Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-12

Shall the Of niquiy have fellowship with thee WhIcl
framsth mischief by law ?-LPsalms kew, 30
All the men Of thy cOnfederacy brought thee tn
and prevailed agsnst they that thy bread have laid
wound under thee there is understanding in hm-Oha
| diah v.
The voice of the Chief Magistrate has summoned
us to-day the house of prayer. This call 10 Its an
! nual repetition. may be too often only a solemn
statoform nevertheless. it covers a mighty and
double truth.
| 1t recognizes the existence of a personal God
whose will shapes the destiny of nations, and that
sentiment Of religion in man which points to Him
as the needle TO the pole. Eyen with those who
grope in the twilight of natural religion, natural
conscience gives to the dspeDsatons OF Pro
whence If in autumn extensive harTests hang
their heavy head" the joyous reaper. crowned
with the sickle and the wheaton sheat, hits his
heart to the Father Of Lights from whom cometh
down every good and perfect gift" Or, If Pesti-
lenCc and famine waste the EARTH even pagan affairs
smoke with bleeding victims, and costly hecatombs
appease the divine anger which flames out In such
dire misfortunes 1t is the instinct Of mans rell-
gious nature which, among Christians and heathens
alike. seeks after God-the natural homage which
reason blinded 1t may be, pays 10 a universal
ali ruling Providence. All classes bow beneath its
spell especially in seasons Of gloom. when nation
bends beneath the weight of general calamity, and
a common sorrow falls upon every heart. The
hesltatng skcpuc torgcts 70 weigh his scruples, as
the dark shadow passes over him and fills his soul
with awe. The dainty philosopher, cOOlly dscOurs-
ing Of the forces Of nature and her uniform laws,
abaudons for a time his atheistcal speculations
abashed by the proofs of a supreme and personal
will
Thus the devout followers Of Jesus Christ, and
those who DO not rise above the level of mere tLoisi
are drawn into momentary fellowship; as under the
pressurc of these neXtingushablc convictions they
nav a public and united honor to the God of nature
and grace.
In obedience to this great law Of religious feeling.
mt less than in obedience to the civil ruler who re-
nresents this in its unity we are now
assembled Hitherto, on similar OCCASIONS our Ian
ruage has been the language Of gratitude and song
1.-THE voice of rejoicing and salvation was il the tab
ernacles of the righteous" Together we praised
the Lord that our garners were full adOrding all
manner of store that our sheep brought forth thou
sands and tens Of thousands in streets that our
oxen were strong to labor. and there was no break
inc in nor going out and no complaining was in our
streets" As we together surveyed the blessings of
Providence the joyful chorus swellcd from millions
of neoDe Peace be within thy walls and proSDeri-
~ within thy palaces But, TODAY bur6aueJ
hearts all over this land brought to the saDctu-
a1-y of God Ne see the tents of Cushan in Attic
ou and the curtains of the land of INDIAN do trem-
BILE" We have fallen upon times when there are
signs in the SUM- and in the mooR and in the stars:
upon tie earth distress of nations with peFpleyitv:
the sea and the waves roaring; mems hearts failing
them for fear and for looking after those things
which are coming in the near yet gloomy future
Since the words OF TINS piOClduldtaOn were pcnned
nv which we are convened. that which all men
dreaded. but against which all men hoped, has been
realized: and in she triumph of sectional majority
we are cOmpelled to read the probable doom of our
once happy an united Contederacy. ltls not to be
concealed that we are in the most fearful and peril
ous crisis which has occurred in our history as
nation The cords which during tour-hthS of 2 cen
turE have bound together this growing Republic
are ned To the utmost tension they Jusneed the
touch of fire to part ssunder forever Lake snip
labaring in the storm and suddenly grounded upon
some treacherous shoaI-eyery timber Of this vast
Confederacy strains ana gF02ps under the pressure
Sectional divisions the jealousy OF rival interests,
,le list Of political power, bastard amEItion which
looks 10 q personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT rather than TO
the public zeal, a reckless radicalism winch seeks
for the subversioR Of all that is ancient and stable
and furious fanatoisp which drives on its I'll con
sidered conclusions with utter disregard Of the evil
il engenders-all these combine ts create porten-
tious crisis the like of which have never known
before and which puts to crucIylng test the var
tue Gle patriotism and the piety Of the country.
You. nv hearers. who have waited upon my pub
lie ministry and have known me in the intmaces Of
pastoral intercourse will do me the justice to testify