The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-24
GODS Hlh0WRlIlNl'

'tis the LOcd has done IT, N"'"'
thunder and Lightning are likewise
oeoo,o from natural causes, but 'tls
Cod who sends them and HIS deter
inmate will brings about the causes
aud effects and He uses them Tor
His own purposes. When lie gave
the law to Moses the Mount was
ovorsbadowed with thick clouds
and thunder and lightning ana
GREAT earthquake attested Ills pre-
eonca When Christ was Cruclhed
He testified His presence and lm-
,,rossad the conviction that the Lord
iO Cod indeel by q mighty earCh-
ouake, which rent the vail oil the
temple, opened the graves ana eA-
bnmod the dead from their last rest
ING places. That which has shake"
+bo world since August 3lst, Is no
,oss O visitation of the Lord and IN
tended to remind the world last oe-
tro oiren up to RIGHTEOUSNESS ana
crime that the Lord Omnlp0tent
re1qneth. The theories OF sclehClhc
mon should not divert the mind from
tho main lesson, and make men Tor
oct that God rules in all nature ana
controls this vast universe as to HIM
soemeth right. That the effect OF the |
shock was different in different in
dividual instances ought not to he |
ridiculed or laughed down. Some
were frichtened, some awed, some
made to rejoice. Some have died,
oomo made insane-some to seek q
chance, for better life. No one
who felt the earth's trembling Will
over FORGET the sensation of his own
Httlenes3, weakness and powerIcss
condition, and his utter helplessne3s,
as we'll as the insigniiCance of earth
" possession. The rich and the
poor were brought to the common
level and. as if in the presence OF
God, acknowledged the insecurity Of
ah temporal things, and the power
ano an'',~~ity of God in the affairs
VI men. BY SuV, phenomenon God
rouses men from grere-, selfshness
and worldly lusts He shakes up thei
earthly hahitat!ons that they may
turn to a Kingdom which cannot be
moved and which is eternal. He dis
plays His power that men may feal
Him. In the Bible God makes pro-
minent the fact OF the earths ulti
mate destruction. yet once more
l shake not the earth only Dut also
the Heavens" In ell the manifes
tations of Gods providences-(t (there
are no accidents lie speaks to mer
but the voice Is not always needed
Men 90 on in sin and shame and
wlCkedness, and cOntinue to toll and
to struggle and to grasp Tor the per
ishlng things of this world as if this
existence and it's accumHlations
were to endure forever and to satisfy
the imperishahle lOngings of the soul
But when God speaks in the earth,
quake's shOck a thrill runs through
the he arts of all, and the proudcst
rs well az the poorest. the highe ST al
we'll as the lowest all meet to ytthc,
a 6
BILE alike at the supposed premonl
tlOn Of coming ruin and destruction
But these thrilling manifestations OF
Gods wondrou. power should not fill
us AL with such ahject fear and COW
atdly horror. 1t should fill US with
feelings of awe and reverence and
alteration, and lift our thoughts. pur.
lhed from I'll the co-roding taints OF
SIN, up to the contemplation of Him
who IS The Author OF US all. We
should remember that the same Hand
which shakes the earth and rends II
asunder Ill many places is the one
"hlch Smeothes down the ocean into
peaceful calm when a storm has been
SURFING Its f0am-crested water. into
widest confusion. AMI the same
Hand which fills the sky with black
est clouds, and scatters forth the
quiverlng and Observation-Disclosures
hghtnlng5 In all of their forked flash
ing, IS the one which sprinkles down
the gentle and refreshing showers
which give vigor and freshness ano
newness of life to all growing vegc-
tat:on. Yes, the same Hand that
dlstIls for our delight and eii6catior
the perfume of the flowers. is the onf
which surrounds them with thorps +,
prick our careless fingers. Yes. the
Hand that spreads their exquisite
tlnts upon the lily and the rose thar
decks the autumn forests with ,hei,
gorgeous draperies Of Thousand
dyes; that carpets the valleys will
their soft, rich velvet of eYe-refresh,
IN green, and Ilingles the deep
dark blue of the empyrean vault il
old oceans majestic waves; tha
spangles the mantle of the univers,
with golden stars, and implants tDei
wOndrOus corru4cating fires in til,