The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-27
THE SERMON.


Tert-1lth Psalm, Sd and 4th verses.
"If the foundations be destroyed, what can
sThe Lord is in His holy temple; the Lords
throne is in Heaven. His eyes behold; his eye
lids try the children of men,"
Nations, like individuals, are liable to explo..
sions Of uncomfortable passion. In tho case OF
tho individual during gust OF sucn passion
reason is overpowered and the condition is one
of insanity. This principle may be applied to
nations, to maiorities or aggregations Of men.
On the other hand, individuals and aggregatlons
Of men are susceptible to the noblest feelings OF
sdeyotion and regard. A close observer OF the
American people has seen durlng the past lour
clearly illustrated. We have seen masses en-
ragged against . section; reason seemed to nave
lost her empire and passions ruled the hour !;
and, yet, on the other hand, we have seen Inc
same aggregations reverse their decision and
manifest the deepest sympathy with us IN our
troubles, under our burdens, and III our sor-
rows.
We based as we'll as gathered these ideas out
stands. David had known the value OF Sauls
friendship, and knew as well the full force OF
Saurs anger. He realized the effect OF the pas
sion Of love, and in his person he realized the
passion Of hate. Saul's evil nature had been
Dashed into fury by jealousy. He SAW the grow
ing popularity Of this young man David, and It
maddened him, and he issued a secret decree
that David should be killed on sight. Jonathan,
and strength of woman's love, and therefore
revealed the secret decree of Saul to David, and
urged him to escape for his hfe-to n.y. as bird
flies to it's hiding place in the mountains. With
these facts before HIM, David composed this
Psalm. In it he asks the question: t'Why say
We 10 my soul, fee like bird to the noun
tains?'
We ask the question, eff the foundations be re-
moved, what shall the righteous dor" and then
directing attention to the facts, he held them,
he assured Jonathan and his retainers, and the
jewish people, that his confidence rested solely
on the immutable and noble foundation princi-
pies on which all permanent success Is based
An idea controlled him that there was Master,
and Masters hand that controlled the uni
versa Master sitting at the helm, and an In
tellect that comprehended the minutest law and
the minutest fact OF the univ verse, and made each
and all conspire to that which was noble, right
and just: so that he planted himself upon the
immutable and noble foundation OF principles,
upon which all success Is based. Friends the
condition of man in passion OF anger Is An
alarming sight, but the condition Of multitude
enraged like an angry lion is for the moment
enough to freeze the blood in ones veins. How
often within the last fourteen years have we felt
our hearts beat, when, from facts that were ap-
parent and as clear as MONDAY, we have felt that
the great majority of our countrymen were In =
gust of passion against us But on the basis OF
Dayid's statement, as laid down in this text and
in this book, such conditions cannot be perma-
nent. Reactions must come-9ny great and
under the influences of few bad men may DO
dashed into fury, but the fury must subside-it
cannot last-it cannot be permanent-only great
and abiding principles stand for ever. During
high wind it seems as If everything was going IN
one and the same direction, but tho wind sub
sides and old landmarks are found on their
old foundations, and what is true in regard
to the physical world, is equally true
in the political, moral and intellectual
worlds The truth is, the old founda-
sion principles cannot be destroyed-they may
be submerged for tme-they may be lost sight
of-but, when passions and frenzles supsloe, they
I reassert their supremacy.
Now take an illustration of what mean. FIFTY
, years ago philosopher by name OF Oxen wrote
? system OF natural philosophy which Tor time
work it was claimed that the key was found to the
whole system Of organic life, and men every,
where trembled lest the old foundations would
give way and the Bible be superseded imagine
that on this Continent many have not heard Of
this philosopher, yet when he published this WORK
fifty wears ago, the whole civilized world was agi-
tated and swept as the ocean is swept by q
storm.
Excltements cannot last in any line Of life. In
the present age We have Darwin with his new
theory, which seeks to overturn old principles.
The student sees a long train OF men busy in
schemes, looking to the perfection Of the social
organization, each and ali crying, Eureka, Eu-
reka! have found it.
We have philosophers, jurists and statesmen
who propose schemes without number for the re-
formation and restoration OF good government.
We hold with the Psalmlst that there are great
essential principles, which, like the foundation
stones of the building, must always be found
present for the streng 9Th and security OF the eu-
perstructure. The foundation principles must
be always present in order to success in any
cal. scientific, and no matter what. God, q the