The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-11-08
Andeyson gntelli9enter.
Illustrations OF Providence.
From !Ncn York OLscrre,.
BY rev. =. y. ZABEIsKIE, d. d.

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From Ncm York Otstrrer
No one believes in real God, unless
he believes in an actual governor, as well
as creator, of the worlds. The theory
tha. God tied himself hand and foot with
his own Claws" virtually abdicating in
their favor as to 50 many little gods, is
the feeblest kind OF pantheism. Even
though it could be shown las is assumed
by the whole corpse Of question beggars)
that lie has never interposed, and never
will for the temporary arrest OF any law
in other words, changing for the time
the mode of his working, for that is all
which divine law can mean to any one
but an atheist--it were absurd to suppose
that one, who is as omniscient as he is
omnipotent, could not frame his plan Of
the universe so as to include in the un
disturbed operation of his laws all which
he desired to bring about. Or, if you
please, he who lad evolved this 'uniycr-
sally frame" out OF a gcrminal cell could
involve in that cell every forcscen event
--jnclpding all that lies within the
narrow scope Of The !imma" will, and 81!
that would enable him to guarantee the
answer Of believing and righteous pray.
er. And every forcseen event." with
God, means everything whatsoever
We know at least that he has made
provisions for the interplay Of our will
free and even tickle as il seems To be
with his own, aud for the inlerposition
of our most sudden and random action
into the working out ofhis fixed purpose.
This is one Of the most familiar facts Of
observation, and most notable lessons of
history. The greatest events, the entire
course Of this world, have turned upon
the most trivial incidents s-accdents we
call them in our current speech 1t has
been wittily said that il Cleopatra's nose
had been the ei. h of one inch longer,
the Aupustan age Of Rome would never
have dnwned there would never, in
fact, have been Roman world. Chath
ANS gout, which mounted to his Brain
during the critical juncturc when the
Tea Duties bill WAS passed. may easily
have given us our Fourth Of July.
kineiake graveiy attributes the Invasion,
Of the Crmen to the fact that the Duke
Of Newcastle read his dispatch to Lord
Ragland to the Cabinet Immediately uf-
ter they had dincd (and wincd?l together
and were in Il cOmatOse state. Napoleon
is said to have made his fatal b!uudcr in
assuming the offensive at Lcpsic, WIN,
suffering from indigestion arising from
Il surfcit Of mutton and onions. There
is great reasons TO suppose that his ne.
phew would never have allowed him TO
be pushed into the German war, but for
II wasting disease which rendered him no
longer the cool, clear. headed and self.
poised man OF former years
Let me append Two or thrco illustra
tions drawn from my recent reading in
American history. The political prestige
and ultimate pre- eminenCe of Thomas
Jefferson were largely due to his author
ship of, and consequent Identification
with, the Declaration of independence.
His writing of that document arose from
his being the Chairman ofthe committee,
and his chairmanship was an accident" ;
since the place would naturally have
been assigned to Richard Henry Lee
who moved the appointment of com
mittee to draft such paper, but who was
called away by the illness Of his wife.
The Louisiana Purchase" which &c.
cured for Us the continent from ocean tC
ocean, "the largest transaction in rca
estate that the world has ever known,
was only possible by its having beer
negotiated under singular con JUNCTION
of circumstances, which existed for thn
brief space Of time, and never before ol
since. These we're the absolute and ar
bitrary power ofthe young Napoleon hi
pressing need just then of ready money
and the large financial credit of the
United States at Amsterdam the gen
eral ignorance of the extent or possibili
ties of the domain the willingness o
Spain to give up New Orleans, and tht
determination of France that Grea
Britain should not have it; the anxiety
cf England to check the growing empire
Of Napoieon, and tha desire Of France
to strengthen our Republic rs the onl,
effective rival OF England in the new
world. 1t was the sudden whim of .
single will, which then happened to b,
France and President Gilman we'll says
"The mighty deeds of Napoloon's swort
have been undone; but the stroke OF hi
pen wrought change which now, afte
fourscore years have passed, is no more
liable to counterchange than the Missis
sippi is to flow into the lakes" 1t il
worth our while to quote further III!
suggestive remarks. "The Missouri
compromise, the annexation of Texas
the Northwestern boundary disputes, The
acquisition of California and of the
Northern providences Of Mexico the dis
covery of gold and silver, the Nehrask,
bill, the Mormon difficulty, the Indian
policy, the Alaska purchase, the Paciti,
the Chinese immigration-who can sa,
that any of these controversies ant
events would ever have come to the front
if Spain or Great Britain had remained
In control of that half of our domain
which lies beyond the Mississippi"
If human will can have such shapin.
of the worlds history and the destinc
Of men, what may not the will of tn.
Almighty and all.wisc God effect? VIII,
ct least, shall make the shallow denial o
Especial providence
A suggestive illustration occurs in tht
life Of A.eyande. Hamilton, fhowins
that it was due to his own stubborn ant
arbitrary will that Aaron Burr was elevat
ed to prominence and Importance as hi,
rival In New York, and ultimately ir
national politics. In the election OF tn.
frs. U. S. Senator from New York
Hamil'' r. named Gen. Schuyler as one
with srsal consent. But instead O
leavir. .e other Senator to the choice
Of inc party, ho insisted on the election
of Rufus King, Massachusetts, man
just come down into the State. This ac
alienated large element of the FEEDER