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27th Sunday This is a lovely Sabbath Morn I have been walking
about my little home this morning and as I viewed on evry hand the
Beauties of Nature and the many Blessings and Bounties supplied by the
lavish hand of the creator with as it seems evrything that man could
wish to render him happy and usefull it seems strange to contemplate
that even on this Sabbath Morn there are allmost a Million of Men in
scenes as beautifull as this in this once powerfull and Happy Nation
ready to meet in deadly strife notwithstanding they are of the same
nation and have heretofore been Brothers and thousands of these two con-
tending armies are indeed Brothers by the tie of Blood
When a man looks back oer the past and contrasts it with the
present he can but think that the people of this nation have gone mad
evrything seems changed but nature: when man meets his fellow man they
· meet with distrust; for it se ms that we cannot longer trust those who
have been our most intimate friends: it has become necessary to guard
our verry thoughts for fear of a military despotism which at present
rules evrything else
Boasted Land of freedom verily the dominions of the Autocrat
of Russia are mpre free than we of this favored land of liberty
But enough of such for this sabbath Morning as we should
endeavor to take our thoughts from the grovelling cares of this life
and place them upon a nobler cause knowing as we do that this life at
best is but a fleeting show we should so direct our thoughts as to take
the  from the many and varied troubles that now beset our pathway and
direct them to a home beyond this life a home in heaven to obtain which
we must leave the world with its many cares behind us and live a life de-
voted to the author of our being that is the life of a christian: though
the Bible declares the chief aim of man should be to serve god yet it
seems that the many distracting elements by which we are surrounded have
caused the people allmost entirely to neglect that which should be their
chief aim to accomplish for no matter where or when you meet your neigh-
bors this war is all the topic of conversation Arround the church door
at public gatherings or social meetings tis all the same when you meet
friend or stranger tis the same question what is the latest news if a
friend dies we lay him in the cold cold ground and turn away to hear the
latest news of the war talked of I was at church to day the Rev Mr Allin
V Preached in the morning and Mr Thurman in the evening as usual the one
absorbing topic was the war news there was a handbill on a tree in front
of the church calling on the Southern Rights men to define their positions
and take up arms to suppress as they call them Guerrillas this is nothing
more nor less than a crusade against Southern men for it is well known that
they will not fight their Southern Brethren which will have the effect of
driving many into the Southern Army
28th I was at work in tobacco to day it is hot enough to Roast in
the sun
29th Ai work on the Farm to day toping Tobacco &c went to Lame & Co
Mill in the evening