Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-12-24

coming when that false maxim shall be re-
versed--when the world will see what God
himself most submely proclaims, that night
makes might, and that he Is strong who IS
God-he only wise who loves Cod and his
fellow creatures. | say God himself IS the
grandest and sablimest, and most palpable ex-
ample OF this in the whole universe. When
he says to YOU, "Come, let us reason together,
look at his hands. are there forked lighinlngs
thefel Is the shield bronZed with terror OF
his onnlpotence before helm No, he brings
his hohness--his loye-sis conference.-the
mercy--his salvation-the blood OF his Son
IN contact with your spirits; and hence II IS
that his voice is not in the whlrwind, nor III the
earthquake, nor in any of the awful vlsitaiions
that devastate and that terrify, but IN the sui
small voice Of the Gospel of truth which
touches the heart-ln the words OF mercy that
break the bones
| hope in the providence Of God, my dear
hearers, 10 refer 10 the scenes OF the last SIX
months as have witnessed them. but hope TO
do II as your pastor, without substituting things
OF this sort of general history for the Gospel
God forbid il should ever abuse thus holy
place-the throne Of truth, in any such way
But think il is both wise and proper and OF
apostolic precedent and example TO look at the
providence and to offer to HIM thanksgiving,
as we refer to pages which his own finger
wrote and turns over to our perusal. What
shall have to say hereafter will probably be
disposed Of under these heads:
FIst-The scenes and interests OF the
Evangelical Alliance. | am sorry that those
scenes and interests have been relatively cast
into the shade by subsequent events. We
hope they will yet emerge and shine IN their
appropriate places in our Western HENS
phere, blessing TO to the couDtry--a blessing
TO the church. Great principles have been
developed; grand demonstrations have been
made; sympathes have been mingled; little
things have been superseded by great ones
catholicism has become more catholic; large
hearts have been made larger; pure minds
have been made purer; noble spirits have been
made nobler; those who knew not each other
because of some mlsts and cobWebs between
them. have come face to face and heart to heart,
and called each other s'brother" because they
called God Father" and because like
"Kiudrcd drops they Mingled into one -
Never shall forget those scenes hope only
in Heaven in the main TO see them transcen-
ded. They were heavenly as the dew OF Her
man, which was as the dew that descended
upon the mountain of Ziou; Tor there God
commands the blessing, even life for ever
more.
.Second.-General observations and reminis
cences with respect 10 Great Britain aud Ire
land; and the state Of the kingdom, political
and religious, and especially as related 10 our
country, with the prejudices and prospects OF
society there and here.
TAird-The late shipwreck, with the won
derful demonstration OF the providence OF God
in regard to it, rescuing lite-reprovlng impi-
ety-summoninG us 10 special thanksgiving
this day for his msrcies. You have seen, no
doubt, many accounts of this shlpwreck, but
there are some aspects of il not the less inter
eSting and important because manly religious.
and to these | wish for little while 10 call
your attention. When look at the event and
the providence of God as seen in it, | regard
it as eminently singular, inspiring awe and
wonder, anti, think, teaching great lessons
to the nations, which they ought not to be
slow to learn. Whatever providence or I'M
providence Of man there was in it--about
which have very definite op,nion--l am
sure that the providence of the great God was
in it. AS he uses all means and sub-aSents
and actuates man and executes his laws, say
that he did it in that sense and IN such sense
felt before now called on 10 "otfer unto God
thanksgiving" My dear hearers, when Da-
vd tells us Of the salvatlons Of God he saith
al know not the number thereof" referring 10
these subordinate sayations OF his providence,
which are connected with the consummate
salvation of his grace. And have no doubt
that we are rescued from perils unseen often
in our insensblity and doiage and presumption
and want Of reflection, of which if we ever
IN /
still more our wonder and praise forever
But now and then an event occurs which
brings Gods hand made bare to our percep-
ton, and the world is called on TO recognize
and admire him. One Of the most wonderful
things connected with that wreck was the sud
denness of ii and the high contrasts which
We're connected by an interval OF only nine
aud a half hours. Never was there such de-
monstration in our knowledge before.
II, was noble vessel. doubt if any Of the
ancient argosies Of commerce or exploration,
or any of the modern Improvements of art
have ever shown a spectacle in some respects
so imposing as that noble iron floating castle,
almost one thirty second Of mile IN length
fifty feet wide, thirty two feet deep, carrying
five masts, and with nearly three hundred
souls on board. We went from the docks at
Liverpool on the 22d of September, while thou
sands with different yet deep interest beheld
the spectacle. could not but remember how
different was the scene when we left these shores
and when Christian ministers and Christian
brethren, some hundreds Of them went with
usand united in prayer, and committed the vessel
and the captain othe God ofthe seaandthe dry
land. | was sorry thatwe did notthe same atLiv-
erpool but had no power TO influence i and
recollect feeling a pensve sentiment as left
that place and as looked upon the thousands
that stood without cheering us, by some strange
fatality which was observed by all afterwards.
The vessel had just been prepared for sea, and
been pronounced eninently sea worthy by the
best Judges. This was doubted by some, but
the popular sentiment was that there was no
way OF crossing the Atlantic TO he compared
with it, We were told by one OF the officers
that intwelye days we should be in New York.
On the Lords day evening previous preach
ed in Liverpool, and | remarked that was
not without hope that in two weeks from that
time should preach to my own people. !
felt. however. that il depended on God. Well,
very soon after leaving the dock we began 10
plow our way along the currants Of that river
which are so adverse 10 commerce that many
ship is detained in the port two or three
weeks because they had not a favorable wind
and tide. But tide and wind were idle things
when such screw and such an impulse were
INa Hatu 1T I he m 10 r. thirteen miles