Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-12-14

byteriqn Deu5uiaaioa, Nor. -, 1864.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it be-
tween Mizpeh aud Shen, and called the name
of il Ebcnczcr. saving. Hitherto hath the
Lord helped us.--IL S.aateL ,a j..
The great fact of a~God in history an
omnipotent, contraIIing ovcrruIinr power
in the affairs of this world, is written over
all the past and stamped on every nage Of
the records Of time. We need not 90 to
Holy Writ and study prophecy by the
light Of history to find the evidence of this
truth-it is NIL about us, seen in the oe-
cnrrences Of every dar, SO clearly that
even un-odly mon perceive it and ae-
knowledge that there is a power that
makes even the wrath OF wicked men to
praise Him
This recognition of the supreme IS a
dictate OF natural religion, which, eft to
itself cropping in blindness, ends in ido a.
try but guided by inspiration OF God ap-
prehends the Eternal One. the Creator
and Rcdcemar upholding and guiding
all things bv tbc word oC His power
This i the Ieayrn-inzpircd faith of the
child of cod and under the power of
such 4 faith. hc ackuow edges the Al
mighty hand. whether 1t appear in afi'ic-
ton or III osperitv-whether success
crown his efforts. or he secs his plans fail,
his aims defeated and his hopes cut off
The era in Jewish history brought be-
fore Us in the text is one Of peculiar in
terest The sins Of Israel had 50 provoked
the wrath of God as to bring upon them
IL; severe chastisemcuts The Phiistines
had fought against them and taken the
Ark of the Lord with its consccrated me-
MORALS and sacred utensils. In Its return
it had tarricd for twenty years at kiriath-
irarim, tand all the house of Israel la
mented after the Lord God now sends
Samuel his prophet to lead the people to
repentance They listen to his voice, put
away their strange gods, ard return unto
the Lord. And Samuel said Gather al
Israel to Mizpeh, and | viii pray for You
unto the Lord And they gathered too
gother Is Nlizpeh. and drew water and
poured it ont before the Lord and tasted
On that dav. and said there. We have sin
ned against the Lord When the Philis
tines heard Of this gathering together oi
Israel. thev also Gathered themselves and
came up against Israel at Mizpeh- And
Israel. afraid, said unto Samuel Cease
not to crv unto the Lord our God for AS
that liz vii save rs ont Of the hands o
the Philistines. - while samuel prayed
aud offered burnt offerings before tht
Lord. the Philistines came and drew niGI
Il battIe again~t israel But the Lor,
Numbered with great thunder on tha
dav anon rhc PhiliStiues and discounted
shem. and they were >mittcn before I~ga
eL Aud the men of 3sraei wen. ont O
Nizpeh and pursued the Phiiistines an,
smotc them. until they came under Beth
ear Following On the track oI the re
treating. yauquished enemy. comes th
man 81 cod. ana there. on that field @
strife and blood and victory. Samuel tool
stone aud So II between Mizpeh an
Shen, and called the name Of 1t Ehcuezer
the Stone ST help-,savin-. Hithert
hath the Lord hc.ped rs
Let us here briefly -lauee nj some q
the parallels and auala-ia~. between I~rac
duriAg tins period and our own land in ii
past history and present experiences
Israel had done evil in the sight ot ii
Lord ana provoked him to anger Ho'
we done no evil Is our national esentc
con free firm stain? The long dark, dan
past is written and viii forever stand
,indieate Gods Justice in Ills dea IN.
with us now The sin of Israel was ldo
airy The sin of the people OF the
United states is the same | repeat
the great sin Of oar people is lido airy
We worship power and gold as desont
as they worshipped Baa'aim Chemosh Al
Ashtaroth. the gods of the heathen. No
ey as the representative Of power
rather. money as means of gaining 20
or, Is an idea that has contributed arge
70 tho formative forces shaping the Amt