The republic., 1851-03-15
E.tr.et. frem . Dl.eour..

cossemoraiion Of Msgoodness Of God in As gVt
Of Warrington 10 our country aud The tcovtd, oy
"And when the children Of Israel cried unto the
Lord, the Lord raised up Deliverer to the chill
dren Of Israel, who delivered them"
IPUBLlsHEp BY RxaUEsr.l
The history of man is O wonderful history. lhe
history of nations is in many respects the history
Of those leading individuals who have hyed amid
the most stirring events OF any given period. Thus
the biography Of Moses would cover most import
ant portion Of the inepent history Of the lsraeltsh
people. That OF David and Solomon the brightest
days Of the regal history the same people. In all
times of necessity it has pleased God to raise up
some great deliverer in answer to the cry Of His
people. Thus was Moses granted in time Of the
distress of Israel, whose sghs and cries to God
from the house of their bondage. Thus, too, in the
period alluded to in the text the King Of Mesopo-
tamia invaded and oppressed the children OF israel
and God raised up Othniel, the son Of Kenaz, of an
excellent family, to vindcate the right and aveDgo
the wrong. Many time, in their future history,
did He deliver them, insonuch that in their songs
ofprpise they were constrained to declare "He hath
not dealt 90 with any nation" Such IL the very
language it becomes to adopt, when review
ing the dealings of God with this great people Of
whom we form part A half century has just
closed, presenting an suspicious opportunity for
comparing the present with the past, and that half
century has only elapsed since the death of him
whom God raised up to be the deliyerer of his coun-
try, manifestly He raised up Moses or Joshua,
or Othniel, to deliver His people.
In the good providence OF God, we believe this
land, thus delivered and installed among the
tions s destined to be the home and the theatre Of
an asylum for the oppressed ofall nations. sWcst-
ward the star Of empire takes its way" and west
ward has the angel, having the everlasting gospel,
spread his majestic fight.
II was in the latter years of the last century, the
age OF Washington, that more mighty seeds were
than in any equal portion Of the worlds his
tory. Then first began our own example, fatal to
dcsposm, TO operate at the root of the thrones Of
Europe. France caught the flame of liberty from
our American altar; but instead of feeding il with
the oil Of truth and christianity, overwhelmed it
with the lurid fires of atheism and. after wading
through rivers of blood, sunk submissively under
a military despotism Heathenism itself was more
reverent in proportion to tho light it enjoyed. Ii
moleon when oppressed with the praises of the in
habitants Of Syracuse, whom he had delivered, re-
piled: '.The gods had decreed to save Sicily. l
thank them that they chose me to be the instrument
81 'nelr wh ;h spr she tr1c py
and living God, and expecting help and sue
cess only from him, Washington never failed to
ascribe the glory of that success to the same
God. "The hand of Providence" said he, has
been 30 conspicuous in all this that he must be
worse than an infidel who lacks faith, and more
than wicked, who has not gratitude enough to ac-
knowledge his obligations" At that critical pc
riOd, when tho cause Of freedom was on the brink
of ruin from the treachery of Arnold, he said: "ln
no instance since the commencement Of the war
has the interposition of Providence appeared moro
Conspicuous
post and garrison at West Point And when, at
the close Of the memorable conflict. the whole host Of
our foes had surrendered at Yorktown, and thus laid
the foundation ofperpetual peace and independence
the same illustrious commander issued his gene
raj order that s'Dvinc service shall be performed
to- morrow in the different brigades and divisions
The commander in chief recommends that all the
troops not duty do assist at 1t with serious de-
pertinent, and that sensibility of heart which the
recollection of surprising and particular inter-
position Of Divine Providence in our favor claims"
The 18th day Of the following December was ap-
pointed BY Congress "as day Of general thanks ;.
position Of Divine Providence" Such was the
simple conding spirit of those who cried unto the
Lord in their disress; and when he raised up means
and instruments of deverance, forgot not to give
him thanks for his great mercics
Coming events said to "Cast their shadows
before" In that period arose the sublime form Of
revolution, to which the genius of Washington
alyng itself, gave it: in conjunction with the prin-
ciples involved in the conflict, dignity and a
prestige unequalled since the days of William of
Orange, whom the people of England placed on a
Luminous, and superstitious tyrant. That form
revolution-not only cast its shadow before, but
projected it across the Atlantic, on the very cont-
nent Of Europe. The changes destined TO be ac-
the result OF aspiring ambition, of attempts at ind
vidual aggrandizement, even of popular ca
price. They were the fruits Of a profound study
Of the principles Of liberty and the rights of man.
their Obligations to God. and their duties to the
world around them. For the rectitude of their
motives, and The integrity Of their intentions,
they appealed to the Supreme Ruler OF the uni
verse. They reverently invoked the sanctions
of high Heaven on the cause they cspoused and the
conflict they commenced Without God they
could not have dared such a work. Without such
a leader as He furnished them for the work, they
could not have entered upon il with fair prospect
of SUCCESS. The great end was ordained in Heaven,
and the necessary means provided. He must be
man in himself host; of fertile invention in the
time of wsnt; Of unfailing resources in moments
when hard pressed with dificulties Of unal-
terable resolution to encounter danger; and OF a
still 6rmer will to meet and subdue rebellion in
his own camp he must be believer in the power
and providence of God, or he cannot succeed. Az
truly as God ever raised up Cyrus, and called him
by name, lis. As: l, ~ so did He raise up George
Washington, and put the right spirit within him
whose right hand have holden, to subdue nations
before him and will loose the loins of kings, to
open before him the two leavcd gates, and the gates
shall not be shut. will go before thee, ana make
the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars O.
iron." To assail the hoary tyranny Of ages-te
make the monarch of his former allegiance trem
BILE for his dominions--to open the gates of brass
and introduce into the temple of liberty an objec
worthy the worship of freemen, to break the rod o
the oppressor, and not only open the ports OF thu
beautiful land to the commerce of the world, but th
land itself to people Of all nations, and all religions
to be the home of their hearts, and the refuge o
their consciences-ths was the mission of the tru
hero, more heroic in the development Of high mora
qualities than even in the prowess Of the sword
For these objects he was preserved from numerou
dangers until his work was accomplished. Neitbe
the smallpox, which assailcd him in all its virulenc
at the age of nineteen in the island Of Barbados
nor the storm of bullets that ragged around him a
the ago of twenty three at Fort Duquesne, nor tn
imminent perils of the Revolutionary war, coul
touch his life until he had fulfilled the vast wor
assigned him in the field and in the council. The
slight cold, wetting of the neck in bis own quie
Mount Vernon, could dissolve the springs of life
and, at the close of century he had imlnoralizcd
lead him 10 that illustrious rcpose which attract
millions Of pilgrims to his shrine from the rel emotes
regions of the immense republic, and from allpart
of the world.
What was the real secret Of these triumphs tina
accompanied his career? Unshakcn trust in God
A nephew of Washington, his attendant during hi
campaigns, being asked by clergyman what wer
crio renlicd. w ahin