Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-11
A DISCOURSE
On Fast Day, September 26th, 1851.
blade in he Baptist Church. Doper, in Mt
course Of The Union Services,
By REy. J. CROCKAR WHITE.

course ot the Union Services,
By REV. J. CROCKAR WHITE
My oooD FRIENDS As our brother who ha
just addressed us has well said ii is not an,
common time nor any ordinary occasion this, OF
which we are assembled to day We have com,
up into Gods house, not now for the first time I,
day, with penitent hearts to pray for the peao,
and prosperity of our land and ii seems 10 me
that when we look at the matter rightly, tho i'm
portance Of this Fast day does not suffer in com
parison with that any Of the old historic
humiliatiOns, that we all have in our memories.
To days work is as full, judge, OF weighty
moment as was that humbling of Judahs heart
before God in Jehoshaphats time, when Ammon
and Moab came up TO war against the chosen
race. For wondr0us as was that victory which
the Lords own arm thereupon won for his peo-
Pile on Engaddis plain, ii was after all but the
salvation of two smnll tribes. Ten had been
left, even though Judah and Benjamin had been
destroyed. To day work is as large, | think,
in the sight of God and all right seeing men, as
was that abstinence, so full of fear, in Esther's
time when Iamans treachery and hate had we'll
nigh cOmpassed the ruin of the people of his
queen. For signal delivernnce MS the Lord gave
them, ii was only the rescue from little WORSE
of people peeled aud scattered,-in foreign
death could have seemed so very dreadful 10
days work is at least, us serious as that sitting
in sackeloth and ashes in JOnah's time, when all
Nneveh, from the king OH his throne 10 the Little
child that did not know its right hand fiom lis
left, went mournfully and prayetfully into the
presence of an offended God. For great as was
the mercy that spared Nineveh, it was, after all,
simply city that had been spared And we,
to-day, have come mournlully and prayerfully
f,ta RIa nf fl.nf n,4 i
him that he would save more than thirty tribes
that he would deliver people-hitherto blessed
even yet dwellers in their own land, to whom
death is dreadful-tbat he would deliver them
from evils worse than death and that he would
show forth towards us also that mercy which in
the old time he manifested 10 that repentng city
in which Jonah preached; for behold a greater
than Nneyeh is here.
And as neither tho time nor the occasion are
any ordinary ones, SO, think, brethren, we must
oil of us have felt that n0-eommon influence was
stirring in our hearts to day. Ii isn't simply
religion though that is n mighty mover of the
soul. 1t isn't merely patriotism though that
in its highest meaning, is one OF the fruits of
religion. These motives have been working in
our breasts before. Through all this year we
have been praying; on Sundays in onr churches,
and on week days in our homes that God would
have pity on us and on our country. But to day
we have been praying these old petitions over
again with warmer zeal and brighter hope.
For to-day we have felt that we were not alone
To day we have had sympathy that we could sec.
The knowledge that from thousands of crowded
temples and millions of loyal hearts great
voice. like the noise of many waters was going
up to God, ,-oh, hasn't it raised your deepest
devotion, and made you prevalent in prayer?
For six long months now, since that sunny day
in April, we have been drifting out on the blood
red tide OF war, and we have been blinded by
the battle smoke, and much as we have wanted,
and hard as we have tried to touch some friend
ly hand or hear some sympathetic voice, the
good time has not come till now. To-day wo
hear the echoes Of one another's prayers. To-
day we are casping hands around common
altar. To-day we arc trusting with surer hope
than eyer,-not perhaps, that just what we want
shall come in just our way, but that, somehow,
Gods glory and mans truest happiness shall be
brought out of all our trouble.
do not forget that in January we gathered
thus in the churches, and tasted and prayed thus
in our private homes But there is difference
between that time and this. That was only the
nations request, "Lead us not into temptation"
This is the poor nations struggling cry, "De-
liver us, o Lord, out Of the evil" Then, we
did not seem to need so much, or seek so ear
nestly the sympathy we crave to day. Then, we
were too much like gallant army that goes out
with circling squHdrons and extended lines and
clouds Of lowering skirmshers. The whole
array hangs loosely. Now, we are more like the
same force repulsed and retiring. We are not
go yentures0me and SO aelt-dependent as we
were. We call in the skirmisners and crowd
into solid squares. Our trouble drives us to-
pether. As one people, with one heart and one
mouth, we make our prayer to day. And, |
tell YOU, il is u grandly solemn sight, to the
angels and to the watching world this of
great nation sitting in sackcloth, weeping la
menting, sobbing out supplications before its
listening Lord. God grant that before many
DAYS the oil OF joy and gladness may be poured
upop its head, aud its royal robe restored, and
rs brow CLEAN again with the full cOronet of
stars, and its pealng psalm of praise go up to
heaven instead of that sad suPpication.
And yet, cannot forget thar, solemn ms is that
SIGHT; and profitable as 1 hope that repentance
and prayer shall be, there may be still darker
laws before us. If the simple profession Of
misery could have purchased pardon then
Christ need not have died for men. Ii We fancy
that the mere acknowledgment Of our unhappl-
ness will remove our punishment, l fear we shall
he sadly disappointed. | cannot forget how
hateful hypocrisy is in the sight of God how
iueffectual mere lip pentence must be without
reform and in what danger this people is of
coming into Jehovah's presence chamber with
lie in its right hand; only to be driven forth
again to greater shame and worse distress.
u
with this people. Besides that which he has
with us as individuals Tor our private aud per
aonal sins, he has one with us for our national
crimes. We cannot, | know, invariably inter
nret judgments on indiyiduals as expressions of
Gods anger They may be simply dscipliues,
cbastenings, workings Of that vast and secret
Providence which We cannot comprehend This
Christ said when he spoke TO certain people con-
oernipe tho Galleans, whose blood PLATE had
mingled with their sacrifices, and OF those eigh-
teen on whom the tower of Sloan fell. What
punishment there is for private sin is commonly
in the next world. But nations have no
next world. Here they suffer for their sins, and
We are not far wrong when We think God is
angry, when lie visits US with national calami-
ties. We judge rightly, that when we are in
national trouble, we, as n nation, have been
committing sin. And it is because we have
sinned, deeply, darky sinned before God, that
there has been rancor; and abuse and falst-
hood; and an angry parting between brethren !;
and, at last, blows; and now, such trouble,-