Gleanings by the Way by Uriah Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 12, 1862

Gleanings by the Way.

By Uriah Smith

FROM PEACE TO WAR.—We doubt whether any nation can be shown to have changed its character from a peaceful to a warlike power, in the short space of time in which this has been accomplished by the United States. When the rebellion commenced, this nation was emphatically a nation of peace. Its millions of people knew nothing of war, and its warlike preparations, either for land or sea, were comparatively nothing. A little over one short year has elapsed, and behold the change. The number of men that will have been called to arms in the North alone, when the last call from the war department shall have been filled, will be not far from one million and two hundred thousand; while the following facts show what has been done in the navy department: "Eighty vessels of war of all kinds have been added to the United States' navy within the past year. Of these 32 were wooden gunboats, 12 side-wheel steamers, 4 steam frigates, and 32 iron-clad boats, rams, and vessels. All, save the iron-clads and frigates, are finished and afloat."

THE MANUFACTURE OF GOVERNMENT ARMS.—With its change of circumstances, the government is increasing its facilities for the manufacture of arms. The following authentic statements show with what extraordinary rapidity it can now supply itself with implements of death: "The armory in Springfield, Mass., makes 14,000 stands of arms a month. In a short time that establishment, with the five private shops in operation there, will be able to manufacture 35,000 guns per month. In a few months we shall be making first-rate arms, better than the best Europe can afford, at the rate of 600,000 per annum."

MORE PREPARATIONS.—It is reported that the iron gunboat business is going on bravely. Four new vessels of this kind are to be forthwith built, three at New York, and one at Boston.

THE BROAD ROAD—TO HEAVEN!—It appears that with some of the popular city churches, the worship of God is getting to be considered too hard work for the hot summer months, and so to make things easy and agreeable, they suspend that worship till a more favorable season of the year, meanwhile recruiting their spiritual health, no doubt, in such moral localities as Niagara Falls, Saratoga, the White Mountains, &c. The N. Y. Tribune of Aug. 2, says, "The summer vacation of the city churches was announced last Sunday. For the next four or five weeks, most of the houses of worship will be closed."

GROWING OLD.—The earth is every day giving forth new signs of age and decrepitude. New and unheard of diseases are attacking both the animal and vegetable creation. Massachusetts furnishes a new instance of this, according to the following: "The Cape-Cod Republican reports that the cranberry crop has been much injured in its vicinity by a peculiar blight which has come upon it, withering the fruit. The cause is unknown, as nothing just like it has happened before."

STRENGTH OF THE FRENCH NAVY.—"The last official reports of the strength of the steam navy of France, show that that power has 360 war-vessels propelled by steam, of which number 172 are in commission, and 30 are iron-clads. Ten iron-plated ships are being built, each carrying 36 guns, besides the 6 iron frigates, and 12 floating batteries now complete." France is evidently preparing for something. U. S.