Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1853-05-10
SERMON,
DELIVERED BY REV. DAVID WILSON,
On tbr 1Ratb uf tbr 1uH. Wm. e.. liHg.

But if ye shall SIN do tcicked7y ye shah Be consumed
both ye and your RinS.'-l Sam; II, %.
Intelligence has reached us that another great citi-
zen, the Hon. WILLIAM r. KNs, Vice President of the
United States, is He died at Selma his late
residence the banks of the Alabama river. The
event did not come unexpectedly, but has been anti
itself by various inroads upon his health after
the adjournment of Congress in 1852.
At the period of his election doubts expressed
whether he would assume the honorS and active
duties of his office From that time his death his
health has gradually and pcrcep6S!y declined. A
nation still wears the badges of mourning for two of
her distinguished sons The soft green verGire scarce
covers the spot where they lie One lies in the rich
green shade of the Mississippi Valley fireplace select
ed for his repose-the other sleeps soundly undstur
bed by the ocean thunders of his Marshield home.
Another great man has gone hither, not as he was
once won't to deliberate the great questions of the
nation but to mingle in mysterious, spiritual
verse the hither side of the stream of time 1t is
impossible but that these great national Affections
must make an impression. They are to be regarded
as the voice OF Providence speaking to and to the
nation 1t is the inevitable decree that the great and
the low must alike return to dust. Death makes no
discrnation but assails all equally carrying off the
low and the high, digging the grave of the beggar,
and as if in mockery rearing the tall monument
the dust of the mighty What vain honor
wont to spend a lifetime to attain2 How empty
those titles which we so ambitiously desire2 With
what wasteful prodgalily of health and time
sometimes sacrifice real interests to hold the
certain positions which talent fortune secures But
we must not anticipate.
The text is the language of Samuel the Prophet and
Judge OF Israel, the occasion of the auSpicious
creation of the Israetish monarchy and the aces
sion of Saul as its first King II appears that the
creation of the kingdom the of Divine dis
pleasure. They had lived prospCrously under the
Theocracy, rule of the Judges for period of
ly FIVE hundred years Its Institution displaced Sa-
muel from the Judgcsip, yet Notwithstanding like
true patriot he eagerly assisted in the establishment
of the order of government This whole history
is which all nations ought tolearn, and in
try like ours where the headshp is changed quadren
nallv, Our people and rulers may learn hence
wholesome, practical lessons. The great danger
Republic always lies in the excitemcnts incident to
these successive political changes. At these times
either from cXultation disappointment, nrc in
equal danger from either of the two great partie-
Samuel distinctly foreSaw all the evils incident TO
change of rulers, and had used all his authority
prevent their selecting King. Now, however, that
they had chosen Saul he embraces the moment to
mind them that true national prosperity did not de-
pend, any form of Government, much less that
form they had chosen. lie hoped to teach them that
religion tho foundation of nil national greatness
We will quote from him.
Tow, therefore, behold the King wh,ln We lave
chose ;, and whom ye have desired: and behold the
Lord ka:h set King over you. If yc will fear the
Lord and serve him, and obey his voice, and rebel
against the commandments of the Lord, then shall
both yc and the King that rcineh you continue
following the Lord your God. But if yc will not obey
the voice OF the Lord bot rcb against the conInEInd-
ment of t:c Lord, then st! the hand Of the Lord be
against you, as it was agains your iHttiers
As Mr. Henry remarks he here tells them that
obedience to God would certainly lie :ieir happiness
they would not revolt from God TO id"', nor rebel
against him. but would fear his wrath serys his in
tcrcstS, and obey his will then they and their King
should certainly ehappy but ohservchow the promise
is expressed "Thcn shall yc continue the following
the Lord your God.h
l. We intend to show that national prosperity con-
siss i'll the practice OF true religion, and ANY
forms of Government. The immediate occasion Of
desiring King appears TO have been aPprehensions
of defeat from the Ammonites. When they saw that
the Ammonites had Hing, they desired Samuel to
appoint Gcneral-in-Chief of their armies. "The
Lord is yonr King" said Samuel but they insisted
il. NAY, but King shall reign over U.S." And
now" said lie, "you have King, King of yonr own
asking, let that he spoken to your shame; but King
of Gods making, let that DC spoken to your honor"
1t is quite plain. that they imagined chan.cin the
Government was their national salvation. They had
no reason to think So. The late form of Government
under the Judgeshps had worked we'll they had gen.
orally been successful nheir wars, and had prcserv-
ed internal peace. ThcYtook an oath that Samucl's
rule had been exceedingly Just and happy. They
could not say anything else. Every knew that
Samuel was equitable ruler MS he had not by their
own confession done aught against them We seein
this history early manifeStatiOnof the tendency
change in all human affairs; and also those unfoud-
ed and specious reasons with which ignorant and
ambitious men desire to subvert governments They
had reason for their but they ynt in
tent on accomplishing their ends. We hardly know
whose conduct is most remarkable, SamueIs wisdom
and forbearance, or the nations ignorance. We adj
init some forms of government most conducive to
human happiness. Of such kind, may mention
first the republican form. Then comes next limited
other of the Kingdoms and. States of Europe Some
divines- argue that God Invariably allows a people
just that amount of liberty they prepared enjoy
We cannot admit this rs instances of oppression
might be adduccd which were altogether unaccount-
able. That they intended for wise purposes
none will deny. When we look at the history of the
French nation, discover that they have been for
the past century infatuated with the idea of change
In the first revolution; when Louis XVI was bebead-
ed all parties supposed that the absence of the King
the total of all happiness The same infI2
tpF GOn5 ai1n6 HO16 ~ fha
English nation, under the unfortunate rule of Charles
the ls and made the nation rejoice on the accession
of Oliver Cromwell the Protector. The same bewil-
derlng supPoslton was equally apparent some few
years later, on the abdfcation of Richard Cromwell
and the restoration OF the monarchy under Charles
the End.
The nation was much divided, some IN favor and
some equally opposed TO the restoration. Distrust
and disaffection apparent among all ranks So
ciety, The whole Kingdom was torn and distracted
of conflict were averted There was indeed one mo
ment of extreEpe pertl-Lambert escaped from con-
fnement and called his comrades to arTns-the fame
vigorous exeFtion q 5Fa tF0dden ont before it had
time to spread The lucdcSs iInitator of Cromwell
was again prisoner The failure Of his enterprise
dRmped the spirit of the soldiers and they suIieny
resigned themselves to their fate"
He speaks of the soldiers drawn up to receive the
kingy pageant of their sullen appearance and only
the want of opportunity and excitement to have made
it most bloody day. Yet that day closed in ueace
and the restored wanderer King "reposed safe in the
palace of his ancestors"
This shows on what imaginary grounds nations
are disposed day to overturn and the next to es-
tablish kfngly rule. On such slight grounds govern
Inents long established sometimes OTerthr0wn
have introduced these reflections in part to illustrate
the character of the late Vice President Perhaps tie
country has never produced consistent states
man. or one whose general views of public policy sa-
sored so little of the uttArian notions of party de-
magogues We might not endorse all of his political
views, but we could not deny that they were broad
and national He was commonly called States
Rights Democrat He did not endorse the secession
views current among fanatics, North and South
Whatever views he may have held of State powers
under the Federal compact he did not encourage or
endorse abstractly the doctrine of secession douot