The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-11-26
United Presbyterian Church.

Rev. J. T. Mcclure, pastor, preached
a very eloquent sermon at this church,
to 9 very large and attentive congrega-
ton.
TExr.-"And he said, I will make all my
goodness pass before thee."-Exodus xxXhi'
This is the language OF God to
Moses. Moses had just presented the
petition, Il beseech thee, show me thy
glory" and the text is part Of the
answer returned to that petition.
The goodness OF God is shown in all
his works Of mercy and love, and hence
the language in the remaining part Of
the verse, II will be gracious to whom
I will be gracious, and / will show
mercy on whom will show mercy"
As we have assembled to-day TO rem.
der thanks to God for the manifold
mercies and blessings Of the past year,
the subject contained in the text can
not but afford a profitable theme for
meditation. 1t will bring up for review
all the mercies and benefits both OF the
past and of the present; and at the
same time give US ground to hope for
their enjoyment in the future. The text
is a promise that always has been, and is
always being, fulfilled in the experience
OF Gods people. 1t is like never-fail-
ing fountain that has always yielded an
abundant supply, whose promise for
the future is as certain az its past fulfil
ment has been complete.
God is essentially and absolutely
good. He is relatively good. He is
good in his own being, and shows His
goodness in all His relations to His
creatures.
God manifests His goodness in His
works of creation, Of providence, and
of redemption; in creation, in giving
being, in adapting all creatures to the
places they are designed to occupy, and
in giving to each and ali sources OF COM
fort and happiness. Were it not that
sin has marred His works, there would
be no such thing as suffering among his
creatures.
Gods goodness is also shown in His
works OF providence, in that He pre-
serves in being, averts impending Gala.
mites, gives abundant harvests, and
crowns industry and enterprise with
success in all departments of business.
In all these ways God has made his
goodness to pass before US as nation,
during the past year. In all parts Of
the land the labors OF the husbandman
have been amply rewarded in all the
branches of agriculture, and, as the
"King himself is served by the field"
so all departments Of trade have been
carried on successfully. We have been
preserved from the ravages OF war,
pestilence and of famine, and all our
actual wants have been abundantly sup
piled. These blessings demand our
heartfelt gratitude, and our most devout
thanks. This would be only reason
able demand, if we were not sinners, and
therefore had some claim on Gods
bounty. How much more then, in view
OF our dark array Of sins, both az a
nation and as individuals
But God makes his goodness to pass
before US in still clearer manner in
the work of redemption. Here his
goodness becomes redeeming love.
"God commended His love toward us,
in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for u.s." He has not with
drawn from us the offer of salvation by
Christ. Instead of this he has given
to many an increase Of grace, and has
brought many ont Of the darkness Of
sin into the light and liberty OF the
children of God Although the cause
of Christ has not progressed as rapidly
as all true Christians desire, yet its
course has been steadily onward, and
we have reason to thank God and take
courage. -,
As congregation, God has made all
his goodness to pass before us, during
the past year. He has preserved us in
peace and harmony, and has added to
our numbers many, we trust, OF such
as shall be saved and although he has
removed some Of our members by death,
he has not given us reason to mourn az
those who have no hope.
In view of all that God has done for
us it becomes us to say mot unto us,
O Lord Not unto us, but unto thy
name be glory for thy mercy and for
thy truths sake"
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