The Florida agriculturist., 1878-07-24

ions: the decisive moments, the crit
ical points in the progress of human
society; and thus place more wildly
before our eyes the peculiar character
OF every age, each step of mankind in
intellectual refinement and moral i'm
provement." Philosophy of History,
Lecture XIV.
The religious principle is the life
Of the nation, free and untrameiled,
and in its introduction into selfgov-
eminent political theory did more
than any other cause to bring our
foretathers successfully through the
trials Of the Revolution, and in over
coming the difficulties that surrounded
the chartering by the people of
National and State government.
We allude with pleasure and salts.
faction to the speech make by Benia-
min Franklin in the convention that
framed the Constitution OF the United
States, on the propriety of public
prayer by bodies engaged i'll affairs
OF State. 1t was on his motion that
the convention was opened each
morning with prayer. On which
occasion, with his characteristic force
and breyity, he said "I have lived,
sir, Il long time, Isl years. and the
longer l live the more convincing
proofs [ see Of this truth, That God
governs in the affairs of man. and if
"a sparrow can not fall TO the ground
without His notice, is it probable
that an empire can rise without His
aid ?7
A survey OF the historic page, from
the earliest period to the present time.
and the unassailable record Of the Ho-
ly Writ, reveals on every occasion the
hand of God in history. We learn
from the teachings Of the bible, from
the lessons of the awful retributive
Justice of an unerring God, that those
nations who have disobeyed the laws
OF God have paid the seyerest penal
ties, even to national extentien;
while those that have lived in obedi.
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have had an easy, comfortable and
happy existence, but universally when
those laws have been disregarded
have we seen national woe and calam-
ity.
Let every nation observe the cause
and effects Of that food which swept,
with but one exception, the human
family from the face Of the earth.
We cannot estimate, yet we see
the salutary influence exercised by
the morning dew upon plants; the
vivifying effect of light upon nature !;
how the waters that filter through
the earth fertilize it by producing
fruits and flowers. and to the careful
observer it is manifest that history
rightfnlly written is the record of
Providence, and that God has in ma
tional sense rich schemes of mercy
for those people whose lives are ded-
! icated to virtue.
War is an agency of human pro-
gress. God has carried forward his
work through the instrmentality OF
war. BY this terrific agency he has
removed people and nations out OF
the way, that obstructed his pur-
poses, and brought into being other
nations which he would better fit to
advance his work. War removed
the Canaanites out of the way, and
made Isreal q nation. War built up
! Greece, Rome, England and Ameri-
ca. 1t is the bitterest scourge OF
Heaven, but is Gods plan to punish
wicked nations, and can only be
avoided by national life of christian
virtue. History and the bible prove
it beyond controversy or doubt.
1t is source of unbounded pleas
ure in contemplating that under the
political, judicial and social principle:
which control the national and state
governments, how the territory o
the union, the domain of the states
has increased in wealth and popula
+ ton, with all the intellectual and re
ligious refinement that education car
bring since the inauguration o
the combined system; by adding
sovereign and Independent State al
ter State to the political armament
where, like fixed stars, they can quiet
ly maintain their position withou
disturbing the harmony of th'
spheres.