Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-02

Favor.
By request of number of citizens who heard
the sermon Of Rev. Mr. SrRNGFELLow, rector of
Christs Church, in this city, on Fast day, we pro
cured a copy for publication, and il appears in
our issue of to day. 1t is forcible and eloquent
exposition of our national sins, and the changed
condition of our country caused by the civil war
now raging, and the necessity of humiliation and
repentance is earnestly urged to again enjoy the
favor of God, illustrated by the deliverance of a
heather nation who thus sought to avert the
wrath of heaven. The discourse is just what
might be expected from a sincere and Jealous
Christian pastor anxious to be about his Masters
business. The sermon was adapted to the occa-
sion. 1t religious, not political discourse,
and il is one which can be perused by all with
profit. In making these comments we have no
intention of rejecting unfavorably upon the ser
mons Of other clergymen of this city on the same
occasion, but hope that they were all imbued with
a similar Christian spirit and freedom from po-
litical and sectarian basis.
SERMON
But let man and beast be covered with sackcotb, and
CRY nightly Cod yea, let them turn every from
his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands
Who tell God will and repent, and turn
their works that they turned from their evil way and
Godrepented Of the evil that he had said that be would
do unto them, and he did it not.-JoxAH i'll $40.
There are but few of us, imagine, who, in
the days of our childhood, have not read of
wonderful results accomplished by the tabled
lamp of Aladdin-how magnificent palaces rose
in moment from the earth and faded from the
sight-the poor became instantaneously rich, and
the rich man poor. Scarcely less remarkable the
ciange that has come over the surface OF our
country. In November last, we assembled to
keep our annual thanksgiving. From every part
of the land arose the welcome cry, the harvest
is over-our gamers are full. From morning to
nght-in the cities, the villages, and the country,
the busy sound of the hammer and the spindle
was heard. All was hustle and activity, giving
evidence of the wonderful prosperity with which
gracious Providence had crowned our labors.
To day we are assembled at the bidding of the
same authority, but alas, how changed the cir
cumstances by which we surrounded The
worst of all calamities is resting upon our once
happy and united country. The roll of the drum
the marshalling of forces-the booming of the
cannon as it belches forth its messengers ofdeath
the sight of the battle field with its dead and
dying, have allbecome familiar sounds and sights.
Every day the telegraph sends, with the speed of
lightning, the account of some feIrful engage
n ent, in which the men who welded the ham
mers fed the spindles, and handled the pillow,
have been cut down by brothers hand. The
deep recesses of the mountain, where was only
heard the sweet melody of the birds chanting
their daily song. in ignorance though it might be
in praise, of their great Creator, reyerberaes
with the crash of the musket The peaceful val
ley, with the corn standing so thick as to laugh
and sing, is now laid waste by the tread of ar
unia- Eou HIM dra1t md A
in battle array, each watching their opportunity
to engage in deadly strife. Families are broken
up and divided-friends of years standing are
sworn enemes--the angel of peace has departed,
and in his seat may be seen the grim visage of
ciUH Io0r. The gates of the temple of Janus
have been opened, and are each day settling more
firmly upon their hinges; when they are to be
closed, no man can tell.
1t does not become me to trace the causes that
have produced these sad results. Political econ
omistS may detect reasons satisfactory to their
own minds. With these / have nothing to do.
The President has not summoned US together for
any such purpose He does not ask us to engage
in elimination and recrimination; he does not ask
us to pour out the walls of wrath upon those
whom each one may believe to have incurred the
greater guilt;-but he calls upon the nation, in
view OF the great danger to which our nationality
is exposed, to look beyond secondary causes to
the great Christian principle that We are now be-
ing scourged for our transgressions. and visited
for our iniquities. Hence. in his proclamation,
we can read the command of the King of Nine
veh, LET man and beast be clothed with sack
cloth and cry nightly unto God; yea, let them
turn every one from his evil way, and from the
violence that is in their hands Who can tell If
God will turn and repent and turn away from his
fierce anger that we perish not" Men of pro-
fame minds may pour contempt upon such
Al
being of the slightest use in arrestng national
judgments. The humble believer in IN overru-
ling Providence will not fail to see and believe
that such course has been prescribed by God,
and to a faithful performance of the duties in
volved therein, he has often been pleased to give
the most signal success. If, as individuals, we
approach the throne of grace with the assurance
that God will hear and forgive, no less the conf
dece inspired, when nation falls low before his
footstool with the earnest cry. we have sinned
and done wickedly; o Lord, hearl Lord. for
givel The repentance, and the consequent de-
iverance of Nineveh, a heather nation, stands
as an encouragement to all the kingdoms of the
earth. The wickedness of this city was so great
that having determined upon its destruction, His
prophet was sent to inform them of their impend-
ing ruin. Scarce had he begun his full
mission, when lOl all ranks of people, from the
highest to the lowest, trembed at Gods dsplea-
sure-entered earnestly upon a season of national
humiliation, if perchance they might prevail
upon him to turn from his fierce anger.
The success of their efforts leads me, upon
this solemn occasion, to set before you
the conduct of the Ninevites as a means
for an instruction and pattern for imitation
Addressed as they were by a perfect stranger,
who belonged to a despised nation, the people, it
seems immediately believed his testimony, de
livered as it was in Jehovah's name. Their heather
deities were forsaken, and though never before
having acknowledged the one true God, possibly
never even having heard of him, they set them
selves to implore mercy ut his hands, and to
deprecate his threatened judgments. The king
and his mobiles proclaimed a fast, in the obsery-
ance of which all his subjects cordially concurred.
even the royal robes were laid aside-the sound
of the minstres hushed-the festive boards
we're forsaken and not one of them late bread or
drank water during TIE entire day." To their
fasting they aided pray yea they cried nightly
unto Cod They were not content with mere
formal unmeanug acknowledgment of their sins.
They hewailed their guilt. They saw how deeply
they had merited the Divine dspleasure-they
offered no excuses apologies in extenuation,
but strove by earnest supplications to ward of
from themselves the judgments which the aveng-
ing Diety was about to inflict upon them. The
sincerity Oftheir repentance was manifested by an
instantaneous reformation of their lives. Their
heather deities were renounced their sinful prae-
tees abandoned-ther besettng sins forsaken
and a solemn engagement made for the future
to consecrate themselves to Jehovah as a holy
and obedient people-and what was the result oil
such fast? "God saw their works that they
turned from their evil way: and God repented oil
the evil that he had said he would do unto them
and he did it not" Ny brethren, have said that
the conduct of the Ninevites is well worthy of oul
imitation. Sorry am to say that whilst We are
professedly Christian people, there is great oc
casion for the same humiliation on our part as W.
have seen in them Though no Jonah is now
marching through the length and breadth of the