The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-05
Mltslclluup.
God, in American History.

NituOuJ tuc uOllCC vi Oul llN1fCu'J othCl'
We cannot suppose He is unmindful of the
of nations. The Chris tian Intel
Hgencer has the following upon this subject
All civilized people are accustomed to
draw largely on the past for materials OF
present national glory. They delight in re-
calling the acts of their fathers, the victories
gained by their heroic men; a halo of light
encirces the most ordinary incidents, and the
symbols transmitted them sacred as il sent
from God The inspired writer's act upon
this universal disposition Of mankind, and re.
peatedy recount the historical events of the
nation, differing chiefly, however, from other |
historians, as they make God everything and
and man nothing The great men of Israel
are the men little in their own sight, but strong
in faith. Moses On y FOLLOWS the cloud and
pillar OF fire. Joshua is strong only as he
lays hold of the strength Of God. The glory
of the nation is not in men, but IN the fact
that Jehovah is their covenant God. Hence,
there is in their records no glorificatlon of man
there arc no epic Or dramatic poems. History
and poetry both call upon hun that gorieth
to glory in the Lord But God is in all his
tory, and it is the part of the Christian to
search for the signs Of his power and proyi-
dencc and may we not hope the day Is ap-
preaching when historians shall recognize the
agency Of the King Of kings in the movements
they record when they shall feel that a
great part of their work is to discover, and
bring before the eye ever the evidences OF
controlling, invisible Power :! In fact, hlSto,
ry is never seen in its grandeur separated
from the purposes of God as revealed IN his
word it is leaving, restless sea without
bound, without design, sometimes compara-
lively calm, and sometimes swept with storms,
but finally wearisome to the eye, and giving
no instruction to the heart
It requires no very close observation to
discern in our own national history the special
providence of God, and, therefore no very
strong faith to anticipate a special and glorl
GUS destiny, unless we madly renounce the
guidance of Him who has thus tar leo US on
our way. AS Christians, it becomes US to
ask. Why has this vast continent, stored with
riches Of every kind and mines OF gold and
e silver with fuel Tor decades OF centuries, bles
sed with soil and climate adapted to every
variety of production and to all races OF the
family of man, hidden away from the civlllz
ed world until about the time OF the grea
s. Reformation? Why did pestlence SWEEP
large proportion Of the savage tribes iron
this Western wilderness, before the coming
the white men? Why were the Puritan
\ driven to Holland before cmlgratlng to thl
y continent, if not to gain another element o
mower in the idea of the schoolhouse and uni
in versal education Why We're the cmlgrant
cast hero and there in regions widely separat
ed. often against their will, 1t not Tor the loI
nation of distinct States? Why was tn
Enoyjsh nation permitted to become the slr
ole ruling power over all the thirteen colonies
? i were not that all night combine agalns
the single oppressor, and thus all be unlted
. con,won bond ? And with all this man ha
nothing to do, nor could the wlscst statesma
~ have comprehonAed the divine purposes
Tb;s nation was formed Goo, and much as
admire the wisdom o. our iafhefa' "l1ll d
yespect TO be SAID, ,thelr wisdom lay 10 'oll0s
u inc the leadings OF Him who walked pefo-
VI tbpm and whose Footsteps tne dimmest e>
can see The vast proportion OF the tounue
DS of this nation were Gods own people. Ih'
came bringing his word with them Ih'
: built everywhere houses for his worship; n
= has there been step takon IN our nation
progress, without prayer from the 'hcnsao
vi Of his children.
Y If we pass on the Revoiunon, the Signs
Divine interference are so remarkable, tn
even infdeliy has confessed higher 10"
than man. A volume might be written up
e ;es this subject, but out Of the multitude OF e'
deuces OF Gods providential care OF us, let
tpko one, the appearance Of Geo. Washlngto
t. and no other man, as the guide OF the he'
luton. He was not the man VIC should ha
chosen his qualities were not shining;
was not man after the American heart;
aroused no wild enthusiasm and forolgn'
var to this day speak Of Washington as possess,
ur- kind of negative character, and ask-Wi
great thing did he do?' We answer.
Was a man sent of God and he accomplish
the most magnificent work of these centurl RI
He. possessed the very qualities (and tt
- we're high and noble) needed tor MS peeul
work, but not those which would have b
IN dangerous, and the exhibition OF which wo
iber, have stirred the passions of the multitude
/, de- de- have led to despotism he was calm
.;ors firm. patiept, patriotic, and his cnar