Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-12-01
November 2e, 1868

HeNeIlhclebsi lhc counsel oil the LORD, that
shall stand. .p--PRov. xiI. II.
1t becomes us as we enter the courts ol
the Lord, this morning, to render unieign-
ed thanks to the giyer of Every good
and perfect gift" The occasion is no
0ommon one. There are features Of it
that are quite new and strange, though
none the less beautiful and appropriate.
When the parent colonies Of New England
were few and feeble, the observance Of a
day Of thanksgiving at the close Of the
year was common to all of them. But
never since our national history began,
have we had u proclamation from the
Chief Executive, setting apart this day.
If this he result incidental to the san
culinary war now being waged in our
land, we accept it as in itself positive
good. In the proclamation Of our hon
ored President under which we to-day as
semble, 1 see a clear and wholesome re-
cognition Of the great Seriptural doctrine
that God rules over the nations and peO-
pies Of the Garth, and directs all the most
complicated and difficult affairs of gov
ernments, policies and laws We ought
to be thankful that in such times Of COM
motion and peril, we have a Chief Alagis-
trate who so reverently acknowledges God
and appeals to his aid and counsel The
observance Of this day of praise and prayer
is now nationaliZed. Let us hope that
it may so remain, serving as a bond Of
union between these several States to the
remotest period of history. Let us ac-
knowledge the kindness aud mercy of God
our Saviour, in this our national capacity,
around the affairs of our holy religion,
until our mission to the human race shall
have been fulfilled, and He calls us sever
ally to our final reckoning.
The return of this day, so associated
. with the former years Of peace, finds us
still in the midst of the most stupendous
war of history. The nature Of our strug-
gle is as wonderful and important as that
of any ever carried forward among men
l do not feel it necessary to discuss the
general subject OF the war, or its causes.
On former occasions l have brought all
these things in review before you, and 9th
er and ADLER minds have also given us all,
the results Of their experience and inves-
tigntion. 1t is not desirable therefore,
for me to occupy your time with any for
nal discourse of the state of the country,
or the trials of the nation; there is, more
over, a difficulty that any uninspired man
must feel in attempting to. grasp subject
so vast in all It's mighty proportions, do
not think any one can do more than con-
template its several parts. The moment
he comes to look at these parts as a whole,
he is conscious of his child-like weakness
We can talk about the war and its causes
and tendencies, but who Of MS can tell
how much it means for us and the human
racer Who can trace back through q
century all the secret influences and forces
working together to ripen this great and
growing empire of the Western continent
for the awful conAict-the winnowing pro-
cess now going forward 1t is the very
spirit of rashness for us to assume that we
comprehend fully our own problom.-
What God is doing with, and for us, we
know not now, but we shall know hereaf-
ter. Mans heart deviseth his way, but
the Lord directeth his steps, When men
grow bold and presumptuous in theirllight,
God who proclaims the end from the be-
ginning, clips their wings, and brings
them back again to their appropriate
places and functions have selected my
text for the reason that it leads us away
from ourselves and what man is doing, to
the consideration of what the great gov
crnor Of the world is doing for us.
Solomon, one of the wisest and most
powerful monarchs of the ages, gives us
his opinion, that though many devices are
in the heart of man, yet he is quite igno-
rant of the direction to be given to his
movements by the over-ruling wisdom and
power of God and though lie counses
and plans, it is only the Divine counsel
that is sure and reliable. Thus we are
invited to contemplate to day the march
Of God's proridenfiai government in ha-
man history
If | rightly apprehend the meaning Of
this Scripture, it teaches that while men
everywhere proceed upon the principle that
they control events and give direction to
the current Of history, there is yet one
above them who ovcrrulos and directs them.
Man plans and executes according to his
principles, but God afirms or negatives all
these human devices " according to the
good pleasure Of his will y
The entire record Of human events from
the beginning until now, is but a series Of
illustrations Of this principle. Interference
to our personal and private life, We
are accustomed to admit the truth that
God, who best understands our nature and
wants, has much to do with directing and
controlling our affairs. But we do not SC