The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-11-30
DIR. BODDIS ON
GOODS HAND"

.. L. u, LII. u, pastor OF the First
Baptist hurch of Lambertville
preached most interesting sermon
upon the subject, The Hand of
God in American History" on Sun
= day evening. The sermon was pre-.
viously delivered, in part, before
the Coryell's Ferry Chautauqua in
1915.
The speaker commenced by show
ing that Gods hand is seen in the
history of Israel, who were in a
special and peculiar sense His chosen
people. The Bible, however, did not
not limit Gods dealings to them
alone. God set the bounds of other
nations, sent His prophets with
messages to them. and the history
of the worlds great Empires is out
lined in prophecy.
The providence of God is not more
clearly seen in the history of any
country than in that of America.
1t is seen in the preparation period
of American history. In this con-
nection the preacher spoke of the
discovery of America, the selection
of the nation which was to settle
and give character to the country,
the training of the men who were
ordained by God to settle the various
colonies, and the preparation for the
evangelization of the great multi
tudes who were to people the coun-
try in the future. The first settle
ments were Spanish and at the be-
ginning there was every indication
that Spain would settle and give
character to the Western Continent.
But two great events in the history
of Europe determined that the civil
ization of the United States should
be not Spanish but Anglo-Saxon.
The first of these was the revolt of
the Netherlands and the second the
failure of Spain to conquer England.
But for the first, Spain would have
dominated Americalong before Great
Britain became strong enough to
establish and protect Colonies. With
the failure of the Spanish Armada,
Spain declined and the day of the
Anglo-Saxon began. Gods hand
could be traced inthese two events as
truly as in any. event in the history
of Israel.
The spiritual development of the
settlers showed the hand of God.
Puritan, Huguenot, Dutch Reform
ed, and others were trained in a
furnace of fire, but they became
sturdy men of God and built the
new State upon a foundation of
Righteousness. The great evangelical
revival was also referred to as a
great factor in the preparation of
America for national life and pro-
gress.
The providence of God is seen in
the formation and development of
the nation. 1t is seen in the Revo-
luton. There is a parallel between
the division of Israel after the death
of Solomon and that of the English
race in 1776. God prepared the
way for the American Revolution
by taking Canada from France and
hardening the hearts of British
statesmen so that they rejected all
sound advice and the protests of the
Colonists. He raised up the men
who were able to carry the war to
successful Observation-Disclosures
Franklin, and others. He Supplied
the British nation, depriving it of its
genius and strength so that every
effort to surpass the rebellion should
be in vain. He stirred up the an
cient enemies of England so that
she could not put forth all her
strength. France, Spain, and Hol-
land became involved in the war on
the side of America. After the in
dependence of America had been
recognized, Britain was victorious
in other parts of the theatre of war
and the supremacy of the Anglo
Saxon race established. Benjamin
Franklin recognized that Gods hand
was seen in the providential events
connected with the American Revo-
luton and gave his testimony to this
effect.
Gods hand was seen in the feder-
alton of the Union and the adop-
ton of the Constitution. 1t was al
so seen in the preservation of the
Union and the destruction of slavery
He raised up the great leaders in
the North and South. Great men