Omaha daily bee., 1884-12-02
Special Providence OF God rs tn,

4 cPOSt"t tlVb'V VI WV 90 WV
Key to Unlock History.
The following is the text chosen by the
Rev. j. r. M'Kay Of the st. Paul Epia-
copal church, for his disc use on the
above subject Sunday evening:
some man of you shall chase q thous'
and; for the Lord your God be it is that
fghteth for you az he hath promised
you."-Josh. %, 10.
What a feeling of thankfulness must
have prevailed the hearts of those people
as they heard these blesaed words of
their beloved leader Joshua. The slaves
of Pharaoh had now entered upon a
national career which was one of the
most remarkable in the history of the
world. That they were working inhu-
ences for the good of the mighty nations
then on the worlds stage, and the
mightier nations yet to rise, was u
thought that never occurred probably
even to the minds OF their greatest
leaders such as Joshua.
But greater than all has been their
wide reaching influence over the subse.
quent generations of mankind. But little
as they dreamt of such an Influence, there
was one all the time who all unconsciously
TO them was working out by their means
the grandest problems of all ~history-the
light of the world to be shed upon His
people, the children of Israel. Failing to
see Gods design, is it not beautiful to
see how God made their selfish resistance
to His will the very means of carrying it
into exeoution2
There are men who deny the agency of
God In the att lirs of nations. Who can
solve the problems of history without
using the key of Gods providence2 What
men call chance or fate is the working out
of Gods deeigns. On the most trivial
events sometimes hang the most important
consequences
The walk of Joseph to his brethren who
were at work in the fields was in itself q
very ordinary occurrence, but how i'm
, portant an incident it proved to be in fu-
ture years. 1t was the turning point in
the life of Joseph, and was the means of
sustaining the lives Of the people OF
Egypt during the seven years of famine
) that pre- vailed.
I Do we need any more conclusive test.
mony of Gods designs han are to be
found in modern hiBtory2 In Victor
Hugo's explanation of the defeat of Ma
polean ut Waterloo, the great novelist
Imputes the cause to chance and fate.
But the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,
and to his overriding providence may the
, cause no ascribed, Tor even now we be-
a hold the good influences wrought upol
subsequent nations by that defeat.
But to come nearer home t) illustrate
: this, need l point to you a small shiE
: tossed in mid. Atlantic, having for its de,
tiny some rock bound coast where a fss
exiled men may worship the freedom ano
without restraint the God whom the,
, love and adore. Need l remind you o
s their priyations and sufferings from thei
4 desolate surrounding, and upjust anc
' unequal government, until their descen
= dsnts in the colones of winter, where
few ragged, hall. starved but brave anC
fearless men, like the children of Israe
while tho serfs of Pharaoh.
But there was q j Joshua among them
who was ordained of God, and these YER,
men, half-clad aud half starved as the,
were, proved the fAlsity of Napoleon
maxim, and showed that something NOR
d than numbers and discipline was to b,
taken into ccount. They were all-pow
erful, because God was with them, aut
fighting for them. How truly did i
apply 10 our forefathsrs that some MAJ
should chase a thousand!" The God o
truth ana justice was on their side, an,
: then who could be og inst them2 EveI
= AS We follow down thehlstnIy OF our land
do not ,hete things seem like a repetition
10 The second Joshua. the second pres
d dent worthy of that name, whose kind
mesa to all, whose good sense, and higl
moral qualities endeared him to tn
hearts of the American people, wa
stricken down at the very hour of vic
tory. by the hand Of the ruthless assas
sin, but even through this noble victim
= death, God gained glory for this country
The work that he Jay down with bis If
was on account OF his death taken up b
4 willing An able hands aud accomplished
. Accomplished in the spirit OF his owl
/. words, with malSce towards none, AM
a charity for ALL"
Again was .hs nation humili lted whN
endeSvor;ug TO bring about some muel