The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-04-06
Mr. eidd,ngs on the Higher Law.

On the evening of the 2lst inst, the Hon
JOSHUA R G1DDI> c. lectnred in Clinton Hall,
New York, before The Young .hen's Chris
tian Association, upon the Higher Law. The
Tribune notices his lecture follows
He fonud the higher law thI oug hout nature
in the succession Of the Seasons, in gravita
iion, in the Operations of all things. This
earth, he said, was speeding through space
: with an inconceivahle velocity; he retired to
the higher law. And yet there we're men who
would swear to you hat it was all done by an
act of Congress. L lighter and applause !
A clerg, man lately asked him about his faith
in God He told lin that he knew hat God
existed Just as well as he knew that a man ex-
ised From the actions of the clavey teoe
ment lie came TO the conclusion that there was
a man inside; and from the operations of the
material universe, be- came equally TO the con
clusion that there was an omnipoteDt power
and wisdom which moved and directed it
The infinite delicacy of the balances which
God had established in the human Frame and
the certainty with which transgression of any
of its laws brought the fitting penalty, was
striking instances oil the immntatilitv of Coils
material laws. Corresponding TO these mate
rial laws he said were the moral laws establish
ed by God, equally inevitable and eqallv i'm
mutable and these, he said, we're the Higher
Law. Mr.. Giddings incidentally stated that
he thought he came pretty near being in heav-
en- on Sunday when he heard Beecher in the
morning and his friend on is right the Rev.
DIR. Cheever] in the evening Man needed
liberty to enable him to ofey the Higher Law
He said that in grave judicial case slave
had been decided to he one doomed TO live
without knowledge. He wished he could ring
that in the ears of all itifidef Dnc'ors of Divin
D ity; and he proceeded to administer SOUND
castigation to the so-called Christians who were
nnfaiihful TO liberty. Mr. Giddings traced
The influence Of the Higher Law in the shap
ing of the Revolutionary struggle. and it,
embodiment in the Declaration of Independ
ence
In reference to the position of the clergy HI
told the story of the Rev. MIR Sheer Chaplair
of the House. who, when mutined cargo o
slaves had been retaken brought hack Il
Washington and bought by the great slave
dealer, Hope II. Slater, and stood trembling
In Pennsy lvania avenue, shook the hand o
Slater and reproved one of tie slaves for at
tempting to free himself, man 10 whom h,
himself had often given the symbolic breat
and wine. Next morning when Slicer got up
and began to pray, a plain spoken colleague
of his got up, pnt on his hat and hegan +.
swear But as Slicer called on God to hleS
the members, 1fIden called on God to dam
3 such preachers. Slieer's PRAYERS and Tiian'
curses ascended together; which were the mos
efficaclons he never had learned hut he ha.
rather trust to Tildenis c:rses than to SIi
q GERS prayers, because thev were nof honest
Mr.. Gitdings concluded by relating severa
instances in which the horrors Of Slavery hat
come to his knowledge
We are SORRY our excellent friend Hon. D
r TIIDEN got so much excited as to swear
but then it must be admitted that create
production can he conceieed of