5 The Almighty has his own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of
offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by
whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is
one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come,
but which, having continued through his appointed time, he now wills to
remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible war, as the
woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any
departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God
always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope-fervently do we pray-that
this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that
it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and
fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood
drawn by the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was
said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, "The judgments of
the Lord are true and righteous altogether."
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