Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-01
THE NATIONAL FAST,
DISCoUR9E
Or
REV. GEORGE +. WISWELL

REV. GEORGE f. WISWELI
Delivered n The Central Presbyterian Church,
on Thursday, September 2Gm, 1861.
" Hast thou not prccurod this unto ihyself in tn
thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led b
by the way|-Jer II, n.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
1t was time of sore calamity in Israel III
nation, that, chief of all, had enjoyed the diyin
lavor mad now fallen upon an evil time. 60
day OF darkness and Of gloominess-a day {
clouds and Of thick darkness" Ind settled beavi
" upon a once favored and happy people. They
VINO under the divine direction, had risen from
low estate, to great emucnce and distinction
among surrounding nations, had now become
reproach in the presence of their foes, and tn
large boon Of liberty and the high privilege
Ihey hnd 30 freely enjoyed, were about to depar
from them forever. Aud now the Prophet d
eou stands up TO declare unto this stricken peo
pie, his will. He rapidly sketches the pictur,
OF their former prosperity, and calls to mind the
uhnumbered advantages of chosen race under
a theocratic government lie tells them of 4
time when all their works and WAYS were loli-
ness unto the Lord. How they were diyinely
LED through the wilderness, through n land Of
deserts and of pits, land of drought and of the
shadow OF seath, land through which no mnn
passed. and where no man dwelt, into a land Of
plenty, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness
| thereof. But he reminds thcm also that they
abused their heritage and defled the land, and
recklesay prOfnned his name who had given il
them, and "changed their glory for that which
ald not profit" They had become proud nd
| naughty nation, coyetous and greedy nation ;
and so, as natural result, nation of oppres-
sors. They had become au rreligous, atheistic
aho immoral nation. And now, says he, you are
suffering people. Your glory is departing,
your land is laid waste, heather hordes are de-
solating your cities, aud all your pleasant places
are being turned into deserts, while your crown
is falling, and your very name is just ready 10
perish from among meu.
ana can 1t he that this recreant nation will
refuse to inquire into the causes of all her pre-
sent distresscs? Is there no connection between
their sins aud their suiierings? Has all this
chastlsement fallen upon au unotiending people
AN says the faiihiul prophet, " Hast thou not
procured this unto tiyaclL in that thou hast for.
snken the Lord thy God when he was leading
thee by the wayY' Know therefore, and sac
that It is 40 evil thing and bitter, that hou hast
torsaken the Aord thy God, md that my fear is
not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts"
CAUSES OF our PRESENT pERILs.
Ny hearers, can we fail to see in this record
OF On ancient nation something strikingly anal
agous TO our own history and present condition
ls not the inspired narrative full of sharp and
instructive suggestion ON this day of solemn
national humiliation and supplication He must
have been very dun and careless student of
history, who does not sec that in our own ma
tlonal life many of the sins and sufFerings of
Israel are being reproduced Aud we shall best
suhserye the true purpose of this day, and come
up to the spirit of its appointment, if we trace
our history, and discover so far as we may, the
real causes of our present perils totterihg as We
are on the very brink of national anuhilation.
Let us not fail to note mn important difference
between the life of n nation and the individual
souls of whom it is composed. The individual
sins, suffers, and is disciplined here in probation
inns, however, is but the beginning OF his his
tory--it is but tho initatOry stage of his being
another awaits him after this is finished. And |
IN that future into which he is being hurried by
lnexorable will, retributve justice shall be sa-
tisfied, and God shall render to every one ac
cording to his earthly ways, and according to
the fruit Of his doings. But not SO with ma
tons They have no future life
"Tley have their day
And cease to bel'
Hence as there can be no retribution there. il
must needs come in this world. If nations sin
they must suffer; if they abuse their privileges
they must at length be deprived of them; and If |
they persist in their weaknesses, they, at last |
must be destroyed. s' The wicked shall be
turned into hell, and all tho nations that Gorget
God"
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
There is another thug We should not forget
tho peopie of n nation, as individuals are to be
held personally responsible before God, each in
his sphere and place, for the character of the
whole nation. No one can so lose his identity
and merge his responsibility in the multitude,
as to plead innocence of national crimes and
The nation cannot, under the
present constitution of things, be guilty of de-
parting from God, while the individual goes
clear The Scriptures as clearly point out to
the individual the sober duties and obligations
of christian citizenship, ms it defines our duties
in any private or personal relations II this be
so, il is easy to see that ii this American nation
has snned and become guilty, and now suffers
and is in peril, it means simply that lce the
people, have sinned and are guilty Of nm abuse
Of our heavtn-ilescended privileges. Let this
thought then have its legitimate effect upon each
one OF us, that We may honestly confess not
simply that " We have sinnel" but also " /
have sinned and am guilty" Very few if any
Of the great family Of nations, ever had such
history as this. 1t has verify seemed as if God
in his holy Providence had reserved until this
latter day, his wisdom, skill and benefcence, to
be expended in constructing dpon this cou-
Lincnt a government, that should afford to u
great aud prosperous people the largest liberty,
without lawessness, aud to his church the fair
EST opportunity for the full and healthful deyel.
opement OF the graces aud glories of our com
mon christianity.
FREEDOM And CHRISTIANITY.
have always looked upon the mission
of this nation as intimately and vitality
with the ,hurch VI God in the
ultimate conquest Of the world. 1t was specif-
sally OIL religious principle that three king
loms Of the Old world were sifted, that this new
'hrstun kingdom might be founded. 1T was
ar removed from all the shocks and conyusionst
If clashing and cOntending States, to allow
air and full experiment Of free government to
DC tried. Its origin was pre-eminenty christian
both in the character of the men who established
it, and the principles for which they contended