The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-04-03

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Preached in Flat Rock, Seneca Co., o.,
March 22d, 1868,
ny REV. A. ROSE, PASTOR OF L. &. CHURCH.
"And whosocver will not do the law
of thy God, and the law of the President,
let Judgment be executed speedily upon
banishment, or TO confscstion of goods,
or TO imprisonmcnt.-EzRA, VII CHATTER
AND 26Tn VERSE.
have not read the text precisely as
IL stands on the record but with sufii.
cient accuracy TO answer our present pur-
pose. Aud when you get your Bibles,
you may correct any mistake that may
hayc made.
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had
been brought TO desolation. Their I'M
psrallclcd iugraiilude to God had proVok-
ed him to wrath, and with The reign of
Zedrkiah, came The elimination Of dis
aster; and 5ss yeurs before Christ, Ncb-
uchadnezzar bcscigcd Jerusalem, burnt
the Temple and carried the people into
! captivity. There is manifested in the con-
duct of the Jewish kings and people an
uncSampled iniatuation. Though they
Iaoto that only in proportion TO their
obedience to God, would he youchsafc
them His favor, and that to abandon or
pcrvcrt the worship He had Instituted
for them 10 pursue, would render them
obnoxious to His wrath, and bring the
sorcst punishments yet they were ul-
most pcrpetuully running into id0latry.
| At the period before alluded to, IL is said
1 that Zcdckiah did that which was evil
in the sight ofthe Lord his God" Prof.
iting nothnP by the calamitics which had
bciallcn his predec ssors, aud the pco-
pie who were their subjects, he gave
himself up 20 sinful indulgences aud prlc-
tees, no doubts und.r the common dc.
lusion that ruler, and especially his sub
jects are not morally accountable for
their political conduct. Jeremiah had
persistenlly urged upon him, and several
of the kings that preceded him the ne
ceGsity of observing the Inv Of God in
every relation, public as well as private:
but the old prophet was looked upon
rather Hs n meddcr, or fanatic, aud sc
endcavoring to mix politics and religion.
So jealous were the exc cuolrs of the Civ
il power, oil the ecclesiastc or prieslly
influence, that poor old jeremiah wac
imprisoned in dungeon for preaching
politics." But his prophetic words wer,
as Lurninu coals upon al. i.--A-'-s '''''s
md people and as II determined not on
" to discredt tho political hDrungue
which he had troubled them with, they
plunged deeper than ever into idolatry
and endt nvUred 10 avenge themselves
upon God for His former exactiuns. M
doubt but many of them admitted the
wronglulness Of certain national or sec
tional sins but then they endcavoret
10 cxculpate themselves on the ggounC
that, we have nothing to do with them,
or, " our iorefnthers did these things"
The lople Of Judah were carried cap
tive to Babylon, just as Jermiah had pre-
dictcd, nnd remained there seventy years
the precise period which was defined in
the same prediction. Meantime Cyrus
King of Persia, had conquered Babylon
and finding the Jews there, he directed
by the Divine Spirit, and instructed 10y
Daniel whom he found prisoner there
gave orders for the rebuilding of Jerusa-
lem, and the restoration Of the people to
their beloved city The work progressed
with some interruptions, until the time oI
ArtGxcrxcs, who issued an edict, OF which
our text is purt. This letter or order
provided for the completion Of the great
enterprise, and is an instance of plenary
authority on the part of civil ruler
providing at the same time for the sum
mary punishment of the disobedient, even
20 the infection of the severest penalties
Ii seems TO have been kind Of general
emancipation decree, permitting all thost
who were oapiivcs, and "who were mind
cd Of their own free will to CO." to de'
part. None however were compelled tc
go; i wns only kind of letting dowr
the bars, and ali Offer of liberty to those
who had been restrained Of il. But it vii
be observed in cur text that any at
tempt TO hinder the effect OF this procla
nation, was to be punished speedily
and severely. Indeed, not only wert
all enjoipad TO permit this decree Il
work, but whosoever would not do The
Law Of God aud the Presidents that !;
/ if any refuse b assist when called up
on 10 execute this great mandate oi
freedom, they were to suffer either death
punishment, confisc0tion Of goods, or i'm
prisonment. Tney were not to be per
mitted 10 consult old prejudices, moi
square their conduct with political plat.
forms, nor Dred Scott decisions Nc
doubt many of the Persians and Baby.
lonians undertook to plant themselves
upon some constrained Interpretation OF
some old Constitution, aud argued learn.
edly that such decree had no justifi.
cation, even in military necessity. Per.
haps they argued the happy, contented
state Of the captives and pointed to
the case of those who had emancipated
themselves, as incapable Of seli.supporl
and selfgovernment. Be that as il may
here was an occasion on which justice,
simple, Daked justice, did override every
other consideration; and benign civil gov
ernment planted It's authority, as u warn.
ing to all future attempts to ihawrt the
behefcieht designs Of the Almighty
No plea Of the inferiosrity Of race nS
strained or perverted application OF pro-
phesy was admissible. The procldma'
iion was unequisocal, clear in its terms
definite in its aim and il was executed
10 the letter.
From the incident which we have brief
ly alluded TO, aud the thoughts they have
suggested, propose to draw some infer
ences. And IL should cross some o.
your prejudices, my friends, OF eon,rover
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