Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-12-10

: for thou hast done wonderful things
Thy counsels of old are faithfulness an
truth" --.
The frst words Of the text strik
the key note OF our hymns {
praise, for even in our times of trouble
even in this hour of sadness, even no'
while hearts are aching and the ligh
of so many homes is darkened, we re
Ijoice that "the Lord is our God :
though "clouds and darkness are roun,
about him" the "Lord reigneth; let th,
earth rejoice" This Lord our Goo
does reign. He reigns in Heaven snt
the angels rejoice. He reigns over the
devils and they fear and tremble. HI
reigns on earth over Emperors ant
Kings and Presidents, and for earth
there is but one Ruler supreme. and
He is our God. He is the same great
God who created the world and He
governs it. He is the Lord of hosts
and the God of battles. "He changeth
the times and the seasons, he removeth
Kings and setteth up Kings. Blessed
be the name Of God forever, for wis.
dom and might are his" l need not
here dwell upon His attributes. but His
word declares. and His works reveal
Him the God whose throne is founded
in righteousness and judgment."--
"His tender mercies are over all His
works." and God is a God of love-
And to-day His voice comes sweetly to
us-if we are his children-and amid
the clash of armies and the storm
which seems to beat so heavily upon
US, it says, "Your Heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these
things He alone is the great Ply
sieian who can and does minister to the
maladies of nations as well as individ-
uals. and when He visits us for our
good, as l verify believe He is now
visiting us, even while He ispunishiDg
US for our SINS and although we may
be called to suffer yet more terribly be-
fore we can be healed, we have cause
for praises that we are in His hands
and under His care. He will cause us
no unnecessary pang Of pain. and al.
hough we be called to endure the ter
rible surgery of The battlefield, if that
will but prevent the deadly gangrene Of
corruption from extending To-
he yitals of the nation; if that will but
give us relief from the desdly vices
which have brought us so near to na-
ional dissolution; if ths. will but re-
move the monstrous cancers Of national
i'm which had been spreading for so
many years over the body polite until
heir stencil has gone up into the nostrils
" Jehovah; If that be necessary to
'rouse us from the sleep of death and
ur dreams of security, without God;
that but awake us TO a sense Of our
dependence upon the Lord. our God, !
nd the utter weakness Of mere human
'ower; if it leads US to the God whom
re have forsaken, and teaches US that
, Him alone is our help and our saliva
ion, then we shall indeed have cause
Or Joy and songs of thanksgiving for
happy is that people that is in such 81 i
ase, yea, happy is that people whose
rod is the Lord" -....' ..... Il
/ need not tell you Of the causes
'hich have led 10 the fearful maladies
pder which we groan, or the sins
-hich have produced this suffering,
ut now although the probe may seem
D have entered our very heart, and
be sword may be cutting deeply and
everely, it is in the hands Of the Lord
ur God, and even while enduring the
'arful application of his surgery, let q
S give thanks that the Lord is our Z
and that He has said al will '
o and return unto my place till they '
cknowledge their offence and seek m Y
ice in their afflietion they will seek me I
arly." Come and let US return unto |
be Lord for He hath torn and He will 1
cal us; He hath. smitten. and he will
ind us up" For. these assurances I
ven as we groan under our sin, let US
ing and give praise. . But again; '''' ]
II. Let us rejoice for the indications i
{ an Improvement in our condition {
uring the past year. Let US praise t
Iod for the wonderful thiDgsr He o
as done for us, And although, we bp
ave not been as. willing TO recognize il
e hand of God in these things as we f
,ght to have been. and although we Il
ave still continued to sin grievously in a
ANY respects, "He has not dealt with n
, after our sins, nor rewarded us &C. Il
riding to our iniquities." and for, this Il
us praise Him and rejoice that in l.
70 midst Of deserved wrath He has a.