The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-15
THE NATIONS POLICIES
SOME TIMELY WORDS SPOKEN BY
REV. HENRY A. BUCHTEL.
Two Former Methodist Ministers of
Indianapolis Occupy Their
Old Pulpits.

Rev. Henry A. Buchtel, pastor of Calvary
NJ. E. Church of East Orange, n. j., for
merly pastor of the Central-avenue NJ. e.
Church in this city, filled his old pulpit yes
terday morning and was welcomed by a
large congregation. During the morning a
brief musical programme was also given.
Miss Hord sang a solo, "Jesu. Jesu Mise
rere," by Nevin, and the quartet
consisting of Miss Lulu A. Fish
err, Soprano Mrs. S. l.. Nor
rison, alto: Mr.. Raymond Lynn. tenor.
and Mr.. Oliver w. Isensee, basso. with Miss
Nellie Covert, organist, gave God. to Whom
We Look UP Blindly," by G. w. Chadwick.
Rev. Mr.. Buchtel had for his text: Stand
still and see the salvation of the Lord"
Elk. xiv, b.
1.-The Bible is quite full of references to
the deliverance of the children OF Israel
from the bondage in Egypt, said he: The
conspicuous event in that succession of
providences which issued IN the deliveranee
was the passage of the Red sea and the an
Inhalation of the pursuing army. The result
of this signal deiverance IS thus described
in Exodus xiv, 81: And Israel saw that
great work which the Lord did upon the
Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord,
and believed the Lord and his servant
Moses
MY text is the courageous word which
was spoken by Moses when the children of
Israel stood between the sea in front Of
The word Of 9 the LORD to Moses in this crit
icai moment was, Speak unto the children
of Israel that they go forward And the
word of Moses to the children of Israel was,
STAND still and see the salvation of the
Lord These two commands were not in
conflict. they were in beautiful harmony;
1t was the happy blending of aggression and
waiting that brought the Israelites out of
bondage into liberty Activity and faith are
always necessary TO the aeh icy OF
eouS word was spoken by Moses to drive
away fear which is weakness, and to slim
ulate calmness, which is strength. We are
clearly justified in considering this as a
word for all men in all times The Bible is
full of such heartening declarations. All
nations are dear to God. All men are the
offspring of God. He is the same yesterday,
to-day and forever. So it is comforting
as it is rational to believe that all our af-
fairs in our times as concerns of the heaV-
emily Father.
II desire to use this scripture as con-
solatory note for US in our present national EHs
tons to the world now. We hear the voices
of extreme pessmism and extreme Opt
misni / might almost say that we hear the
voices of atheistic pessimsm and atheistic
optimism. Some men are sure that any new
departure in our national policy will wreck
and navy can take possession of the earth.
Both these extreme voices appear to ignore
Providence. 1t is comfort to believe that
theistic optimists-not atheistic. 1t is a
comfort to believe that our people have
the disposition to stand still and see the
that where Providence opens our way we
will find no serious fear in entering upon
the quarter deck of the Texas, voiced the
feeling of the whole Nation when he asked
his men to uncover while he said with un-
utterable emotion L believe in God, the
Father Almighty And when bluff Bob
Evans, in whom the whole world believes.
wrote from the Iowa that every drop of
blood il my body was singing thanks and
praise to Almighty God he voices the Ma
tions Amen to Captain Philipss declaration
of faith.
CHANGES IN NATIONAL POLICY.
Our entire history is characterized by
changes in national policy when Providence
clearly marked the way. The men of strong
brain have been timid and hesitant until
the command of God definitely given
and then they have flung their fears to the
winds. We find abundant reason for ;e-
joicing in the fact of Gods guidance as we
study our history. Consider, for example,
the times of the revolution. In March,
IT'S, John Adams said of Massachusetts:
That there are any that hunt after indie
pendence is the greatest SANDER on the
province And George Washington said in
October of IVA: Il am we'll satisfied that no
such thing as independence is desired by
any thinking man in all North America
Notwithstanding these strong utterances.
yet independence came in the order of Gods
providence. And we won our cause not be-
cause we had the strongest battalions and
Tie SlIOISeSL HdNy-Oul DcCeuSc Jul IduoC
was Gods cause. He had for the world a
great blessing in reservation through the
life of this mighty Nation. Again when the
civil war came in 1861, the only question the
great Lincoln would recognize was the pres
eryation of the Union. Many were impa-
tient with him for his refusal to take up the
question of slavery at once. But he was too
great to run in advance of Providence. The
swift moving months brought the ertire
North to see that slavery must be lone
away. And then it was that Lincoln brought
forward the Emancipation Proclamation.
We have changed our national policy as
God has opened our way. We find the
atheistio pessimist disposed to set much
store by Washington's advice against en-
tangling alliances. But consider wEat
Washington had in mind. lie gave the most
solemn counsels concerning the necessity of
religion and the most urgent aGvices
against entangling alliances. both these
advices were given to meet great crisis in
our history when we we're urgently pressed
to make an alliance w III France against
England, at the time when godliness was
rampant in France. The most unnatural
alliance possible for us ID make would be
an alliance against England and the most
most perilous alliance we ever could have
made would have been with France at that
time. So Washington was wise enough and
brave enough to give the solemn counsels
which we needed then. So we may comfort
ourselves in the assurance that we shall
have the guidance of ,iod in our present
Again l wish to use this text to direct
our minds to that temper of repose and con-
fidence which ought to characterize us in all
In the last twenty-five years we have wit
messed a wonderful increase of popular at
tention to religion. And the freedom with
which men have criticised everything going
under the name of religion has filled may
good people with alarm. But Why should
we be alarmed? OF what need we be afraid?
This fire of criticism is good and cuSht TO
be welcomed. The church ani religion must
gain immensely by it. You cannot burn up
gold in fire. but you can refine 1t and sep
crate all dross from it, so the fire of
criticism must at last leave the residuum of
the truth. And that is exactly what we
want. So we may stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord. Finally. / would
speak word to hearten us in all our per-
sonal relationships to life and its duties.
We are all victims of strangely alternating
tides of feeling in which we know one day
the sweet sense of compoSure and the next
day the agony of anxiety. But all our most
restful thoughts of God cannot he up to the
facts. He is good. He desires our good.
We may all say with John Burroughs
.' The stars come nightly to the sky:
The tidal wave unto the sea:
Nor time. nor space. nor deep. nor high,
Can keep my own away from me-
-H--