Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-07-02
OUR DUTY IN PERILous TIMES.


OUR DUTY IN PERILOUS TINES
Sabbath before last before a very large con-
gregaton, in the church in Asburton Place,
Boston, Rev. DIR. Kirk delivered deeply in
teresting sermon, in allusion partly to the pre-
sent state of affairs in our country and our du-
ty in relation thereto. The morning lesson,
' (which proceeded it, the I'd chapter of Lamen-
tatlons, was very appropriate to the occasion.
DIR. Kirk selected for his text-Joel, chap
ter IL, verses l6 to 1S,-s.Blow the trumpet in
Zion, sanctify fast, call solemn assembly
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,
assemble the elders, gather the children, and
those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom
go forth out of his chamber, and the bride out
of her closet. lie. the priests, the ministers of
the Lord, weep between the porch and the al
tar, and let them say, Spare thy people,
Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach,
that the hcathen should rule over them where
fore should they say among the people, where
Is their God Then will the Lord be jealous
for his land, and pity his people," Joel's min
istry, he showed in the outset, was mainly
message to guilty people calling them to re-
pentance-in a time Of mans degeneracy and
Gods yengeance-sta day of fdarkness-gloom-
iness." Our own day he compared to that,
passing thus from the Jewish theocracy to the
American Republic, and he believed we were
called to the same course as was then prescrib-
ed for them.
God had fearful controversy with this ma
ton. was evidenced in our sins and embar-
easements. And there was a sufficient reason
for the divine indignation against us. To whom
much was given, much was expected. Our
trust was the highest of all committed to ma
tions, and the very denial or ignorance of it
was among our greatest sins.
Ours was from the very beginning, in its We
~ origin a religious history it abounded in
wonderful interventions of providencc ours
was an untrammelled religion; and position
of security from all the political agitations and
military despotism of Europe Ordinary sins
became with us aggravated and extraordinary
sins; even as God bore with the heathen of
old, but when the Jew did wrong he became
liable to divine vengeance. We had, if ever
nation had, holy, inestmabe trust for 9th
or nations, for posterity, for mankind. No
people could ever have done so much, from
their circumstances, for the worlds advance
ment in holiness. Yet where God had looked
for grapes he had found wild grspes-hc had
found us boastful, naughty, self-complacent
and independent before him, when we should
have cherished benevolence and humility, and
looked at ourselves as the almoners of his
bounty.
But probably our greatest sin, was ourAthe
ism; most of us had a correct theory, yet had
put the divine being under foot, by not ac-
knowledging him in all the affairs of life.
What trial of Gods patience must our con-
duct be. But we ought to notice, in the Sec
ond place, that His judgments had begun a
mong US. The father Of our country clearly
saw the intention Of Providence, and had coun-
selled us to live at peace with other nations,
having none but peaceablo connection with
them. But God had suffered the contrary to
take place, and no human sagacity could pre-
dict the result. We were making treaties with
Persia to the satisfaction of Russia and the a
larm of England we were constantly in fric-
tion with England, and tempting her, with
France andSpain, to turn their arms against us.
"And in what condition. said DIR. Kirk,
"are our affairs at home 2 glance at them
is all we may undertake. But two powers are
now at work in the midst Of us, as antagonis-
tic, as terrific in their conyulsivc encounter as
the northwest hurricane rushing down upon a
south eastern swell of the Atlantic Ocean. If
you can to-day strange Hercules in the cradle
with your feeble hand, the day is coming when
no human power can Withstand him. Won
der that anyAmericln citizen should doubt
whether we have reached crisis in advance
of all the critical periods of our former history.
sThere lies on the statute book OF each OF
fifteen of our States,a peculiar doctrine,which
is expanded into various enactments. There
exists at the same time, in the minds OF the
majority, probably seven-tenths of the citizens
Of tho thirty-one States, belief that that doc
trine is unsound.
cit will corrupt the community that believes
and practices it; it will corrupt legislation ;