The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-29
LAW OF NATURAL PROVIDENCE.
Il Synopsis OF Rcv.H .. Judd's Sermon
last Sunday-A Powerful Pre-
sentation of an Absorb
ing Subject

dencc delivered by tho Rev. IL. O.
Judd, in Trinity Church, on last Sun
day morning. We regret that We
are prevented from producing it GER
bottm, rs discourse of such rare
beauty and remarkable power is ne
ccssarily shorn Of much Of its strength
by curtailment. 1t was model Of
rhetorical beauty rcplctc with gems
of practical thought.
The sermon was based upon the
words Of the Psalmist in the 18th verse
Of the Sth Psalm-"What is man that
thou art mindful OF him %
The preacher felt that there was
danger Of either pcrvcrtiny or Of al.
together missing the lesson Of the
recent startling experience Of our
people. That SO momcntous an
event rs the earthquake should he
pregnant with some special signiG.
cancc for man it was not difficult to
believe. Through the popular ignor-
ancc Of the principles Of religion and
Of the laws Of science, the people
were exposed to the danger Of super
stition on the one hand and Of skep-
ticism on the other. BY one, this
unusual phenomenon Of nature was
taken rs special visitation for sin;
and by another. mere adjustment
Of natural forces, wholly devoid of
moral relation. The preacher took
the position that nature and rcvcla-
ton were but separate disclosures Of
truth, and with but Il single object,
viz: the education and discipline Of
mcn-both, however, being tokens Of
Gods mcrciful mindtulncss Of his
creatures. Nature in itself was not
wholly benc(iccnt-waS often atllict-
I've. If God is absolutely mindful
Of man it must be from the stand-
point Of his moral needs. The earth
was made for man, and not man for
tho earth-and if it does not secure
his temporal, it must have relation
to his eternal good. The time was
when natural forces were employed
as punishment for sin. Witness the
overthrow Of Sodom. But now such
| visitatiOns are reserved for the gene
raj Judgment. Until then the sword
of retributive justice is mcrcifully
stayed. Said Christ to certain sin
ful cities: at shall be more toler-
able in the doy Of Judgment for Sodom
and Gomorrah than for YOU" When
the race fell in it's federal head il
came into relation with the order Of
nature fitted beforehand for its moral
discipline; became subject to toll,
suffering and death. Icnceforth
nature and revelation were but scpa
rate parts Of one economy, and all
the phenomena Of nature became
morally significant. Some natural
evils are available through mans in
telligcncc. Others arc beyond his
control. The earthquake is one Of
the latter; it is alike in kind and pur-
pose with the tornado, flood and pes
thence In itself it is evil, but under
God it is ovcrrulcd for mans good.
1t witnesses not necessarily to the
sins Of the individual, but Of the race.
| The natural estate Of man is sinful
and subject to the wrath of God.
But suffering, and even death, is ap-
pointed cs corrective OF sin. They
are, therefore, not agents Of the d.
vine wrath, but instruments Of mercy.
The direct lesson Of these startling
| hostilitics Of nature is that God is
all-powerful; that lie is the enemy of
sin; that he loves man and is mind
rul Of his happiness; that he would
teach him the exceeding sinfulness
Of sin; would impress him with the
shortncss and uncertainty Of life;
would show him the impossibility
of present peace and happiness, be,
cause Of the presence Of sin; would
often in mercy withhold from him
present objects Of desire, because of
his disposition to abuse them TO lis
own huri; would blight his fields,
from the danger Of wealth; would
send him sickness, as the antidote of
pride and lust. IIc rolls the thun
dcrs above mans head and shakes
the earth beneath his feet to show
him that it is an awful thing to fall
into the hands Of the living God.
He sends calamitics to humble him,
to stir his pity and stimulate his
charities. lie would teach him that
he has here no continuing city, and
lead him to seek one to come. While
he smitcs and innicts, the sustains
and consolcs-scts the bow of hope
on the cloud, and the cross Of prom.
isc on the mount, with the pledge
that all things-cvil rs well as right.
eous-shall work together for good
OF them that love him. God IS love
whether ,he smiles or smitcs, and his
smiting is sometimes the surcst token
Of his love, for whom he lovcth he
chastcneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he rCccivcth.
In the economy Of God there can
be no enforcement of science and rev
| clatiUu though in q measure scparotC