{"id":87147,"date":"2026-11-05T22:12:25","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T03:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=87147"},"modified":"2026-11-05T22:12:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T03:12:35","slug":"in-1860-america-was-divided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/11\/05\/in-1860-america-was-divided\/","title":{"rendered":"IN 1860, AMERICA WAS DIVIDED"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Without waiting for Abraham Lincoln\u2019s inauguration (March 4th<\/sup>, 1861), seven southern states seceded from the union of the United States of America. South Carolina was the first state to secede and was followed a month later by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Alabama and Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Followed later by Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina, the confederacy quickly became a force to be contended with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many prefer to believe the Civil War was not fought over slavery. An old history book we have (\u201cHistory of Our Country\u201d by Reuben Halleck, first published in 1923) conclusively states that was the cause and no other.  Southern cotton farmers depended on slave labor for the successful operation of their plantations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To those farmers, their slaves were possessions and the government had no business in taking them. To the slave owners, it would be like the government today telling farmers today they could not use tractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southerners used scripture in Leviticus 25 to defend the use of slaves. The Hebrew word ebed (the language in which the Book of Leviticus was written) can mean slave or servant. It can also mean apprentice or assistant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know a slave is in bondage where a servant is by choice. Numerous Biblical beliefs, formulated by many opinions, confuse the original Hebrew words with the meaning they want it to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The confederacy was formed and Jefferson Davis from Mississippi was elected president. Secession at that point did not necessarily mean war was inevitable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lincoln however, did not agree with a peaceful separation into two countries. At that point, neither could agree on the stated conditions of the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lincoln stated \u201cThe union of these states is perpetual.\u201d He was adamant that the United States of America could not and would not be divided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Had the country been divided into two countries, neither could have the strength and political clout of the combined great nation, the United States of America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The confederacy then occupied and controlled most of the military facilities (forts), in the southern states. Fort Sumter, in the Charleston, South Carolina bay entrance remained in Union control. Lincoln refused to give in to the rebels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The southerners began a bombardment of the fort April 12th<\/sup>, 1861 at 4:30 am. The shelling lasted thirty-four hours. The fort was given up to the south, the union flag taken down and the confederate flag raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the next four years the war raged on and America was divided. Levels of hated not previously seen, developed in a nation that had the word \u201cunited\u201d in its name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A certainty of the numbers of deaths during those years cannot be accurately determined. Numbers from 620,000 to 750,000 are found but none can be verified. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of soldiers died from starvation, exposure or diseases. Andersonville prison in Georgia is now a National Historic Site. There are painted cannons, beautiful green grass and paved roadways through the once horrible death camp located there 160 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men died horrible deaths and suffered immeasurably in environments existing at Andersonville. Men slept in mud with rain falling on them in the winters. Heat in the southern summers made for another kind of misery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanitation was not a word at Andersonville. During its fourteen months of operation, 12,920 deaths of Union soldiers were recorded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The march of General William T. Sherman through the south in 1864 and early 1865 was designed to break the will of the southerners. Any and every type of torture, rape and murder were perpetrated on the citizens of the south. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sherman\u2019s men used a \u201cscorched earth\u201d tactic to destroy the economy as well as the people. Homes, barns and other buildings were burned; bridges, roads and other infrastructure were destroyed and crops were destroyed in attempts to starve southerners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This \u201cbody\u201d called The United States of America was severely divided and a level of hatred existed for years after the surrender of the south (April 9th<\/sup>, 1865 at Appomattox courthouse).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a study of the horror and atrocities of the American Civil War do not make us take notice of the damages of division, nothing ever will. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We may think this example of division, the American Civil War, is an exaggerated case but is it? Is the dividing of a family something to take lightly? Maybe the dividing of a community over a trivial matter would appear frivolous to many. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Christianity divided? Luke 11: 17b \u201cEvery kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing people of all religions have in common is that we all believe we are right and everyone else is wrong. And of course, we humans still confuse opinions with facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes the various denominations claiming Christianity as a religion. Confusing opinions with facts has led to the many denominations in Christianity which has led to divisions in the faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all the times in the history of Christianity, now is NOT a time to be divided. With the hatred and other forms of chaos in the world, what the world needs is Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disagreement over the liberal-conservative political views has further divided the church. Several denominations have split over issues that are clearly defined in the scripture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew 16: 18 \u201cAnd I (Jesus) say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.\u201d The gates of hell may not prevail against the church but the gate of division is making a serious effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is only one fundamental of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All other subjects are trivial, inconsequential and have nothing to do with one\u2019s eternal destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible teaches there is only one eternal salvation. That is by a faith based belief (Ephesians 2: 8) that Christ Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27: 35) for the remission of sin (Romans 4: 25), resurrected (Matthew 28: 6) and ascended alive into Heaven (Acts 1: 9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and missionary. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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