eat camp, are half a dozen
chaplains, representing half a dozen modes of religious belief. When the
masked battery opens, does the "Baptist" Lieutenant believe in his heart
that God takes better care of him than of his "Congregationalist"
Colonel? Does any man really suppose, that, of a score of noble young
fellows who have just laid down their lives for their country, the
Homoousians are received to the mansions of bliss, and the Homoousians
translated from the battle-field to the abodes of everlasting woe? War
not only teaches what man can be, but it teaches also what he must not
be. He must not be a bigot and a fool in the presence of that day of
judgment proclaimed by the trumpet which calls to battle, and where a man
should have but two thoughts: to do his duty, and trust his Maker. Let
our brave dead come back from the fields where they have fallen for law
and liberty, and if you will follow them to their graves, you will find
out what the Broad Church means; the narrow church is sparing of its
exclusive formulae over the coffins wrapped in the flag which the fallen
heroes had defended! Very little comparatively do we hear at such times
of the dogmas on which men differ; very much of the faith and trust in
which all sincere Christians can agree. It is a noble lesson, and
nothing less noisy than the voice of cannon can teach it so that it shall
be heard over all the angry cries of theological disputants.

Now, too, we have a chance to test the sagacity of our friends, and to
get at their principles of judgment. Perhaps most, of us, will agree
that our faith in domestic prophets has been diminished by the experience
of the last six months. We had the notable predictions attributed to the
Secretary of State, which so unpleasantly refused to fulfil themselves.
We were infested at one time with a set of ominous-looking seers, who
shook their heads and muttered obscurely about some mighty preparations
that were making to substitute the rule of the minority for that of the
majority. Organizations were darkly hinted at; some thought our armories
would be seized; and there are not wanting ancient women in the
neighboring University town who consider that the country was saved by
the intrepid band of students who stood guard, night after night, over
the G. R. cannon and the pile of balls in the Cambridge Arsenal.

As a general rule, it is safe to say that the best prophecies are those
which the sages remember afte