Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-04
THANKSGIVING.
Religious Services i'm This and
Neigbb0riBg Towns.
Abstracts of Sermons by Ilessrs.
Mills. Harris, Gilbert. FIX
bury, Holmes and
Perry.
RUTLAND.
Mr.. MILLS oS THE WORLDS RErRoeEEs-


SION.
Union services were held at the NJ. Z.
church, with sermon by Rev. E. Mills,
pastor of the Baptist church. He an
nounced as his text:
Psalm 81: ssThe Lord reigneth: let
the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the
isles be glad thereof"
The titles of the different versions of
this psalm ascribe its authorship to
David. and some of our most faithful
expositors date its origin to his remark
able deliyerance from the rebellion of
Absalom others believe it to have been
written when God had established him
on the throne of united Israel So far
from dissenting from either of these
views, we believe that every step in the
personal history of David, and of the
nation over which he swayed the sceptre,
was an unquestionable confirmation of
the sentiment of the text. From the
time when David, as a mere youth,
crushed the giant of Gath, To the day
when in the deorepitude of old age he
overthrow the usurpation of Adonijah,
we have a continuous exhibition of
Gods sovereign rule in the affairs of
men and nations; for while this anoint-
ed servant of God was engaged tending
his fathers flock, he was attacked by
ravenous beasts, but instead of being
torn by them he laid them dead at his
feet. When in his patriotism, he en-
gagged in battle with the uncircumcised
Philistine, although destitute of armor,
and provided only with sling and
stone, he was invulnerable to the attacks
of his foe, and came off victorious,
bringing to the king the head of the man
who had defed all the valiant men of
Israel.
When prosecuted aud pursued by tho
jealous king, he was mercifully de-
livered, and in due time, according to
divine purpose, was firmly seated on
Saul's throne, and welded the seeptre
that had fallen from saul's hand.
Though surprised and sorely grieYed by
the usurpation of his rebellioHs son Alb
SALON., vet he and his cause were sup
ported by divine power and purpose,
and when, the fury of the storm was
past, David was restored to his throne,
while Absalom ended his wicked career
by hanging on a tree. ~. ~. ;....::,
.Multftudes of men base their ludg-
lnent of the complexion. OF future events
on .eifcunlstahtial evidence, and when
the, future develops itself contrary to
the plain indications of circumstances,
they discover for the first time the deVel-
opment Of divine rule and providence.
l. 20 such persons the unbfushing
wicizedness of the antediluYian world
would have Indicated that Gods univeF-
sal government was overthrown. But
we find that while men hardened their
hearts and. stiffened their necks, refusing
to. obey God and love righteousness, the
cup of their ,WiCkedhess- was fast filling
up, for God speedily opened the win
tlows of heaven and, overwhelmed them
in one, universal, catastrophe, not one
who thus rebelled' being saved from this
great disaster = L.-s...:
. = Q To this same iolassof mind the. long
and weary bondage of Gods. ancient
people in Egypt would indicate that
: God had either forgotten them, or was
unable. to overthrow the. power of their
oppressors. For, for four hundred years
their expressions were increased, their
prayers seemed vain, and hope died
within. them; but while Gods purposes
are slow in ripening, they are sure ia ae-
eomphshnent; and in the fulness of
time, with a high hand and an out.
stretched arm, he delivered his oppressed.
people from the .thrafdom of their OPP:
pressors, epened,a path for them through
the sea, led them through. the, desert,
into the promises, land. gs ~. ...fs.s =. J
(. 8. To this class of Iphilosophic think.
ers the handwriting on the wall of Bel
shazzar's banqueting hall would be desti-
tute of portentous meaning, and regard,
ed only as the trick of some clever
juggler But the predictions of that
ominous handwriting were verified that
very night; for while Belshazzar, with.
his wives, concubines, and.courtiers were,
in the midst of their drunken midnight
revel, the besieging army of Cyrus and
Darius having failed to break down, the,
walls or force the brazen gates of
Babylon, change the course of the
Euphrates, and through its Shiny bed
they marched under the wall into the
city and palace of the wicked king,
Staying him at the very foot of his,
throne. A5SSfftssS :.
But we need not linger in a period 50
far back in the worlds history to prove.
and illustrate the doctrine of our text.
for never since the morn Of creation has,
the fact of Gods universal rule been
more manifest than during the. present
age; and my purpose in this discourse is
to show that in the affairs of this world
God rules and overrules for his own.
glory and the good of mankind. =.