Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-26

Indebted for the security and peacelof our
affairs and our fresides. Never were troops
more deserving of generous remembrance
on the part of those at home than are our
American soldiers, many of whom have laid
down their lives for us. Others yet linger
IN hospitals suffering all the sad variety of
pain, still others, in the midst of toll, pri-
Vation and danger, stand between us and
those who seek the nations life. An earn
est appeal for the soldiers was followed by
a liberal collection to be expended by the
Christian Commission.
SyHopSts of Sermon preached IN the Etr1t
Pre1GyteTiGH Church, by the Req. d. W.
Fisher, PGstOT Of the Church.
'CABt down, but not destrOyed."-2d Cor. 4:---e.
AS this passage stands in the Scriptures
it expresses the experience of the early
Christians. When Paul tells US that they
were mcast down. he may have meant
either that they were outwardly humilia-
ted by their prosecutions, or that through
their trials they sometimes we're depressed
in spirits. When he adds that they were
"not destroyed" he thereby announces as
a cause of gratitude the fact that they were
preserved alive, and intimates his conf
dence that in due time the suffering church
of Christ would be raised out OF its
troubles to its lawful peace and dignity in
the world. When we review the events OF
our lives during the past year are there not
many among US who can appropriate these
words in slightly different sense to them
selves2
But the peculiar circumstances under
which we are now assembled naturally
lead us to consider the state of our coun-
try, rather than the experience Of ourselves
as individuals. We are constrained to
acknowledge that we, as a nation, to-day
present spectacle of which We cannot be
proud. Many of our people too are some
times depressed in spirits concerning the
issue of our troubles. 1t seems to me,
however, that with confidence we may say
that although we are "cast down." we are
not, aud We hope not to be destroyed. -
1t is evident that destruction is not yet
upon u.s. There are causes operating
which are calculated to excite alarm in the
heart of the patriot. But when he consid-
ers the immense army and navy which we
possess, the large able bodied populetion at
home, the substantial unity of sentiment
which after all prevails among the massas
of the people, the general disposition to
submit to the lawfully constituted aHthori.
ties in the loyal States, our present and
rapidly developing resources, the eontin-
ued maintenance of the institutions of re.
ligion, and education, the progress made
toward the suppression of the rebellion,
and whatever besides is hopeful in the as
poet of our affairs. he cannot we'll do other
wise than conclude that we are still a
mighty power in the earth. Que fact
which goes far to show that we are not at
all destroyed is the caution which foreign
nations exhibit in their conduct toward us.
They have not yet sought to repeat the ex-
ample of Macmillan aud Mexico on our
territory. ........... .
But we may go farther and observe that
our present comparatively depressed con-
dition is no evidence that we shall be
destroyed before our troubles are conclud-
ed. All that is really favorable in our
State serves to establish this opinion. But
there is particular form of proof to
which 1 would turn your attention. The
voice of history teaches us that almost
every important nation has at some period
risen from greater extremities to the very
acme of her power and glory. Look at
Israel at the battle of Mount GiIboa. Yet
in little while under David and Solomon
che attained to her highest eminenre. Ten
years after the.battle OF Greece
was invaded by force under Xerxes, un-
der circumstances which seemed to render
her ruin Inevitable. But il was not long
until the battle of Salamis caused the
Persian hosts to be anxious only to save
themselves by flight; and Greece under
Alexander subsequently became the mis-
tress of the world. Wnen the Carthageni-
ans under Hannibal defeated the Romans at
Cannae, it appeared that Rome must fall.
Yet within seventy years Carthage was
destroyed and the Roman empire ultimate-
ly became co-extensive with the known
world. France, by the unfortunate conflict
at Paua, was reduced to an extremity from
which the most hopeful could scarcely ex-
pect deIiverance. Still she regained her
influence and has ever since been recog
uized as one of the first powers in the
earth. England too has had her seasons
of great peril. Surely she has not forgot
ten that for thirty years in the wars of the
| Roses, the soaffold as we'll as the field al
most necessarily smoked with the noblest
blood of the nation. The success o the
Spanish Armada to the eye of man ap-
peared to be certain. To-day, however,
England presents the aspect of one of the
greatest, freest and best Kingdoms an earth.
This Republic. too, has seen darker days
than any during the present conflict. Let
US not forget the winters spent by Wash
iugton at Valley Forge and Morristown,
when even the Father of his Country al
most despaired. Yet how triumphantly
was the clause of Independence at, length
established
Does not this outline of history teach
US that our present depression is no ev-
idence that we must be destroyed before
our troubles are concluded May we not
rather hope that we too, as apeople, shall
be saved and permitted to enjoy dignity
even surprising any to which we have ev-
er yet attained.
This subject should prompt us to two
things: LIST. II should keGd as to thank the
Lord for his mercy to US as a nation. We de.
serve as a people to be destroyed on ac-
count OF our sins; but the Lord has only
cast US down, and we trust that ere long
he will raise us from the dust. Let us
praise him for his mercy. 2d II should
lead US to adore the Lord for the inseruta6Es
sVisdOm tOIieh he displays in the manggsm .,t
Of our affairs. He somtimes deals with US
| in way which seems to threaten our ds.