The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-03-14

e cnllurcn. LIS not this the truth with re
c spect to the thousand? The thirst 70
i wealth, the desire for fame, the love of ap
: plause, the charm of new enterprise, tn
|, attraction in the way of invention an,
: discovery, the hot-bed growth of every
b thing which springs up in our land-al
i these things are absorbing our attention
D our activity, our life, yea, even our religi
on. Ancient Greece allowed herself t.
J, be swallowed up by an aesthetic spirit
. Rome forgot her people in her thirst fol
e power and grandeur. Germany ran wilc
f over abstruse and speculative philosophy
, France gave herself up to carnival o.
pleasure and amusement If there il
one thing to which we, as nation, arc
in danger of becoming the willing slaves
ready to receive its siDuous fold around
us, it is the spirit of worldly enterprise
and speculation.
, Such are some Of the causes which are
, tending to separate us from God and
ALLEVIATE us from his rule. Israel was
tempted to idolatry Scotland was entic-
ed by royal favors and imposing ceremon-
ials, but before they yielded. they review.
ed Gods favors to them. Let us before
we are ready to bow the knee to another
than Jehovah, and to discard his rule
and reign,-let us examine briefly, what
we owe to him. Let us consider his
favors to us in the past.
lfever nation has been guided, pros
pered, and blessed of God, it has been
our own beloved land. Its very discovery
showed, at the time, the wisdom of an
overruling mind. 1t was opened up, as
an asylum for the oppressed and persecut-
ed of every land. 1t was settled not by
royal adventurers and speculating aristo-
Gratis, but by men fleeing from the thral-
dom and tyrannous bigotry of despots
and prelates, by men thirsting for liberty
Of conscience and freedom of worship
Its early history is marked by Providen.
tial goodness. 1t was not England that
at first seemed likely to possess it. Other
powers had thrown around it their tight.
ening rule. But from the grasp of Span
ish avarice aud French cupidity it was
saved and made the possession and in.
heritance Of the Anglo Saxon race. To
"rrrn"'atn +h;s fant wn ravn hut IN nlanoa
at those countries where the Latins have
held their sway. South America and
Mexico have scarce emerged into civiliz.
ed life. Spain and Portugal have, until
recently, been the oppressed victims of
Jesuitical priestcraft. Italy and France
manacled by Popish rule, have remained
stationary, while Protestant freedom has
pursued its onward and ever Frightening
march. In the early struggles Of the
colonists with their savage foes, who so
far outnumbered them; in their deliver
ance from famine and internal dissensions,
the Lord was manifestly with them. In
their weaknesses he was surely their
strength. Never could they have pros
pered and grown, as they did without his
blessing.
The struggle for independancc-oh,
how unequally waged On one side a
powerful nation with mighty armaments,
and munitions of war in abundance with
treasury filled to overaowing and land
young 1 and d"T1eSs ineSno-,,On On the other side, a
without money, without armies, without
organization, without resources. Who
could hesitate to predict the issue ?
None but he who, with prophets ken,
saw into the mighty secret. That glor-
Gus seven years struggle Of liberties
sons, that Travelling birthday Of Ameri-
can freedom was presided over by the
Creator and Ruler Of nations. And at
its close there was none but could say,
with the Israelite of old, 1.-The Lord
brought us forth with mighty hand and
with an eutstretched arm, and with
great terribleness, and with signs, and
with wonders"
Gods guidance was also seen in their
choice of government. Civil and re-
ligious liberty was proclaimed as the
foundation stone Of the edifice, and in
that proclamation was fore-shadowed the
future glory of the nation. For nearly
q century was our country watched over
by an over ruling Providence. Terrific
ry after territory was annexed. State
after State aresc to prosperity and grand
eur Wealth and emigration flowed in
upon us. A generation had hardly passed
away before we stood in the front rank
of nations, wealthy, prosperous, happy
} and free, blest as no other nation had
ever been. We had become strong and
self-reliant, priding ourselves on our
greatness and forgetting Him who had
, led us in our weakness. 1t was then that
we were made to pass through the fire
and through the flood, And when "the
, pillows had gone over u.s." We looked
| again to Jehovah, "we cried unto the
) Lord in our trouble and he saved us out
T of our distresses" An Almighty hand
brought US safely through rebellion,
which threatened the life of the nation,
and established still more secure the her.
, itage of freedom bequeathed us. While
traitors were plotting our overthrow
while false friends were secretly rejoic.
| ing at our peril, while our own leaders
. stood appalled, and unnerved, the Lord
| was battling for us and preparing tc
0 bring triumph out of defeat.
5 And now look at our position, our wealth
: our resources, our prosperity our religious
' privileges, our educational advantages
I our freedom from the wars which are nov
t dcsolating other lands.
: Are we to forget God, renounce hi
/. Providential guidance, his sovereign rule
S and throw ourselves body and soul,-
: with our individual social and nationa
y destiny, into the seething, fuming caldrol
s of worldly enterprise
: There are but two courses to take. Th
d lines in our case are as distinctly draw
Il as were those at Shechem or Edinburgh
G The command comes just as loud, 'Choos
q ye this day 'ohom ye ,cW serre.' Woul'
h that the same would 60 forth from ou
= land, as broke in loud acclaim from tn
lips of those Jewish and Scottish hosts
i Tho nation must choose its path and de
eide its course in The person of its indi
g viduals. And in what nobler and NOR
/ aaaantaIla .yay ta In1 than hv racnlvin