, 1860-06-12

Of human Industry ID town and city, but the RI
tal forces at work in the thousand blades about
are uoiseless as tho workings Of thought: EV',
err u,editRtivs person who has stood in the
midst OF forest IN = summers day, and re.
aected how many agencies are in operation
there, drawing nlnisture from the earth, and
forcirg it to tile very teudrils Of the topmost
limb, each leaf J separate apparatus tor absorb
iug viesue from the air and expelting gases
Which it dces net require, has heard the ro;co
Of the almighty above the rustling ofthe brave
old treas. ~:
Bu. God speaks 10 us now in The audible
voice IT the devastating storm. Let us cndeay-,
or TO heed its lessons. Has the believer in
chaoce any right 10 come 10 us and Say, "Wh here
ia now Your God:" Or has he who delights In
dwcl1i ne upou the dark facts in the Providcn
tiai government of the world any occasion TO
ssk, = How do you reconcile such less Of life
and destruction OF property with your teachings
in regard to 1he ne1cifulEess of the Divine
rule?" We stand upon the doctrine Of the Di-
vine sovereignty. Col is orer all. Chance has
no p'a &C in thc government Of God. Tor chance
onc.. .>lmitted, practically dxsAroatx the Al
mighty.
iuu caauitiea With which our planet il yisit-
ed u,ay be caased under these three heads !:
l. Those which arc tse direct resul: Of sin. 2.
Thrse Which are tho result cf mans ignorance
Of Gods lass, ind in which there il ru sin NOR
blame. 5. Those that are wholly Of Gods send
sight conld bare prevented. Earthquakea, vol
canoes. toynadnes, etc.. are by COMMON conscns, ;,
arranged urder the third head Of I'll such
pheuosnena as d1e late tornado some persocs
say, IT IS Judgment" "a visitation Of God
spi,i,u i regeneration I'd NAV work out q Of @ tba
sober thought aud Christian deeds which this
visitation snay inspire, cannot tell. Doubt
less, it s.ili do good iu many directions. But it
ia time that our Churches had done with this
method Of appeal to the supcrstltious elrineut
in hum n nature, in attempting to interpret na-
tura( paeacmenn; that He brought to the ex-
position Of sIch occurrences more enlightened
reason, aod judgment less hampered by ster-
eotyred forms of thought, and more in harmony
with tho colnnonest facts Of natural pbiluAo-
ply.
Such calauities AS The late tornado a.o doubt-
less iucidentalto our climate, and Rs surl4 are
produced by natural causes, and are, in part,
the price Of onr Inheritance In this rich land.
To any one who has come to tee what lie ls,
who reafizes that there ill about us stubborn
:Acta Of terrible import, as interpreted By the
Seer<, but which III the ilcal order vipdicate
the dlsiue good will: who has come 10 see that
there are real troubles in this world. and that
I'LL true exxftaion ia the p! ice of labor, corfcs
and dea4h. Any kuch fact IS crushing storm.
willie it ktaTiles aud overxlelns toe time.
brings in the clt n statement no hesit=ncy az to
the tuercitutneta Of the reign Of God. A. heal
phen0ne1a npfftcAhts, !emceSte and torBadceS
Heem useless and uwful; but taken cut ct their
local connections. and seen in the relation they
hold tn pure atmosphere. they become minis
ters Of mercy. The las Of order rot ooly runs
through ali the seemingly exceptional facts Of
nature, but the 1aw OF merctu1ness ovrrrides
all the apparent crueiies and shadowy state
menta ct tbs wondetous waya of God.
The speaker proceeded to &peAk ofthe extent
Of the tornado. Of the many Impressive lessons
il taught, and espccsliy Of tho generous seuti.
ment and noble doing which the calx1uity had
called firth. HI closed with The words: How
many OF those we have known since we began
tue race Of 1iie, hare passed ,rnm earth. i few
years ut most md eur work will be done. 1t is
cot likely tornado will 4@eep VA from the
world, for tl,at method is exceptional; bu: i. is
likely, usy, it is ctr4.in, that the con,iuE of
de4th in some form will not long be delayed 10
auy one Of us.. Listen, hearer. to the voice o.
God in Nature sud Revelation, and by king
your duty every day be ready to 20 10 Him
whea lie cali. Wherever you are, in the home
or In the field, in The office or AT the bench.
keep the +hr Of the spIit open 20 ID to Lear
what the Father s!eaketh. And then, when
death meeta you by tie way, and God suys to
to you, Come up hi.hrr,' il,era will be 10 ter
ror III the speech. fnr you aill knew thu: tie
vocc Of the Almighty i. Tie voice Of fr,tnd,
calliax you into Ii lie Of larger ac,isity, Of full
er developer. .cnt, md ut more ohedicnt geryice.'