
ON
THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
DELIVERED IN

St. Joh's Chapel, in the City of New York,

ON SUNDAY, JUNE 9TH, 1861
BY
S.H. WESTON, D.D.

[from the conclusion of the sermon]

Brethren, how this unnatural contest is to end,
Omniscience only knows; unless He interferes to
overrule the wrath of man, it threatens to be one
of the most disastrous in the annals of time. But
we have put our hand to the plough and cannot
look back. We hope the Government will adopt
no narrow or mercenary policy, and accept no dis-
honorable compromise. The people are ready to
do their part, and such a remarkable and unex-
ampled unanimity of sentiment in the North and
West, under the circumstances, seems like an au-
gury from God, and an earnest of success. We
can afford to expend one hundred--nay, one thou-
sand millions, if need be. A grateful posterity
will cheerfully pay the debt. A vigorous display
of our resources and courage now, may be econo-
mical in the end, and save us from long internal
dissensions and a future foreign war. Let us stop
at no proper sacrifice of money or men, or regard
any peril too imminent, or sacrifice too great, to
accomplish this glorious result.

We have for long years been enjoying the bene-
fits of our fathers' toils and sufferings. Let us re-
solve to bequeath to posterity a similar legacy.
We believe God is on our side, and it is a great
consolatoin to know that our great captain (whom
may Heaven preserve) purposes, so far as possible,
to make it a humane war. But under any circum-
stances war is a fearful evil--civil war, doubly so.
Let us endeavor, therefore, to banish, as far as
possible, all private hate and personal animosity;
and while we aim to chastise our mistaken foes,
let it be like the correction by a loving parent of
an erring child--more in sorrow than in anger--
ever praying God to give them repentance and
better minds. AMEN.

Sullivan Hardy Weston, 1816-1887, a Columbia University graduate was the chaplain of the 7th Regiment of the New York Infantry.