The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-02-14
GOLD IN THE FIRE.
Extract from Sermon by Rev. F. G. Clark, of
New York.

Extract from Sermon by Rev. +. q. Clark, of
New York
Let US be patient, friends; death is good
accountant. He will visit all in due time.
We need not vex ourselves at Gods delays,
and say too often, 'How long, o Lord ?''
He puts spade into the hands of great in
EQUITIES. and makes them dig their own
grave. We can afford to wait, and waiting
will be easy if only we are in sympathy
with God. Let US climb into the cleft Of
great principles, and we shall be sheltered
there until the storm is past. school my
self to patience. I see no sign of a speedy
end of our troubles. But this only strength
ems my confidence that God will not slight
his work, since he is slow to finish it. The
Iretributions now falling due are rising like
tide, and running into all the coves and
assures of society. Our land is more and
more finding out what God means. Eng
land may begin to remember, by-and- by.
She is suffering fearfully, already. Alas for
her working people, starving by hundreds
of thousands God is just. Nations must
remember their SINS We seem very far
from the end. Our temper is not chastened
enough. Our conscience is only beginning
to wake. The tongue of confession is only
beginning to speak. And yet the past year
has been one of wonderful progress in the
direction of truth. Heretofore we have act
ed the part of the Spartan boy, who con-
cealed the stolen fox under his cloak, and
suffered him to tear out his bowels, rather
than disclose the theft We have begun to
open our cloak. We are finding out what
the war is for. We meant not to see it. 1t
was only a rebellion, without an idea. We
begin to believe that Mr.. Stephens, and DR..
Thornwell, and DR.. Palmer, and united
South know what the war is about They
say one thing. They mean nothing else.
| The Richmond Examiner comprises it all
in four lines: "'The war originated and is
carried on in great part for the defense OF
| the STAKEHOLDER in his property, rights, and
the perpetuation of the institution This
| is light on our darkness, because truth aud
candor are potent to hasten the dawn OF
righteousness. 1t is easy to see the prog
ress of conviction. One body after another,
one periodical after another, which would
not mention the subject, now fully admit
and declare the one idea of this rebellion.
They are ready now to say that God is call
! ing US to put away the sin which threatens
our extinction. believe there can be but
very few candid persons in our nation who
! QOuOt the statement OF Mr. 0llmeI, IN The
State convention of North Carolina, that
"the slavery question is the cause of this
war, and that We shall never have peace un-
til a gradual emancipation measure is
adopted"
This is true. But deeper truth remains.
We are on trial at the bar of divine Proyi-
dence, on the question of, duty and kindness
to the poor. Some of our free States are
proving on their statute books that they have
yet great lesson to learn. With all our
boosted pity for the African, we are not
prepared to deal kindly by him. And il
may prove long and painful journey for
/ US through the wilderness of Gods discip-
line. before we are willing to deal justly and
to love mercy.
It would be interesting to gather from
curreLt literature the valuable lessons which
we are learning from our troubles. We can
! CLEAN an eliye-leaf of hope from every jour
nal We read. The FIRE Of our tribulation is
certainly burning our dross and purifying
eur gold. We are growing more sober
and thoughtful people. We are learning the