Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-12-06
SER MON
REV. EDWARD B. HALL, ID. ID.

When thou pss,est through the waters, ]
will be with thee and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee; when thou
walkcst through the fire, thou shalt not be
burnt neither shall tho flame kindle upon
thee .-Isaiah, 43 2.
Whind the mon. .of the whole community
is filled with the thought of one sudden, un'
precedented, awful calamity, it becomes a
duty, if it were not choice, to make it the
theme OF meditation. When He speaks,
whose ministers arc "a flaming fire. all
shou listen in reverence to the Voice
When leading member and valued preach
er of one of our religious denominations, is
walked from quiet sleep TO be buried be.
meath The ruins Of her own dwelling, with
a beloved daughter, the shudder that passes
through every frame, and the tear that
starts in many an eye, should not be ALL
There is a ir ute to be paid to modest
worth, and the holy influence Of Chris
tisn character, There is sympathy to be
expressed for a stricken family and bereav-
ed society. Above all. there is improve
ment to be made Of an event 80 full Of mys-
terious powsr-of instruction and monilion
of a dark sorrow, yet not unillumined by
4 bright hope.
need hardly say, that 1t is not my pur-
pose to attempt eulogy. 1t is not my
custom, as YOU knew and in this case, it
would be assumption. II is almost forbid
den, by the very character Of the departed,
and the character Of her faith. Indeed,
never did We feel more inclined to follow
her usual example, and Sit in silent wor-
ship, while we hearken to the " still snail
voice" that cometh 4" after the fire." But
as her own spirit moved her to speech and
prayer, not only in the public assembly, bur,
also in the private dwelling, and in her own
house of mourning, we ali will breathe the
prayer, " uttered or unexpresse6," that
God will help us To interpret his providence,
to learn our dependence. to know the worth
VI dIu tHC NOlkll VI III COIIl-
parison with all that earth can bestow, and
in view Of all tina, fire can consume.
The providence of God, our dependence
upon God, the worth oflift, the worth of
character let these be our themes, as IL
lustra,sd and enforced by events like this,
which has passed before US as a vision of
the night.
10 it only Of the night. and Of darkness,
TO your mind, my friends, in regard to the
providence Of God We 60 not into the
truth Of that providence, nor assume it, nor
think TO comprehend it all. We but ask,
how your own view of it is affected by
events like this Do they confirm, or
confound, your faith and trust ! That ,hev
ought not to confound it, that they cannot
in reason, lead you to doubt or disbelieye, |
think you will at ea., allow. For thew
are no way Inconsistent with any rational
view, Or any scri plural statement, Of Gods
presence and SUI crintendance. They are
not His " strange work." as new or mirsc.
ulous. They have been a part of provi-
dcnce from the beginning They belong
to an established course eff events, varying
yet agreeing. you believe in a provi-
dsnce at all, it must be either as perfect
system ofnatural laws, from which there is
no deviation, and within which all these
disastrous events fall, or as an omniscient
parental care, ordering each event by itself,
and adapting each to the greatest good of
the whole. Either view will accoun, for
every event, unless you insist upon under
standing the whole, and demand proof that
the whole is according to the principles Of
perfect Ietrlbui0u. Gh,s IS not q life OF
ro,rbu'ion, but Of probation and a part of
mans probation must consist ~ imperfect
knowledge, limited vision, aaJ unhnnhel
Pllns II am willing to earn, | must be
content 10 know iess than tie whole. If /
am willing to walk ny 9Th, J cannot ash
for sight. II me most perfect being that
ever wake on the earth was "made per-
feet through suffering" my very desire for
perfection, for likeness 10 Christ, and
ikenes, TO God, must make mo not only
reconciled to suffer, but rejoiced to be coun-
ted worthy Of it, and TO feel myself strength
ened and enlarged through It's power, puri-
fed and saved though as by fire. Only ad-
nit that this is life Of probation, that the
fRe cannot grasp the infinite, and that the
present is but tn threshold OF an eternal
existence, the problems Of life become more
than consistent they arc instructive, they
a'o helpful and convincing. Suppose moth
ing beyond, and The problem becomes op-
pressivs, nay, distracting. Assure me that
| see the whole Of man and God, and you
clothe creation with a heavier cloud than
any that my present darkness creates
Make me capable Of believing tha, hand
ful Of dust, or ashes, is the whole Of sound
intellec, and tho end of a uond lCo IN,