Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-27
.a,n,,Tr 10 PRESIDENT TAYLOR.

Sermon Preached Bruton Parish SaaTe H. -, Per- Sos
1a on e mpiished Professor Of Moral PM
iasonLy. in the renerabe Itiiiam and Mary College,
Thy way the and Thy path IN the great waters au III"
fooscps are not known'-l PsG'ss ''-l9
Our text beautifully describes the ways OF Divine rov
dence ne they must appear TO creatures "i nne u
| d.,e.ndi,ps We behold in tie daily events oi lie 'e
work OF an oyer-rung Providence; yet we know NOT now
10 connect with the past; we see no. .e'i d and
for the future 10 dim vison ihey stand isoa. d."
lone No rack through the mighty waters reveals ihe
course whence they came, no pa'', WON Ia ''s '7
wave, indicates whittier they tenn. - r h ,ore
lifts hah lis oang crest and falls, with force whcn
sends through thousand waves lis Impulse 10 me usu.
shnr. 81 10 our ycw and pass away the grea events
nf ,hs ynrd history We comprelend the various
causes from which they spring. and still less can we calcu
late the results which thcy tehd. ,.
! We only know they are part vi hat great scnee
nj Divine Providence in which event proceeds from
chance and that they guided by Him, who alone COM
prehends all events with Their elects cut who he'eI,i
s IN nur fcce vision "hath his in the sea- ana MS
path in the great waters whose footsteps no, known
And vel, how often do calculate with some degree OF
confidence the effect which given event IS
DESIGNED 10 produce either upon own Interests OF 'h
welfare of society large But we carefully 10 record
the conclusions TO which we arrived ana o'e pow f oo
anticpalions are tuEhieu, VIZ s"ouu SWIM ''Ss ~ ~
| in wisdom. .,;,
Thr. are indeed certain laws Of Divine Providence which
are fixed and easily KNOWN and must nc So or we shou
have no sure guide direct la5orS But II Is moi vi
these thai now speak, but of those events which DO not
seem TO be regulated by any known law; which bear ,e
\
ss be recognised by the devout mind as The WORK oil Han
whose proyiG, nee Is or. ALL =. .,.
Aud how many the events Of every day life are o! 's
character events which no human sa@acy could nave 't
seen no hum prudence could have prevented Events lt
which may perhaps justly praise or blame 'nosr VINO
were the voluntary instruments of bringing tc abohi ou
the purpose and design of which, only refer 10 The
will of Him whose ways are past finding out.
But there are still other events, which il were the heh-
est presumption for 10 speculate Their causes we
cannot discover, their design We cannot CONJECTURE; we ~
only say that Trey come 10 pass by Gods ~ll ana oeieFe
that they suuscrve some purpose unknown 10 US III 'a'
Grand scheme of government which he has established
Such ar which relate to the continuance OF
human life The time and circumstances OF the death oil
individuals and the purpose which 1t designed 10 over
come. ;,
You may the child idosed by tender parents suddenly
taken God and you mugine perhaps that the design was
er thoughts from this 10 better world; but you
look in vain for such result The young may be sum
uoned his account in the midst oi course o SIN ana o
~ and you may think that designed to be warning
To his ,oughess companions and vet may behold them
pursuing unchecked the that lads down t" The cin'heis
death. lite pious husband az wife called away from tins
scene trial may depart the tiuphs Of ialtl and you
may suppose design form strong attraction by
wc the soul al the could hc drawn
waids Heaven; and vet ;hc ls tears ii sulrow shall huaIy
be- ry UPON the cheek, the world and its aurecnis have
regained un!isputalle possession OF the heart.
You may behold the jealous young christian, whose tai
enS rin.euily fitted him for extensive usefulness suddenly
III another, ripper in ycafs, an already engaged IL
sphere dn'y wich none sat he can III! cali! hence
las reward; ami you dare MOI even conjecture Why smch
should bc ir will Of God. You ran only RECOGNISE h'
work. ai, ha his vuirc spcuA. in ynur soul and Sa ing
be- i'll aud know that | AIN God.
Another wu has been atuGe s;iil wider sphere has
risen height ul human greatness, and c'iilni> an
n!,5cncc which affects the welfare NJ millions al his iciiow
ne.i is suddenly summoned it'u liz, aud c iolcsl scu-
llZcr the WAYS o Providence, may not dare 10 assign
TIL, cau>,. speculate ugvn ttcIts,!i.
II the o individuals We lnd c designs Q: PTovi-
aisc our comiie'ns'n w.. may wei '!er M =
w"..a I III rr,asi H. ni'l'ns E'."' ahe pace "''H
overflow u the u'ioi.~ d human vision, ana se.:i
frau hi urh Win peril ana s0cr!na, and YET ~ hno'. t"l
., oieteG by HIM mhost goodness : Only ,guilrd ny
GOOD IL lie end be the result, weafe ',ee! - admit,
"tio- way III the his path III 'e -e.i .'e!s, a;i
h!s footsteps not known
ia that great scheme oil Providence which Oan!scence o-
H. comprehend, cant cad one EXERT ~ - ana ano-
tcr s. they will yet appear IN A- ultimate results,
yet Jude OF them A. h"y a;af - u- and 70 ~
individuals iiear t. be closely ii"ec MIN
the welfare OF nations Particularly is tbs the case VITA
;i,s; "ia, in the Providence 81 bod iF" -h trusts COM
mcd nem and thus haze II IN ili... power 10 do much
s"iu ug evil in Tie world.
,n humble citizen is stricken down by oh, and there
arc broken .ea:is tsp,oe home. aad sprrowu void
'e circle h. atoIn'd; cat all without Is mii,n, aud
.ndiie ZEN ties teyund The sphere III his Influence
The head oi Il mighty ..s and the sh1ch Is i.!t
throughout continent There ar broken h'ar's and de-
and tributary tears II friendship IN narrower
circle; and beyond Ills the millions are moved and men col
rnupS hear the Startling news and divers feelings
,.'!t, multitude. it Spreads w!ief anu wider; aa.
there and fear and anxiety or tn future nj l.
~, n over l.ltn greatness AID vaaiiy all
iu,.i; holo an. not i"p some ASPIRATIONS alter
i .or: AMI n"nog which eau ;i-s"; pass awti
Such are feelings which n-Iti'e lie millions oi
this cuniiin moufnui oi The Geceiee al tae
chief Magistrate VI our rePutic files Over lis widc-sreAd
territories
consider its probable eject the and prosperity OF
ouf beloved country. and his sacred day, this consecracd
n,., in which address yuu alow OF other reflections
than those which stand connected with ne ln>crutaole pro-
whence Hin whose WAYS are past hnaIns oni.
No, many years "A similar event spread deep shade
% .iness this whole IL mas iacn that death
tr., struck at magistrate this republic aud adc
vacant scat which trusting millions had accorded I" one
,i,;n M in yirlu. aud p4roiism Another placed by
a IN tg.rtY
tic ine- which the ambition 81 man NAV asi Is cut
DOM after he had retired from lis duties The very
next, he whose loss nation now lncn's, called 10 ts
hich station sphere which he had adorned BY his Ia
,n and his virtues but just II were invested with is
hoors made feel Tie burden Of lis trials and rtspon
stS and then suddenly swept away in the full strength
and vsor al lie by violent disease Thus has the PROV,
t-nce OF God been making h exalted station tie post of
danger as we'll as Of honor aud responsibility.
This ID event, believe has happened with
ou, the providence Of Him vino rach anong the natinns
is doubt designed TO snbserNe some purpose OF
mercy Judgment which God has in store for this ma
ton O what that purpose Is we must now be content To
remain ignorance. All that for US IS II profit ty
tie reflections which naturally arise from ol those
acts of God which human wisdom cannot penetrate nor
human foresight divine the result.
The tirs, reflection which naturally arises Il, how COM
le,y are We in the hand o I'D regards The rescrva
ton and continuance of life Here We see the brave soldier
subjected for nearly half century, 10 all the ha:dsips and
dangers of his peo,s vocation. Exposed i'll YOUTH
and also in after life the deadly ride of the lukag say
foe marked lis victim by his superior rank aud YET es
Gaping unhur-unhaned ne bears The hardsips OF the
h1Gt II service IN unhealthy cllneS lhet,
responsible command he leads his countrys armies to VIC
tory against fearful "dshe takes advantage OF
his high Command himself from danger, but HIM
self leads the charge ard lis IN the hickes
of the fight, many desperate BATTLES; and while hundreds
al around him, the swift Of death turned
aside him. and he the field ~ carnage I'M
armed win tine highest civic honols: TO win them only to
die The OF God hidden him IN the
camp and in the battle field that be might claim more no
norcd vic tim in the palace Of the nation.
know shall be guilty OF disrespectto the memory Of
the ustious Dead indulge in another reflection pecu-
ary applicable in the present case; and that is how the
hiChes often manfesy bestowed by Providence
without direct exerons OF him who at,ains them How
many aspirants tie high station which he so lately
cupied wasted life in vain attempts Ia reach III While
he the soldier, 10 discharge his duty
and serve country with fidelity and sought higher
ward than approval Of his conscience. But events
which ne had the slightest agency in producing, made
known the talents aud which had been naurtd in
obscurity and honos unsough shuwered upon him
from the hand of Heaven.
There is still another reflection too obvious to MENTION
were il with all It's often fails of hav
nu practical influence the minds o men, aud that Is
the wurhlessess of all human hobos compared with the
honor that conelh God only. Honor, based upon
good and worthy deeds which unsougt the
ward o integrity and the conscientious discharge o duly
NAV be valuable indeed The witness oi noble life but
honor sought for lis sake is worth the and