Year: 1879

/ ing human government. 1ne
old prophecy is assuming the form
of manifest destiny. While the
signs of the times, no less than Gods
word, declares that a progress has
been begun which shall assuredly
bear down all opposers; and that
the kingdoms of the world are to be
the kingdom of the Lord and of his
Christ.


4th. We take up now these three
different lines of thought, and, sub
hitting them to the marvellous inter
weayings of divine providence, we
bind them in one. There may seem
to be but little relation between them ;
nay, their character may appear to be
almost opposite. What we might
ask, has the perishing temporal pros
peritv to do with the infinite work of
the Lord Christ? And what has the
political struggle of a nation to do
with the kingdom which cannot be
shaken? We answer, much, in
many ways. The weakness of the
shallow thinker, a weakness which
displays itself in the scepticism and
narrowness which have become so
popular. is that he is not able to look
deep enough to see the unity of
Gods plans and Gods works. Men
separate nature and the Bible, aad
look at them as if they were armed
opponents instead of wise coadjutors
in the work of showing forth Gods
glory. The science of the physical
and the science of the spiritual are
treated as if they feared and assault
ed each other, instead of being dif-
ferent sides of the one grand work Of
God. And, in like manner, weak
men, busy for the earthly, forget the
heavenly, and think to build up the
nation without the fear of God.
But the truth is, all these things are,
in Gods intention, one; for one pur-
pose, and working out one destiny.
God uses the wealth of this world to
extend His kingdom. He claims as
his own the gold, the silver, the cat
tie, the merchandise, the lands. He
demands that they be used to sup
port his church, to spread abroad His
gospel, to send his servants to the ends
of the earth with His message of
eternal life. Hear how he speaks of
the use which He makes of these
temporal things: "The flocks of
Kedar shall be gathered unto thee.
The glory of Lebanon shall come to
thee,t beautify the place of my sane
tuary. The ships Of Tarshish shall
wait for me,to bring thy sons from
afar, their silver and their gold with
them, unto the name of the Lord thy
God" 1t is for this that God gives
success to the man of business and
wealth to the rich; that they may
be His ministers to give largely to
His kingdom. Nor does it affect the
divine will, that men sinfully refuse
this ministry, any more than it at
fects it that they waste any other
talent. They thus use their wealth
to their own condemnation, and God
will surely require at their hands
what He has entrusted with them.
And if there be-any lesson of the re-
turning prosperity, it is this: Give
the first fruits of the prosperity to
God. Israel did not wait to bring
the last sheaf when their own barns
were full; the first was for Jehovah.
The period of financial pressure has
told on nothing more severely than
it has on the interests of Christ's
work; and financial relief should be
felt in these interests more quickly
and more deeply than in all besides.
And if men bring not of their pros
perity to God, verify the blight will
return, and the divine Judgment will
curse the people that has robbed
him.


And surely it needs no long study
to see the connection which God in
tends there should be between this
nation and His church. He gave us
our birth as christian nation; the
only one of the great nations of the
world that was not born in heathen-
ism; that we might hold fast to the
true religion as our peculiar birth
right, and to the work of its defense
and extension as our mission. He
made us free, oivilly and religiously,
that we might have liberty to preach
His gospel throughout the land, and
bear its'freedom to the nations. Then
notice how our position, and the
opportunities which God has given us
attract the world. Though we speak
one language, yet we are made up of
all nations. Long since the Euro
Pean of every name found here a
home and freedom. Long since the
oppressed African, snatched from
his home of idolatry and darkness,
borne cruelty to our land, was placed
in multitudes here, that through
Gods overruling Providence he
might be brought up to liberty and
Christianity. And see how Of late
the heather nations of Asia are pour
ing across the sea; hated, resisted by
many of our people, but coming,
notwithstanding. You know, surely,
what all this means. He must be
blind who cannot catch in this some
glimpse of Gods purpose. These
various peoples are coming here, not
to be driven back. They are COM
ing here, sent by the divine will,
which cannot be thwarted, to learn
our Bible and our Christ; and to re-
turn again, with free, earnest yea, to
take to their countrymen the light
which they have received.


But we.have not time to enlarge
on these thoughts. Simply have l
presented to you these few hints of
the relation of our country to the
world wide work of Christ, that you
might realize the Importance that
our people should appreciate the re-
sponsibility which it brings. Gods
ideal for this nation is broad heart
to welcome the world, and boun-
teous hand to save the world. And
may our people realize this ideal, and
never, in their folly and worldiness,
forfeit their crown of glory,


And 1 have presented these