Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-08-09
AMERICAN HISTORY.

4 draw largely on the past Tor materials ol
+ present national glory. They delight in
4 recalling the acts of their fathers, the vic
tories gained by their heroic men; a halo
Of light encircles the most ordinary incl
dents, and the symbols transmitted seem
sacred as if sent from God. The in
spired writer acts upon this universal dis
position of mankind, and repeatedly re-
count the historical events Of the nation
differing chiefly, however, from Other his
torians, as they make God everything and
man nothing. The great men of Israel
are the men little in their own sight, but
strong in faith. Moses only toliows 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
sacred records no glorfication of man ;
there are no epic og dramatic poems.
History and poetry both call upon him
that glolieth to glory in the Lord. But
God is in all history, and it is the part of
the Christian to search for the signs of his
power and providence; ; and may we not
hope the day is approaching when histo-
rians shall recognize the agency of the
King of kings in the movements they re-
cord; when they shall feel that great
part of thei. work is to discover, and bring
before the eye ever the evidence Of con-
trolling invisible Power? In fact, history
is never seen in its grandeur separated
from the purposes of God as revealed in
his word it is heaving, restless sea
without bound, without design, sometimes
comparatively calm, and sometimes swept
with storms, but finally wearisome to the
eye, and giving no instruction to the
heart.
1t 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 spe-
cial and glorious destiny, unless we madly
renounce the guidance of Him who has
thus far led us on our way. As Chris
tians, it becomes us to ask, Why has this
vast continent, stored with riches of every
kird, and mines of gold and silver, with
fuel for decades of centuries, blessed with
soil and climate adapted to every variety
of production and to all races of the fami-
ly of man, hidden away from the civilized
world until about the time of the great
Reformation Why did a pestience
sweep large proportion Of the savage
tribes from this Western wilderness, be-
fore the coming Of the white men? Why
were the Puritans driven to Holland be-
fore emigrating to this continent, if not to
gain another element Of power in the idea
of the schoolhouse and universal educa-
ton? Why were the emigrants cast here
and there in regions widely separated,
often against their will, if not for the for
nation of distinct States ? Why was the
! English nation permitted to become the
single ruling power over all the thirteen
colonies, if it were not that all might COM
bne against the single oppressor, and
thus all be united in a common bond?
And with all this man had nothing to do,
nor could the wisest statesman have com
pretended the divine purposes. This ma
ton was formed by God, and much as we
admire the wisdom of our fathers, with
all respect to be said, their wisdom lay in
following the leadings of Him who walk
ed before them, and whose footsteps the
dmmest eye can see. The vast proper
ton of the founders of this nation were
Gods own people. They came bringing
his work with them. They built every
where houses for his worship; nor has
there been a step taken in our national
progress, without prayer from the thou
sands Of bis children.
If we pass on to the Revolution, TIE
signs of Divine interference are so re-
markable that even infdelity has confess
sed a higher Power than man. a vol-
ume might be written upon this subject
but of the multitude of evidences Of Gods
providential care of us, let US take one,
the appearance OF George Washington,
and no other man, as the guide of the
Revolution. He was not the man aOe
should have chosen his qualities we're
not sbining he was not man after the
American heart; he aroused no wild en-
thusiam and foreigners TO this day speak
of Washington as possessing a kind Of
neqative character, and ask What |
great thing did he do ? We answer, He
was a man sent of God, and be accom-
plished the most magnificent work of
these centuries. He possessed the very
qualities (and they were high and noble,)
needed for his peculiar work, but not