Year: 1861

causeess and unprovoked rebellion carried on By
conspiracy and violence, by fraud and pillage l*


No less emphatic is the language Of the Apostle
Peter in the Epistle, which, BY remarkable coin
cidence, has just been read, for we have had Scrip
ture lessons to-day not of mans choosing but OF
Gods


Our Saviour tells us, and none Of his words shall
pass away, "They that take the sword shall perish
by the sword" And who have now taken the sword!
Who have been the aggressors Who have initiated
unexpected and unjustifable hostilities Certainly
not the Government Of the United States. But IN
the hand Of the magistrate God himself hath placed
sword and the Scripture SAITH He beareth it not
in vain" Can doubt the final ISSUE Of a contest
between those who have causelessly and treacherous


y taken the sword, and the power ordained of God
Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just"
" If God be for US, who eau be against us p


4. Another duty Of which | would earnestly
remind my Christian brethren, is that Of KEEPING
OUR OWN HEARTS, and suffering not our spiritual


life to be injured and deadened by the strong excite
ments and rude collisions of such time. Alas
such agitation of mems minds and passions is any
thing but favorable to the Christian spirit and temper


Hard is it to shut out hatred and malignity from the
heart, and to prevent righteous indignation Mt base
ness and treachery ION running into rage and VIM
dicveness. Strive to keep the soul meek, patient
and charitable Remember the words of the Lord
Jesus how he said " Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you and
pray tildt taO ou uhu luSeeutS
You" If the aim be strong, let the heat be ten
der, and if you called to grd on your weapon in
this righteous cause, suppcate heavens mercy for
those whom you oppose


Oh beloved, if fidelity to our country, to our
fathers who have bequeathed to us goodly heritage,
to the children to whom desire to transmit it, to
the holy religion which has found such home and
field in this fair land to the great principles Of justice
TRUTH mercy, and order require this great crisis
to stand firm as rock, let us discard all malice and
and while pray for ourselves, and
for the triumph of right and law, let also pray in
spirit of fraternal love for those whon~ge will not
cease to regard as brethren


"Oh Lord correct us, but with Judgment, not in
thine anger lest thou bring us to nothing" "Oh
Lord in Thee have we trusted, let never be CON
ounded"


= NorE.--We are not to press Romans Is and similar
passages to the strctes interpretation but the general
import of them is very ntelligbe. We taught that
yil government is of divine institution The form of
hat government is not laid down, but may vary in differ
mt regions and ages In Republic the rulers are elected
or term of years, by popular vote, but the authority
which they exercise under constitutional limitations
proceeds from God its great They in their
legitimate unctios his ministers representatives aud
ence the Christian renders them due respect and sub
mission religious duty, is subject not Or wrath but
or conscience sake. This allegiance is due primarily
hose authorities who are vested with the exercise of the
rights pertaining to Sovereignty The States composing
the American Union have ceded to the General Govern
ment the power to declare war and make peace TO main





raise taxes, to coin money to establish admiralty and
other courts, THESE all attributes of Sovereignty,
and sufficiently indicate the powers that be-" No State
or earthly power release the citizen from this allie
gance, uufy official oath to be faithful the Com
stitution and Government. BY " elimination we here
the Judgment OF God against such wrong
does whether the penal consequences that be in
lloted in this world or in the next.


NoTR.-Al wOrshppers in tbs Protestant Episcopal
Church greatly impressed, Sunday, April 2ist
with the singular appropriateness of the Scripture lessons
which were read in regular course The lesson from the
Did Testemcnt Joel Sd, 9tl and following opened
With thrilling effect Proclaim ye this among the GEN
lies prepare war wake up the mighty men, lot all the
men OF draw near, let them up.


Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning
hooks into spears let the weak say, am strong " sc.
IN the lesson from the New Testament the signi-
iant passage, Acts 9th 36 and 81 The Epise was
rom ls Peter, 2d chapter II to II inclusive.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of the
4ords sake whether it be to the king supreme" " Sc
The word king is evidently used here for the Chief Mags
rate, or governing power whatever be the form of
government


Is there not solemn admonition in the fact that these
scriptures read in many that day without
my immediate human selection The evening lessons
we're Micah and Colossians 3.