The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-05-16
N,trnsAL nErrsrA,er.
a utslogEsE PREACHED n fHE HAr1IsI
aeEgH, FACTOR roiNr, VIZ IS rAsr
ukI AFmI 6, 1872



They qabered together 10 McspeA
aad drer 'rater, aHd poured il out Der
.tors ne Lord sRd taaod, that day and
SAID there, Hs have siHaed agaiast ne
Lord n-l SAMUEL yH.vI
Israel was a nation specially called Of
God 70 perform a great work for human
+ icy. And as every service must have some
directing rule prescribed By the superior
party so God imposed a strict and definite
law upon Israel, Being true 70 this, the
nation was prospered but false aud il
was len unhelped amid It's disasters. Ii
& ever occurred that the people used this adj
vantage Of prosperity, not TO rise 10 higher
fields OF duty aud to gather larger har-
vests Of happiness, but fooishly to leap
into the abyss which ever yawns for the
dissolute. They were brought up from
the darkness and the ruin only as admon-
ished and disciplined by their misery,
they began TO return TO that Gcd whose
law Of guidance is the only safe rule Of
life.
The text contemplates one Of these
grand national movements They had
been humiliated by the Pbilistines. Their
situation at length began 10 bear on their
sensibilities While they were satisfied
with their conquered condition, there
could be no hope for them as people
But when the yoke Of their humiliation
began to be irksome and the loss Of their
national ark bitterly felt, then there were
indications of the return of purified
popular spirit. But peryading griefwas
not sure sign Of correct national con-
science. That unexcelled Judge and
statesmanlike governor, Samuel, met this
issue by determining test. This was his
proclamation TO the people: ''If ye do re-
turn unto the Lord with all your hearts,
then put awaythe strange gods, and Ash
taroth from among you, and prepare
your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him
only: and he will deliver you out of the
hand OF the Philistines." The people
obeyed and in their obedience showed
that their repentance was real. There
there was a breaking of idols in their
houses and their groves, while true affairs
were erected to Him who is Spirit, as
they who worship him must worship in
spirit and in truth. But this was not all I;
it was but preparative. The great national
movement was to be general gathering
TO observe fast unto the Lord at Mizpeh.
Then the multitudes came at the bidding
of Samuel. Then they bowed their heads
and poured the water and confessed their
sin. There was peculiar grandeur in
this movement such as tho world has
scarcely seen. An assembled nation, a
nation with history as marvellous as il is
certain. Millions as one head bowed, and
voices, as of many waters, mingled in the
confession. The act was national prayer.
What was the voice of the chief magis-
trate to summon that people TO this act of
penitence? 1t was nothing, and yet il
was everything. If there had not been a
national sentiment, no human voice could
have lifted them up and impelled them
onward. Samuel's then had gone down
the winds without eliciting an echo in re-
response. The people would have been
fit only for their degradation. But this
they had borne until they had begun to
feel the shame of their situation and the
} recriminaion Of national conscience.
When this was sufii GENTLY matured, il
found leadership in the voice Of Samuel
10 bring II out in royalty TO their fathers
n. The magistrates will then become
&C. % call the authority of earth, for
the diva he mandate of heaven.
once indeed, l.. Hblect, as wo have IL
In view of this s.. %"full force Of the
thus presented to us in tn. -ecord, We
circumstances of the divine Htness
cannot doubt, as can see, the CORE,
of the inference that God has relation.
with nations as well as with individuals.
With the Israelites he certainly had but
shall we think that bis care and correction
was wholly confined to a single instancef
We are not inclined 10 believe such par
uality is attributable to God. And, hap
PLY, we are informed by the Word Of
Truth in such an unmistakable manner
that we cannot, for a moment, entertain
such an error. Paul assures us that the
nations are the ministers, that is servants ,
p God. When we accept this we do not /
thereby affirm that they are faithful ser. {
wants, true ministers, but that God has |
direct relationship with them, that is, he ,
has a work for them to accomplish. an |
md for them TO reach and course care q
nlly marked for them 10 pursue. God '
ioals not only with individuals, o. souls,
'ut also with people in the aggregate.
This double relation begets what may i
eem to be difference in his government. i
We need not, however, fear this relation +
inec God is eternal aud impartial and
that seems 10 be a difference. that Is a
.artialityi Is only the operation Of the s
anne law TO different conditions Of hu- q
ianity. individuals break the law Of 6
heir being, more especially the higher n
Nv, their moral and religious obligations fl
at the penalty does not Immediately fol- u
w aperiod lnteryenes for "a reparation Ii
wonderful scheme has been instituted. b
ven BY God himself, whereby forgive RI
oss can be obtained; whereas, If nations RI
cd other organizations break or iall 10 4,
oserye the law Of their being, penalty Il Al
Iien immediate, while there il no way tr
roylded, no Great Substitute, aud they d
usi bear the full rigor for all their Ii
rongs. The death Of Christ il a gift 10 al