The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-16
THE REPUBLIC.
Local Matters.

THs VOICE or THE FULpIT.-On Sunday last the
Rev. ]. N, panfarth preached IN the First Presby-
terrain church in this city In the mdst OF his dis-
course the following passage occurred, which. we
doubt not, readers will peruse with satisfaction
and with profit
ain the midst of strife and debate, Of acrimony
and recrinnaton, God has come out OF his place,
and by second manifestation Of his extraordinA-
ry providence, has reused the painful attention Of
the nation to one sad event. 1t is rs if some ium-
nary, which cast its light far and wide on other
orbR, had been instantly struck from its lofty posi-
ton On such an occurrence men must Mink,
whether they viii or not. Thousands died on the
salle day with our lamenled President, but their
death excited nointerest beyoEd their immediate
circle. Towards that vacant chair, however, the
eyes Of millions were turned,
Scarcely year has elapsed since his predeces
sor was summoned to tho tomh, The death Of a
President In the retirement OF private life awakens
the attention Of q nation bat not as when clothed
in the full reheR OF office, In the pcnituds Of his
power, and that power conferred by twenty mil
lions Of people. Nor does the event occur In any
ordinary state Of affairs In the midst Of the ngi-
talion o! great questions, when the tide OF excite.
men runs high in the national councils, and its in.
huonce Ia felt far aud wide In the country--whcn
iUiNus ht1u uo1u w. h'oEStLct
suppress the misgivings that arise within them
then does God lift his hand, and, by one act Of
dread sovereignty, teach US to cease from man,
whose breath is in his nostris for wherein ia he to
be accounted Off The voice Of Providence reite
rates the utterance of the written oraces Put not
your trust in princes, in the son of man, in
whom there is no help. His breath goeth iorth-hc
returneth to his Garth; in that very day his thoughts
| perish BY the light Of such truths these
| may penetrate the clouds and darkness that
round the throne, and satisfy ourselves that right
eousness and judgment the habitation of that
| throne.
| "In 1871, when a similar event occurred, an
official notice, emanating from the then exist
ing Cabinet, held this language: An 1AH- pise
| Providence having suddenly removed from this
| life William Henry Harrison And from the
Executive chair speedily filed by the Constitu
ton, there proceeded a proclamation, in which we
| find these words when Christian people feel
themselves TO be overtakcn by great public ca
| lamity, it becomes them to Humble themselves
der the dispensafion Of define Providence, to recog
MISC his righteous government over the children of
| men, to acknowledge his goodness in time past,
as well as their own unworthiness, and to suppl
cate his mercilul protection for the future This
| is the attitude in which, we believe God designs to
|
within u.s. Again have we been overtaken by a
national calamity The awful lesson is repea ted in
the ears of All unthinking peoples people blessed
beyond all nations under the broad canopy Of Hea
ven, yet dissatisfied with the very bountes pro-
| fusely shed upon US, and at times seeming ready
to burst thosc sacred bonds by which these noble
happy States held together Must we, then, at
30 dear a rate be brought back to right appreca-
ton of our inestimable blessnga? Must We by such
| costly sacrifices be continually reminded Of our OBJ
legations to God and TO each ohorl
1--WE have but Just come from the funeral Of eur
beloved Chief Magistrate. We feel the weight Of
that scene pressing our hearts. We contrast it
with the joyful splendors of the Inauguration. In
stead of the shouts Of thousands Of frccmen, there
was deep and portentous silence, broken only by
the tong of bells, the sound of the muffied drum,
and the wall of the martial trumpet. Instead of
the gay banner of the Union, streaming from the
| summit of the staff, and reminding Us how well
and bravely Il had been defended in the hour of
Peril aud amid the shocS Of battle by cur horeic
chief, behold II dropping in sorrow for him who
yielded only 10 the conqueror Death. Instead of
the triumpha procession to the temple of liberty
which yondcr beautiful bill, in the midst OF
which rode two presidents the one to lay down the
honors of the republic the other TO be invested with
stow, think of the sleeping in his distant tomb,
and behold the lifcless dust Of the other, borne TO
It's last rcpose, TO add another trophy TO the tri-
uuphs OF death, and another portion to the spois of
the grave. To quote the pathetic lines of the elias,
sic Campbell, descriptive Of the funeral of the
Princess Charlotte Of England, with slight verbal
alteration.
sad was the pomp VIC on that day bchcld,
AZ with the trourucT's heart the anthcm swollcd;
Tho rich plumcd canopy--the gorgeous pail
The sacred march, and s1blc-vcstcd WALL
These were not ri.es OF inetWessits shoU,
But hallowcd az the types Of real wo.
Reycred patriot for q NATtoS's sighs,
A NATIONS heart went with thine obseques'
"But in the midst OF these natural dcmonstra-
tons Of grief, these melancholy symbols Of sorrow
multiplied on every eide, let us not shut our ears
10 the tones Of that solemn voice which, uttered
from the eternal throne, says An flesh is az grass,
and al The glory Of titan IA the fowct Of gfass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof faleth
away, but the word Of the Lord cndurcth forcvcr'
That word hath gone forth, because settled in hen-
ven forever: The nation and kingdom that will not
serve THEE shall Perish; yea, those nations shall
be utterly wnstcd.'"
TIT FrsERAL GAIA notice Of this, designed