The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-28
THE MEMORIAL SERMONS
To the Three G. A. R. Posts Of
the City Last Evening.
TWO IMPRESSIVE SERVICES
Rev. DIR. Mcclure breaches TO Holli.
day Post and Post No. SO, and
Rev. Mr.. Ash to T.. W. steph-
ems Post-Fine Dlscourses.

AS ID customary WIFI Tue GTuuu army
of the Republic, the local posts yesterday
attended religious worship in a body.
Last evening Holiday Post and Post Sc
met at G. A. r. hall on Main street, near
Twelfth, and marched in a body to the
U. P. church, where they listened to a
sermon by the pastor, Rev. ]. I. Nc
Clure, D. D., especially addressed to
them in view OF the memorial anniyer-
sary.
DR.. McClure's text was taken from
Psalm lxxvii., HIP: az will remember
the works Of the Lord; surely will re-
member thy works of old. will medi.
tate also Of all thy works, and talk Of
thy doings."
Without stopping to discuss the ques,
tons OF the author OF the Psalm or the
time and occasion OF its composition, the
speaker proceeded to get directlytto its
import. 1t is the outcry of the heart ia
God in time Of distress and darkness
and the review OF Gods dealings with
his people in the past is made with the
view OF obtaining strength and encour.
agement for present duty. Our present
condition may not be one OF darkness
and general distress; still it is always
profitable for us to look back at Gods
dealings both in his providence anC
grace, with his people, and to learn sucE
lessons from them as they are calculated
and intended to teach, that we may b.
strengthened and encouraged in the
work yet before us in life.
In making this review let us keeE
clearly before our minds certain princi
pies that run all through the whole
range of Gods moral government, anC
are necessary on our part to right con
ception Of his works and their tina]
causes. First: The sovereignty OF Goo
is absolute and Interchangeable. God evel
has been and ever will be the Su
preme Ruler among the nations Of the
world. The sad fact that men have de
fed His authority does not annul this
principle nor detract from its import
ance. Instead OF this the fact is verified
by NIL reliable human history that those
who have rebelled against God and have
ignored His authority have always sui
fered judgment and ultimate destruc'
ton.
Second: The sovereignty OF God is
exercised ordinarily through the laws
that He has formulated and placed in
operation. Ho is above all law, and il
not bound or limited by His owl enact.
ments. He is able to act above all law
and His purposes are independent OF any
and all restraints. But ordinarily, His
government is maintainedapd controlled
by such laws as He has formulated and
revealed for the guidance and instruc,
ton OF His creatures. Hence those
who observe His known laws and act
according to their directions will receive
the legitimate fruits OF their actions,
while those who disobey these laws,
must expect to realize the result OF their
folly. This is true in all departments OF
the government OF God-physical, moral
and spiritual.
There is astrange analogy between the
upheavals and commotion in the devel-
opment OF the material continent and
the manner in which our own national
existence has been brought about. In
the latter there were moral upheavals
less in magnitude and grandeur than that
that formed this continent, but that
were, in their importance to the human
race, scarcely inferior.
Coming down to the time when the
Colonies wearied OF the exactions OF the
mother country, and determined to estab-
fish an independent government, this
after n protracted struggle and the ex.
penditure OF vast amounts OF blood and
treasure he said: Our institutions were
then and there established, and gov
eminent was handed down to us, than
which the history OF the world tells Of
us OF not one that is better. The hand
OF God is manifest in its existence, and
His purposes OF goodness and mercy are
being gradually developed.
But the form OF government was still
imperfect in some respects. 1twould be
unreasonable to expect that system OF
laws should be prepared at that time that
would provide for all unforeseen cOntin-
gencies that might arise. 1t is matter
OF wonder that this end was so nearly
attained, and that there were not greater
errors fallen into. The one great cause
of this evidently successful effort to OBJ
tain constitution us nearly perfect rs
possible, is found in the fact that God
gave us leaders at that critical time who
were honest and upright men. 1t was
the unsellish heart OF Washington that
made us Republic, instead of a
Monarchy.
Still with all the honest care that was
exercised, imperfeCtions, already exist
ing, were perpetuated, that ultimately
came near bringing about the complete
dissolution OF the Union. Interests be.
came divergent and were localized.
Slavery became the dividing line as well
as the perpetuating cause OF these diver
gent interests. Parties took their re-
spective stands in the political arena,
separated by the system OF human sla-
very. A broad range OF new territory
was being opened 10 settlers, and each
party tried to obtain all that it could for
the purpose Of charging its own power.
COMPROMISES were tried, but failed. God
had purpose to subserve, and no polit-
ical compromises could hinder it. Public
feeling was aroused, neither party could
submit. Sumpter was fired on, and the
North and the South met in fierce and
protracted struggle. You, my friends,
took part in that conflict, and you know
how bloody and desperate it was. Thou
sands OF millions Of wealth were ex-
pended. Hundreds Of thousands OF
tives-were sacrificed. The whole land
was clothed in mourning; but Gods
purpose was fulfilled, and the foulest
blot that had stained our fair esCutcheon
was erased with blood.
Twenty-three years have come and
gone since the close OF that dreadful
struggle, and the Nation has grown in
all the elements Of greatness and strength.
She is greater to-day than she could have
been without that sad baptism OF blood.
Many OF the soldiers who served during
the war have died; OF the many who
still survive, not els young to-day.
These increasing years remind Us that
our life campaigns drawing to its close,
and that We have increasing need to re-
view the past, to remember the works
OF the Lord and talk OF his doings, that
We may he RtrRnVthpnpd md encouraged