Smyrna times., 1860-12-13
BY REV. J. C. THOMPSON.
Sermon

BY KEW. }. 4. ItiOMPSON.
TExT:- 2He Lord Reigneth, let the Earth
Ryoice.-PsALM eth lst verse.
Alter some Introductory remarks, giving the
different theories held by dlTrren, classes Of
philosophers upon the divine government Of hu-
human affairs, he aid down the Christian the
ory in the proposition that God governs the
Nations by special Pr0ridence and, after
discussing this truth at some length, and Illus.
tratIng it by several examples taken from mod
ern history, such as the Tepuison of the Moors
oy Charles Mariel; the overthrow of the " In
Vinelble Armada" by line direct agency of God ,
the career Of shat " PRODIGY of tas nineteenth
century," Napoleon Boneparte, and by our
own National history, he remarked as follows
We come TO the house of God to-day at the
call of the highest executive authority Of our
State, to offer praise ani Thanksgiving to the
Great Ruler ct Nations. And many u man, |
doubt not, will TcHd his way thithcF to-day
Wth downcact locks, VITA heavy heart and
emblttered feelings, halt wondering 20 h!msel.
Where are the objects 70 call Oat cur .hunSg-
giving. Is it tha! wc have lost President
the only man who, in our Judgment, could have
saved the Unioa Il II that farutlcaI er1r,t
OF nulllicatIon In the North is crrayed AGAINST
blind, infatuated, salcLjal spirit of secession
In the South Is it because lrc cannon IL a.
ready wheeled from the hvsen2l, and the
streets already glistcn with the serricd bavu-
nets OF our brothers, Ou- kindred and our
friends! Is 1t because tha Country is panic
stricken, the flow Of BUSINESS stacnar,, md
produce deprecated Is it these, sone men
may ask, with a sarcastic sneer, that YOU
would force our hearts TO be thankful for =
No! no, Brethren! These are not chiects of
thanksgiving, but they are objects Of your sun
plIcatlon, which you must remember in your
thanksgiving prayer.
Admitting that you come here to-day with
all these dark omens, sitting like c nightmare
upon yonr spirits, IL there sill nothing 10 clad
den you7 hearte, and FL your ro4th with
praise These gloomy ornens are Int a1k
spots on the sun Of our prosperity, detracti,,,
somewhat, indeed, from It's heat, and pa)jnr jts
light, but there Is both light cnd heat eneurI,
lett 10 dlspei the gloom, aid TO warm cur hearts
into thanksgiving. The great truth of tho
text 49, OF itself, enough to FIJI o3r hearts Win
Joy' aud 1t we have just faith cHou Ii tc baIiavo
tnat "hst uod saws Is true, t"ea, however
DARK may be the visible SURROUNDINGS. y,o ccn
FULLY, heartily respond to the call Of ihp
Psalmist, "tu rejoice and he clad" iytat
though man has been selected to n;lot rho
snip OF State who, some ot Us NAV tbin,. viii
run 1t aground, or dash it against rock. he.
lore even his hand touches tie helm. Can he
go beyond the word Of the Lord LOOK info
'"e BOOK OF Gods word, ead | gee it there
"h.ten 1.-The Lord reigneth." | look bacL
thr ugh the history of the world for fonr tbou.
sAnd yeare, end see it there written mTbe
Lord reigneth." cast my eyes abroad uDon
the world to-day, in Europe, Asia. Africa. and
the Isles of the sea. and in every trapsniring
event see Gods Providence, and plainly read
In every event that is Developing. the le~jb,e
truth, The Lord rcigneth. Aad cqre mot
lohether At Je the Druids shcathing their
s0ords IN The G!Qcd Of the Syrian Ncr.yys. or
u@rtO"t|' thnndertng az lie cates o. tie Ia
ttcan, or Abraham LincOl, l.. tke prcsiIe,,;o,
Cha!r In al thig is TIE nd Of God
What are men! esk. They are bnt tooIs
In the hand Of the great architect. nm, 49,,
never shape the destiny Of people. Tbev
are mere chIsels-God Is tie sculr,or. and i 1
Shaping every thing for E.s own g.ory-f,r tho
advancement OF truth. and for the w,It,re of
man. "
We may say tha; the position Of our No.ior
al affairs Is now punishment. Be ~ TLo
punishment VIII only make US better--cnrb
oar National Y1nIty-Ceepen our eDgrcc,aticn
oi the blessing we have e3;oveG-show ma
more fully cur dependence On God. Soroa NAV
ASK: But vii! net our punishment he or- 49,
sTucLlon! And however worthless on,a;oI
may be IN the present eepeot Of afljre va,
from higher standpoint than that cf 4 p,I;,;cai
arena hazard al opinion. No! no. Erefb'
i'h' we are the chic! depository of the yorII'o
hoPes' the home OF the twin elsicrs, Civil I,b
cry 1"u rTo'eStaht Christianity. The cause
VI h'nerican prosperity l9 the cause Of Trutb
~ - Tue cause 0' humanity; it is the cause of
Uod; and cannot believe that cithor T:.aa,
Britain or the United States viii esar ho 80
ened IN power or influence until the roco s,osH-
Iorth regenerated, disenthralled and enr.a1,
cAised. The Jewish Nation. il NAV bo aaIi
was favored OF God, ard vet carcc tn rnin T'
IL and orF own Nation is this c,rat
u'HeIehce: rive hundred years before tho To-,
%" NatIoh existed the prophecy wa ,vr,,,ou ,
'"u'' " ne Messiah should come vvbsn ~ ,
S0ePtre was departing from Judah" and m 49, ,
purposes OF God Israel must come IN r"i, 1' 'c
IN our case we have the prophecy that :" cL-
'iahty, run and Justice shall covor ~
e"r'n' ana thousand reasons 20 to show t6a, {
'"' 'u''I h"nt OF TIM prophecy Is now Lpoo, - J
-" o"" lahH; and the purposes Of JebnyoL r
can never be reversed. Not until the boor,;n,. =
0"'""" IS heard, can we believe thnI
''y ''S" against brother, aud father
,,ro.,o., or -, ~ t'a'Ia'e our Country by thar
greatest OF all scourges, Civil War. All ,ha' ,a
Is wanted Is i" lIene time to cool the N.tion's t.
'esorea ' Oiood and we trust the day is not G,r
nS'ant .ns "nen inc tanaticsm Of the North md
ae u'''oya.y OF the South, as they stand like
~ ,~m sP'tts OF evil, the one upon the VIII II
y humans OF New England, and the otbov ~ 1
,"0 O'ue mus OF the Carolinas, and. lootin,.
lo"n like Bilaan of old. upon tho i,II'' IT'Ning
'ales' and goodly tents, aad happy homns a"u aI f
cheerful tresldes Of this, Gods modern i'-i ~a,
'nail excIaIm' with that false Propber. {" w. w.
came forth, indeed, to curse and r. dn,.. W."
but no" shall we curse whom Cod ha,L h','Dy
cursed. How sha! We destroy whom Gad bn'% nI' n
not destroyed - And, just as surely So GoI 80, e
restrained the power Of Balaam, ard ovc+rnioJ "
his wrath, until from 1t sprung blessrr 1 ;',a,