The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-05-13
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Remarks Of Rev. l.. Hamilton
nj Oakland, California, Oh
the Death Of President
Lincoln.

III eh- AEAAA ADf 10 ILtf- L. h1uIlTJ
pastor OF the Presbyterian Church at Oaklan
Cal. one OF the most eloquent divines. former
residing at San jose, addressed his cJngregatio
IS follows
30 Lord, be gracious unto us; We have wal
ed for Thee be Thou their arm every morning
our salvation also IN the time Of trouble. -
Isaiah, Ixxiii 2.
Not a. Z text. but simply To strike the key-uot
- the remarks which I wish To offer ON this coca
si0n, l call your attention 70 this passage.
/ had entertained another design with ~referenc
% this mornings service till q late hour last eve
ming, when the fully-cJniirmed news came of al
event that has struck all minds with a horror S,
deep and Prevailing that the thoughts refuse t.
leave II for any other subject. | could not hop.
u enlist your interest in any ordinary discussion
proper to our Sabbath worship. Your thought.
would turn away 10 the all-absorbing theme, in
spite Of your efforts To arrest them and fix your
attention elsewhere. And mine would be with
yours. We cannot well choose another subject
NJ we speak at all. | shall therefore only attempt
20 occupy your thoughts for a very brief time
with such reflections as have been suggested to
me that seemed appropriate to the mood we are
IN. My time and exhausted strength allow no
more.
When the public mind is thus preoccupied with
an event which IL sending u strong wave of min
gled Indignation and regret, passion and grief,
through the general heart, propriety does not re-
quire that Religion be silent. Her voice NAV
properly be raised in the sanctuary, not 10 fan
the flames OF excitement, nor to sound the war
cry Of strife and hatred. but TO teach the temper
which God would have Us maintain, and to point
out the supports on which He would have us stay
our fears and rest our confidence. Ii is the Office
OF her minister TO direct the course Of these ex-
cited emotions and passions into the channel that
Will cause them to subserye the best ends, and
pour OIL on their too angry surgings, If they
threaten TO become destructive of good.
And the Christian Will naturally ask as he
looks at such an event as now fills our minds.
- How would Jesus feel If He were standing
among the excited multitude? How would He
share In the popular sympathies? What words
of counsel would He speak ? What attitude
would He assume and advise in others towards
the perpetrators of 4 crime whose outrage no
words can suitably express, and towards those
who sympathize with the criminals and abet their /
deed? Oh, that we might know But when !
we see how he actually bore Himself under out /
RACES which have no parallel in history when {
we near his calm words, - say unto You that Z
ye resist not the evil, but whOs0ever shall smite {
thee on the right cheek turn to him the other (
also. Love your enemies bless them that curse :
you, 40 good TO them that hate YOU, and prav 3
them that despitefully use you and persecute s
you, that We may be the children of your Father :
which Is IN heaven for lie maketh His sun To {
rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain s
IN the Just and on the UNJUST" and when we z
-NhA III CAcmI llICdllDu OI Ills own telclIUUS. T.
hat wonderful prayer from His lips in tie midst E
II His aSonies, q" Father, forgive them, for they 2
<now not what they do" we feel that we can 8
ell what His manner would be in the midst of 3
'ur excitement. We seem To stand in the pres Z
OF n godlike calmness which steadies the tu- K
mutt OF our emotions. We catch something s
Ills sublime confidence that truth and RIGHT 3
will be indicated at last, and timely vengeance q
those who oppose and outrage them will not 3
AIRY. 1t IS good to drop His calming words in e
0 the seething caldrOn of our excitement at such =
time as this. And as Christianity is often "a =
nuch honored by Its contrast with its opposite as z
y ITS positive achievements in good, its Spirit and g
eachIngs should be made to shine forth on such 81
n occasion In contrast with the spirit and max e
ns OF human passions. The very feelings of s.
UT breasts and the very deeds they would prompt. 3
CT az a foil to bring out the superior excellence 81
NO beauty OF the Gospel more resplendently, q
re diamonds IN a setting Of Jet. Men are COM e
eiied to say in the result, j.. After all. these peace 8
IL teachings of Christ are better than our pas e
ons, and find a speedier and surer remedy for g
ltrage and wrong" g
And then the eye that turns towards the throne q
oove sees there the Infinite Ruler, high above all u
he agitations of human passions. calm in the s
aJesty of His Omnipotence and eternal Justice. 81
1idlnS the balance with Il steady ard impartial g
ana, that meets out to every subject of His 3
'undless Empire the exact award of his de- 81
crit, suffering not one TO escape His notice, b
@'NA rihch ny sui prise, never SWayeQ DV FEELINGS RI
claInOr Tor a vengeance which He is impO- q
10 take, never hesitating upon the decisions 81
hlch assign to each and all their due, never q
Allied IN the execution of His DEGREES ; never y
favor or trembling for consequences, but "a
ting upon His eternal throne in the sublime r
'nsclousness of His power to maintain it, of His e
ght to rule, and His ability and purpose to rule h
righteousness The heart, L say, that holds q
with this Infinite Father and Judge s
all the earth, feels something of His Divine
lmnesU coming into it even In the widest tu-
nit OF Its own sense of outrage and Injustice,
ID eases it's own burthen by appealing its cause 3
the aroltrament of that unerring Judge. 1t
longer desires TO q
hejudge His justice, be the God Of God" u
IL rather falls into the mood of PRAYER prorer
r an erring and dependent mortal, and asks Di- b
ne help for itself and for those who are the hu- s.
IN instruments appointed To secure its rights. b
nnds new strength IN the supplication of the s &
ophet, - Lord, be gracious unto us; we = (
We waited for Thee be Thou their arm every s.
,ubIe.'' :
1t is fitting that We should look towards the & I
Irone OF Heaven to-day with these words of s. |
aver upon our lips. We need them TO calm n 7
u reassure US we are under 4 great sorrow. p
e are almost stunned and bewildered bv the s I
and suddenness of the stroke. Ii seems g
II another world were around us than that in a d
ich We awoke yesterday morning. 4 great 81 G
tion IS draped In mourning, rs if it were one z e
asehold whose light had departed. Funeral 8
pc IN all our homes. on our persons, places of = d
stness, temples of justice, and even on the al q i
) OF religion throughout the land-Heaveu q d
ming TO join the earth in the universal mourn 81 f
countless fiaGS, which but a few DAYS ago II II
70 shaken out IN JOY 1T the head of a million e q
Us, now dropping sadly at half-mast. Every s. n
tollIng Its solemn dirge on our ears. funeral 8 Il
rs throbbing their deep woe in our hearts {, e I;
hat does 1t mean? All the loved head of the = n
!" naS Oeen stricken low IN death by the = II