The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-15


appliances of honor and fame. Being dead, he
yet speaketh lesson which will be read and
treasured by the generation who shall follow US
Permit me, now, to pass TO the yet higher teach-
ing OF this great event
There is a series of commonplace5 respecting
death, judgment, eternity, which, awful and true
as they are admitted to be, still whether IL be from
the familiarity OF our minds with them IN conse-
quence of frequent repetition, or that the over
whemng interests OF the solid, tangible present,
veil the equally certain but, as we think, lar
semoved realities of the future from some cause or
other, repeat, these admitted, awful truths iall to
i exercise any influence on human conduct or char-
j acter at all commensurate with their Importance
The great reason of this is probably the practical
ignorance the iorgetiuness OF the great TACT that,
in the revelation Of Christianity, Judgment Is not
thing which is to come, but is noic; that we are
actually in the kingdom of the Great Judge, the
God man. who is near to US, and we TO hin,--near,
with his supplies of grace TO help in time of need
near knowing from His human experience what
man can do well as what he ought to do, know
ing from His divine omnisciencc every Thought and
intent OF the heart. IL Is not then, remote Judge
y and remote Judgment with which we nave 10 do,
but at the door The Judgment OF the great
g day is, in fact only the sentence educed by the
q sum of those judgments which have gone up day
u by day from the thoughts, and words, and works.
Alas even in Christian people who are not nsensl-
bic the fact of their religion who feel Its restrain
a ing and guiding influence Is great IN many OF the
circumstances OF life there Is great hazard OF their
losing the practical conviction that there is only one
4 judge in the world with whom they have any thing
really to dothat they should suffer questions OF ex-
pediency policy, the opinions OF men, TO take the
place of this simple accountability of the Christian
conscience the Christian Judges so that any course
b of action for which adduce such plausible
z reasons will satisfy the world, we take for
granted fit to stand before the bar OF conscience.
q tlf our heart condemn as not, then have we con-
dence toward God /" saith apostle. But when,
by any process of reasoning, we have SO justified
our conduct, that, before the tribunal Of mans
Judgment, pass free, we may infer, as a neces-
sary consequence, that our heart should not con-
q denim us from this the step is easy to the concu-
sion that il does not. Seeing, then, how easily and
insensibly we may fall into practical orgetfuness
OF the great Judgment which standeth ever at the
door, whose final award We shall all assurcdly
q meet il Is the business of reasonable men, 1t Is the
4 solemn duty OF responsible Christian men, when
4 ever, In Gods providence any event occurs which
q teaches great lesson on tins very point, TO study
it dcvlutly, reverenly 1t is the great pdrpose of
= God, IN troubling the still waters of common lie,
a that should note the descent of the angel and
gather health from the pcrturbed element Such
= visitation has now been made. 1t weakens the
n effect of such event to multiply words respect
q ing il. 1t is world speaking sermon-to the
q world more Immediately around us, among whom
y this iustrious person so lately and so consplcu-
ously moved-speakng with especial emphasis.
q May God teach hearts all its lessons. | shall
not pretend 10 present them all but will endeavor,
& by His grace, to awake your attention and my
to that lesson at least which comes home to the
great business and wants of our daily life, and may
g make us wise unto salvation.
81 | would remark, then, that in the sudden
mova of this distinguished person from the cares
activities, and responsibilities Of life, taking him
g TO a common phrase) to has account, God
81 only doing in d way which men III see, and
a therefore more fully realize, what He was just
: really doing at every moment of his previous ex-
4 istencc. Before he came to that great office, at
every instant Of that nomeutous period Of his life,
& up to the very time when the Great Judge gave
visible note Of what He had never ceased to dot is
not whit more true that he has now gone to his
81 account, that his Great Judge will one day pro-
"A he
q lived he was going to 1.-THE Judge Just near
81 to him. the account going on, the award made.
"a This is true of every human creature, but Its
II great and startling truth Is unquesonaby brought
more home to us when we have before some noted
fef instance like the present.
"a Let Us suppose that that memorable sixth of
81 March, sixteen months ago, message from God
IA had revealed to the departed President, that which
II we now know that he had said to him, Z" have
b brought you 10 this great office; in the full career
= OF its duties you shall die IL is not for any human
Il creature to say whether it would have changed or
modified any of the acts Of his Presidential career;
Fl perhaps cannot express in stronger terms my in
~ dividual estimation of the man than TO declare my
strong personal impression that IL would not do IN
my heart believe that every act of his official life
r. done under the sense Of personal and official re-
H sponsbility. But, unquestionably, such reyela-
ton would have given awful solemnity TO every de-
cislon-it would have suffered no veil TO lnterpose
TO conceal motive, conflict or combination OF IN
terests TO modify the great motive and purpose
to repress the abiding conviction, 90 j am making
T.
nothing to me except as 1t responds to the judg-
81 ment of my conscience and my God. must do
q my work-the messenger stands at the door and
knocks-the grave is waiting-it is my work-the
instruments use 10 do IL must be not those which
others like the BEST but such as believe will do
the work the best"
Now, am not preaching to official people sim
ply-be the office high or lows | am preaching,
and this great event Is preaching TO ali. We arc
all in Office AN office before which the govern
meut of the world itself sinks into insignihcance
the dignity OF which was fully realized by Him
81 who when the world and its glorics prOtlercd
- TO Him, their comparative nOfhingneSs-Uie
II great realm Of conscience, the kingdom Of God toin
To the administration of this government all
the powers of nature and Of grace made subor-
dinate; we may use them or abuse them for that
abuse we know that we shall be held ac-
counable. But we know il and admit il in a gen
eral way and we know that were such revela-
ton made 10 that have intimatcd, the whole
character and tenor Of life would be affected by 1t.
II you and knew beyond the possibility Of doubt
that ON the ninth of next July should die, say
- 10 you unhcsitatingy that would not live the
coming year az We have lived the last The world
would assume a different character and relation
u To US the opinions and associations Of men
n would possess a widely different influence. Things
r which think of very little Importance be-
~ cause the rest of the world think them 30,
x would be weighed in very different balance
things that occupy large portion Of our attention
and affection, because other men value or love them,
would sink immeasuraby in the scale. Oh! II IL
in the light Of such a revelation that we should
learn the full force OF that apostolic injunction:
Love not the world, the things that in the
world" for should find, amid all our ina gined
love of God and OF His truth what deep seated
and love and worship Of the world there is in the
best Of us; ay, and even in the best moods and
movements Of the best OF US. We'll, such a revca-
ton has been made-not of the hour OF death, but
q the hour Of judement-not Of years in perspective
but in the awful present. The eternal noto is Judging
US The hour of death, indeed, is not re-
vcalcd; but come when II will, It comes not as the
hour Of judgment, but the hour which tells us that
all judgment is at end-the balance struck
the account made up, the recording angels func-
ton ended. No more make weights Of faith, and
prayer, and repentance, and sanctity! The blood
Of the covenant has scaled the soul for ts final pas
sage in the great audt--that blood which tells
that u has paid he debt, doubled u. And as
Tor that hour Of death, VIC are not indeed, told
that IT shall come in one, ten, or fifty years
but We are told that u shall come Told There II
not day We live that we not told 1t by thai
which moves mems minds more than Gods own
revelation. We see infancy and age, wisdom ano
folly, poverty and richcs, lie down in that common
bed 'But when, If we knew when II would
make us thoughtful, serous the great business