Evansville Journal, Volume 17, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, 1 December 1866 — Page 2

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' ! BAPTIST ;

Hall Geo. F. Peniewst,Pastor .Services, 1UJ A. m.; lext, Uccupy -till I come," (Luke, ; Tfieme, Second Advent of, Christ pre Millennial: Services also at ,7 P. M. Text, (Job Vl-4,) ."The arrows of the Almighty are within jne ;" Theme, Conviction for Sin.". "Lord's Suppej" administered at. 3 p. ,m. ''Sunday School at 9 A. M. ' v Church Meeting this evening at 7 A. H. A general attendance request ed. "The doori of the Church" will be .opened for the reception of members this evening. The meeting, which has been '" in progress during the past week, is increasing in. inter est and earnestness, and will continue (D. V.) through next week. . Many of the Baptist Churches throughout the State are enjoying a season of revival. ' - . . At a protracted meeting in Emi nence 98 were added to the Church At . Little Land Creek , Church 19 have joined. sTbe Baptist Church at Tiffin, Ohio, was organized nine years ago, with seven members. It now numbers 100. .The Baptist ministers of Ohio have. resolved upon the formation' of a " Minister's Institute meeting fit the ministers of the State, witlj s view of " securing greater correspondence in doctrinal views " the meeting to continue from eight to ten days. Some of the most eminent men of the country are to be present and deliver lectures upon important subjects. The meeting to be held at Granville immediately fallowing the commencement exercises. - . ' ihe South Oxrolina Baptist , says from every section of the country it hears pleasant tidings of revivals. There are 291 Baptist ministers in the State of South Carolina, 21 of whom are licentiates. Minnesota. There are 123 Baptist churches in this State, , with a total membership of 3,300, as stated by a correspondent of one of our ex changes. . .. . . " ,' -Rev. D. W. Anderson, of Washington, D. C, writes that on the 4th ult. he baptized 61 believers in the Potomac, and that a revival which "commenced in the First Baptist Colored Church has spread to . nearly all , the white churches in the city." The American Baptist. Historical Society have arranged for the delivery, in several of our great cities,' of five or six first-class historical addresses from as many - of the able writers and speakers of the denomination. These addresses are, .ultimately to form a volume. ' u The San Francisco papers report a greater religious interest among the Churches and people of that city, than was ever witnessed before. This has been largely . brought about by the preaching of Rev. A. B. Earle. . Meetings held in six different Bap tist churches in Kentucky, have re- ' suited in 185 accessions and conversions. . " ' . ' ' ' Rev. George L. Wrcnn, who has been superintending a mission Sunday School in Chicago, has succeeded in erecting a house of worship, -which 'was dedicated last Sabbath afternoon. Besides this and the church erected recently at the Union Stock Yard, the brethren in that enterprising city have also - erected a chapel at the Rolling Mills, mainly through Jhe instrumentality of members of the First Baptist church, and under the direction of Rev. G. L. Wrenn, of the North Star Mission. It was dedicated on Sunday, Nov, 4th. : Sermon by Dr. Everts. The building is a very neat one, sixtyBix by forty feet in size, and beautit fully modelled., Jt has cost from 1 $5,000 to $6,000. - i I I The young men of the Baptist churches have formed a " Union " whose object is the advancement of i- denominational Interests in that oity. There are sixty or seventy Baptist -l XT XT 1. o:i. i. which are supplied with able, faithful, and hard working pastors. The total , strength ; of the Baptists in Illinois, is Associations 37, members 44,715; 4,557 of whom were baptized last year- There are 150 churches destitute of pastors. Z- r.-UJCITAHWAW.- .. . ... J. There will be Liberal Christian worship at the Court House to-morrow; services morning and evening. In the evening a lecture will be delivered, upon J ohn Pierpont, Jhe Poet, Preacher, and Reformer. " A letter to the New Covenant says : " Rev. Robert Collyer, ' of Chicago, repeated last night in the State House,

THE EVANS

at the request of the Governor and a troop: of friends, the admirable sermon recently preached to his people in.Chicagoupouhe,reat.political issues now, before, us. The sermon wascsd full of plain common Bense, so simple and direct, so honest and sympathetic, that no one who listened. it felt, I am surei that the minister was departing from Jhe ' sphere of the pulpit' in such a noble utterance. " Rev. Jonn C. Learned,'1 of Exeter N. H.i-has received ;,anj invitation to become the pastor of the" Unitarian Society in Leavenworth, Kansas. ; Ail Souls ChurchNew Yo'tk; (Rev Dr. , Bellow's,) in view of the religious destitution of the large masses of the city, and the duties of the Churches, are about to establish a Mission School and. Church to meet this want. 'A committee has been chosen to find an available site, and report to the. Society- ' ii: ' The new book by Mr. E. P. Whip ple,. "Character and Characteristic Men," contains a very affectionate and discriminating essay upon Thomas Starr King, and is also dedicated.' to him. , ; It reciprocates; , a similar . com pliment in Mr. King's i White Hills to Mr. Whipple.. ' There were some Strong resemblances to each otber in. the qualities , of. their, minds. , They were of about the same age, and firm trends Both wore residents of the game city, and worked up their , way to fama together5, an - jfl fdeath they); are not divided. PROTEST AST . EPISCOPAL. St Paul's Church, corner of First and Chestnut Streets, Rev. H. W. Spalding, .Rectori .v.vu-:A.i:ij.i' f Services on Sunday next(First Sun-' day in Advent) ; Morning prayer at 9 o'clock, in the Sunday-school; Litany, Ante Communion, Bermon, and Communion, 11 a. 'u. Evening services, 7 P. M. Mission Sunday School, 3 p. M. During the week : Wednesday even ing, 7 o'clock, with lecture.--; . ' Thanksgiving Dat. A large and devout congregation attended St. Paul's Church on this day, to return thanks for the mercies of the past year. The special prayers appointed by thfe Ecclesiastical Head of the Diocese were read with the service appointed in the prayer-book, and the Rector preached an appropriate sermon from Psalms lxvhi, 32-33, in which he enforced the duty of thanksgiving, as growing outrof the attributes,' power, and goodness of God 1 whieh are so; wondrously manifested1 in the creation and sustenance of all fhings.- He also specified particujar blessings which have been vouchsafed to us as individuals, a - community a $tate, and nation, and concluded Jy exhprting to thatj "righteousness which exalteth a nation' ainasEowing that the term patriot ' is'-the1 God, fearing, God obeying man. j The people listened attentively, and it is hoped the remarks on the occasion, will not be without their fruits, - in the hearts of those, that heard them. The singing of 'the choir, - under the leadership of Mrl Isaacs, was good, and the selections appropriate to the occasion. -,. After the sermon,- the Rector proceeded -with the commuion service, and over sixty communicants partook of the Lords Supper, thus complying with the requirements. PS. cxv. 12 13, 14. The offertory for the day amounted to $111 88, which was for the following objects: Diocesan Missions. av fin Orphan Asylum...... 31 25 And the balaace for the Freedmen Parish poor and undesignated v 27 63 This was a liberal offering, and, taken into conjunction with the fact that this congregation had just given $85 at a previous service, and with what is doing in this city, indicates a truly liberal spirit,' one that is actuated by ' faith, and means work for Christ and his Church Thus' passed away another .. Thanksgiving ' day. Would that . it ,had , been religiously kept by all the people, as it was by a few, in this city, comparatively. .. . METHODIST. ... THANSfllVING SERMON 3Y REV. C. N. SIMS, PREACHED AT TRINITY M. E. - CHURCH: ' '" is '' :- r t Text: He hath not dealt so with any nation. Psalms, 147, 20. - The President of the United States, and the Governor of our State, have designated this day as a special occasion for Thanksgiving and prayer, in conformity to those proclamations, we are here at this hour. , The blessings of health, life, plenty, peace, commercial prosperity, Baf'ety of' person and property under the laws, are always sufficient cause9 for, gratitude to God. But in the fiery ordeal of war, we have learned that there are national blessings far more valuable than any mere personal advantages;

VILLE DAILY JOURNAL; SATURDAY, ' DECEMBER 11866,

aye than our life itself.- WhaC in deed, is the temporal life of a man? A few years of hope and fear, of toil ana acquisition, of i infinite yearnini the Consoler," lays his band upon his pulses and they are stilled; is eye closes,' his ear is heavy, he sinks back to a lump of offensive clay, and' his earthly career is ended But the life or a nation is infinitely more. ' Its vol ume is the' aggregation of all ' its mil lions ' of individual; lives, ' extended through all the generations -that fill the ' cycle; of. its existence;'- And as the ;'memories of our ancestors, and the hopes we cherish1 for those that shall come after uS;' are dearer t6 us than Our own1 personal comforts, so OUffht the ;CnnteTnnl!it!nh nf i. thnaA blessings that extend through our en tire history as a Nation, to call forth our . most, devout gratitude .to Him" who bestows them all.' Wei present then for your consideration, ' some of ine proDiems, which we believe are to be wrought out. nnr American jepubne. ; :i ' ' - ' - That God h k - . . plish through the nations of the earth. j t aonot. That he has great anv beneficent ends in view connected with the history of our own Rerjublic. w inlly . believe.1 What means it, that mis continent lay undiscovered i till rtie close of the fifteenth century? That after the visits of the Northmen, nearly a .- t honsand years : ago, ' to our ' Atlantic coast, the secret of the , discovery should' be forgotten? .That : during the dark ages of ignorance and oppression this land was preserved from their knowledge and the impress of their institu tions? That the three great events of modern times should be grouped into one eentury? the . invention f of the printing press, the Protestant Reform ation, and the discovery of America: To me. it seems ths.tGod has reserved this glorious land to be peopled and developed by the spirit of learningpiety, and enterprise of these - latter times. ! : J . We oonsiderjfirst, the problems; of the social relations among men. These are they that pertain to the feelings and conduct of man towards his fellow, i: independent of legislative ' requirements: ; One of the.-e is respect for the manhood of man. That " God had made of one blood all nations of men," was a truth practically denied by all the nations of the old world. To the Jew all other races wej:e Gentile dogs. The Greeks knew among all men only of Greek and Barbarian. The Romans regarded the rest of mankind as ' especially fitted to be their slaves. And the later governments of the Eastern world have always made the accident of birth the test of privileges, honors and offices. The first born son inherited the landed estate of the father. The crown could not depart from the royal family. It was for American society to practical Jy accept the truth, that circumstances of birth neither gave nor withheld the rights of humanity. But it1 is'one ; thing; to. recognize these" rights in theory, or even in legislative enactments, and quite another to incorporate them into public sentiment, and ac t upon them in our social intercourse. -Ther right of every human being: to "go where he pleases, and do what he? pleases with that which is his own, so long as he does not molest, the life, - property, , and . . reputation, of auother,".' is yet to grow, into sueh general recognition and such hearty acceptance, that overbearance,. injus tice, and oppression of every sort shall be frowned upon by an, enlightened and' virtuous public sentimenc. : : : Kindne&S) for the wants of men,, till charity, shall: be without respect of persons till sympathy shall read all human suffering, and manhood be acknowledged and regarded in all classes and races, is another social problem to be wrought out by this American people. That these results are not yet reached is matter of painful knowledge to us all. But that we are advancing towards them is unquestionable. The forces by which they are to be brought about are already at work: The thorough intermingling of all races in business is a powerful agency in promoting social rights. Of the five great divisions of the human racev four the Caucasian, American, Africauand Mongolian are thronging together the great marts of trade ; side by side they till the soil; the sound of . their hammers as they ring upon the artisan's anvil mingle together, and, in the eager race for wealth and position, they are teaching the world that they are men. Whoever will read the history of our people cannot fail to see the growing sentiment .of regard for men as men. There are - two civil problems we shall name to-day. The first is, The recognition and protection, by biw, of equal civil rights to all men. In the Old World, birth and wealth give titles and distinction; in ours, force of character alone. Three types of civil organization started together on this continent. At St. Augustine, the Spanish Catholics celebrated mass, murdered the French colony, and inscribed upon the trees that they executed them " not as Frenchmen,- but as heretics.". They organized a permanent, colony upon the basis that religion made distinction of rights. At Jamestown, Virginia, a colony was planted upon aristocratic ideas, and the attempt was made to transplant the system of English society to this country.' Patents of nobility were designed to make privileged classes. To these two were eiven the resources of immense wealth, with climate and soil as propitious as the sun ever shown upon. '. , " ! ' . ' 1 Farther north, the Pilgrim Fathers landed on a' "stern' and rock-bound coast." Poor and friendless, with a bleak sky and a barren soil, they

brought the 6pirit, and founded the principles, of a pure Democracy. All had equal voices in themaking; and execution of the laws.; Of these rival stvles of civilization, 'the first two

waned' and the third has been steadi ly diffusing , ita; spirit over. alV Ae land. , The first Revolution gave shape to the sentiments :of. Democracy,- .anq moulded for us the formula " all men are" born free and equal," and possess the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.". 'From that hour to this these sentiments have steadily continued to gain ascendancy. True, they 1 have sometimes been like the waves of the rising, tide, when one wave is succeeded by another that does not wash the sand so far "as its predecessor, but the next would go beyond both. Appa rent checks and retrogade movements we have sometimes had, but they have been, only apparent, i You all remember the great Know Nothing movement, how soon the principle of equal civil rights to all swept it away. . Every revolution, every civil conflict, however it seems to end, always elevates .the masses; and the day is rapidly approaching when the recognition and protection of equal civil rights shall be fully at tained. . : - . . ; - The second civil problem is that of oelf-uovernment. the government ot the i people, tor the people, by the people.' The opposition . to ,this comes from the pride and aristocracy of the high and . the vice and igno rance of the; low. Perhaps the timehas not yet come when man is capable of Belf national government, for he is not yet always capable of self personal control.: But, with a system that ignores cast and : encourages r merit with our free Protestant Bible to give virtue, and our common schools to give intelligence, we confidently hope to see the day when this idea of Democracy shall be realized. , jWe i consider, lastly, the religious problems. First is that of perfect religious ; tolerance. . Nowhere outside of free America may we hope for this. No government, s with an established Church, breathes its spirit. . We re member that but a -few years ago Romdn Catholie Spain imprisoned, as felons, two of her subjects for reading and teaching the word of God. Free and merry England wrings tithes from her dissenting poor to support a sect and, an establishment .in which they do not believe. The ; same ' is true of every nation , with an established Church. : Only here, in our own loved land, may all. : without any restraint. worship at that altar and support that faith which wise judgment and con science approve, lhe Jew no longer an exile and stranger, looks no more to Palestine as the haven of his hopes, for here, under the kind shelter of the American flag, he rears his temples. worships as he chooses the God of his : fathers, and finds a nome. The Romanist .'comes with his rites and ceremonies and worships safely under the same banner, . lhe Episcopalian, the ; Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Methodist, the Uuakerthe Unitarian. all, worship in peace as they will. I rejoice torday m this perfect religious toleration of my native land, ; 1 he. modifying influences ot antag onistic doctrines upon each other is another hopeful indication. . The Roman j Catholic. leaves his inquisition behind j him when he comes , here. The spirit of English, Episcopalianism, is modified in America; Scotch Galvanism is perceptibly toned down in this country; ana so of many striking, peculiarities of all the churches. We account for this by the general mingling of all the advocates of these different systems freely together.'' J ust as on the lake shore the washing of the waves smooth and polish ' the shingles, so does this contact of Christian with Christian, n terms of perfect equality, destroy bigotry and exclusiveness and draw brethren near together. , . ,'. 1 .'';' This free discussion of the various theological systems and dogmas, has been and will continue to be, a crucible to try and purify them all. As a course of experiments in philosophy exposes error, develops new truths, and perfects the science so, under this contact of system with system, do we hope to see sectarian prejudices fade away, until we shall see eye to eye, and the broadest Christian sympathy shall pervade the hearts of God's children. Never was there so grand a field for so glorious demonstrations. We have all climes and products in our own. the land flowing with mux and honey. The clouds drop fatness, and the rocks pour forth rivers ot ou.?lhe verdure and beauty, and marvelous .fruitfulnesS of : the earth's surface conceal the richer treasures of the mines: Surely' this is i a Heaven-favored land. Surely God has high purposes to accomplish through the instrument tality of .this latest born child Df the nations.1" In view of the social rights, and civil.' blessings, .and .'.religious privileges and hopes of our land, we may give thanks this day. We believe that this is to be the missionary nation of the; world. ;,Men of all nations flock to our shores, and learning our freedom and our religion, they are going back to the old world to carry, the light and the truth to those that remain behind. God grant to hasten the day when, in the possession of all rights, and virtue, and intelligence, our people may fulfill their mission our 1 land be . unmarred by wrong, and all the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms ' of our Lord and His Christ.1 i ..-.-rh , PRESBYTERIAN. ' i : '' , Thanksgivinci Sermon -Delivered in the Walnut Street Presbyterian church November 29th, 1866, by Rev.

C. B. H. Martin, Pastor of the Vine Street Presbyterian church : Text " I will mention the lovlngkindness of. the Lord." Isaiah, ' In the proud city of -Thebes.on the banks 'of the' Nile, in the 'days of

Egvot's glory, there stood a wondrous ry. there tooa a wondrous structure. It was a statue, so won - drousljrtyrought .that when the early sunbeams' fell upon it, its stony heart wakened into melody,5 and;;. breathed fotth. low",' sweet isptinds, like the notes of a hidden: bai'p, swept by a viewless hand Thatstatue waa ; fanied in many - lands.',' Strangers ; from afar, scholars from the Euphrates, philosophers; . fromAthens, warriors .. from Rome, catne! to ; gaze upon , it, ; andif possible ; solve. ; the mystery . t t. enshrined, and - were amply ;rpoompensed for - their toil if they might hear, but once, that strange morning hymn as it trembled from the unseen chords of the mystic harp. . But to-day the sunbeams, ; coming forth like angel fingers, have touched a, nobler, harp than Memnons, and waked a grander anthem. , 'Tis : the Harp of the Union and the anthem of anation 8 praise, fusing away amidst the granite hills of New England, that anthem rolls onward, echoing among mountains, swelling along valleys, ringing through lores ts, , sweeping across prairies, ever gathering strength and volume as it passes, until, like " the voice of many 'waters," lb luiugies. wiui me, ruar v oueau, as it breaks along the golden coast of the Pacific. Nor even there shall the mighty . ' anthem 6top ! Mexico shall hear, and the sword of the brave shall flash more brightly and cut more keenly, . as He strikes to re-! deem 'his bleeding 'country from the, v usurperV sway. Nay, "all lands ,, shall , . hear,' . and' , while tyrants tremble, crushed hearts everyT where, oantinsr for deliverance, shall gather hope, and courage, and light again the altar hres ot rreedoml u The harp of Memnon has been forever silenced!',. Cambycea passed that way, laid his-ruthless hand upon the statue and .left it a ruin. , From the broken body the soul of music fled." and ho earthly power can call it back or waxen again lis omen , melody. Where that statue stood, instead of those glad strains which so charmed the listener, there is now heard only the sighing of the desert winds,' as they chant a melancholy requiem over the gloomy monuments of departed grandeur. And, so tne harp oi our Union that harp which "nations heard entranced, was for a season silent, a or a iew mourniui years its glorious minstrelsey , ; was , hushed amidst' the din of arms." But the noble instrument was not shattered n the conflict. Some chords were displaced, and, for , a time, lost their tone. , .but they Bhau be readjusted and reattuned. ..Wisely, speedily, we trust, the work of , reconstruction will proceed, until each jarred string n restored through that many voiced Harp, JEvluribus , Unum there shall flow that full tide of a nation's' praise. Then on each recurring festal day in the nation's life, the genius of the Republic, . taking up her wondrous harp no discord , lingering on its tuneful strings shall .pour .torth, in mellow numbers her divinest inspirations her ; theme the glory of that land which God has, given as the heritage of her . united and happy children!. .,;).;.,';,,,. - .a ,' With hearts thrilling with, these high ; hopes ' we come j to-day to lay upon God's il tar our sacrifice of praise to thank Him for the past and im plore llis blessings for the future. s in attempting to aireciyour meaitations, as we engage in this delightful duty. !. ask you to think of the profmetio words, " I will , mention the oving kindnesses of the Lord." . The whole verse lis, a beautitul and comprehensive recapitulation of the reasons for thanksgiving. Like a pure spring that sends , forth , its crystal stream in gushing fullness, the prophet's ' heart pours out its fervent gratitude. He use3 all the strong words , he is master of 1 3 express the emotions struggling in I is heart: . " I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which He ihath bestowed on them, according to His mercies and according to the multitude of His loving kindnesses." '. , . .The terms of the text are compound,1 and therefore the more emphatic. It is not love only, for love may be latent, ana exhibit no positive beneficence i nor is it kindness only, for; kindness may spring from common pitv. but it 18 love and kindness blend ed :j kindness .-which is the fruit' of love, and it is not loving kindness in the singular, but loving kindnesses in the plural, for in' the golden chain of mercy eacn unit or Diessing uraws after it innumerable blessings. 1 ! - Without discussing the text exegeticaUy, 1 present the opening clause as a motto, suggesting some of the thoughts that should, to-day, quicken our gratitude and inspire Our praise. But what tongue can " mention the loving kind uesses of the Lord? What arithmetic compute their inestimable value? No wonder their number and their worth kindled. " 'rap't Isaiah s holy fire.?', Even David's harp, with all its power, is not able to utter forth their magnitude. "How precious exclaims this sweet singer of Israel,' how precious are thy thoughts unto us, O God ; how great is the . Bum of them! If I should count them, they arft more in number than the sand." . If, David failed, "what can the man do that cometh after the king." ' ; , The mind is bewildered amidst the mercies, multiplied and precious,

which claims our grateful recognition. There are mercies in Creation, inx Providence, - in-- Grace preservings, mercies, delivering .mercies, sanctifying mercies, comforting mercies, temporal mercies7fpir:tuai mercies, eternal imerpies. The themer demands an,,

MO' vuue- ku jf i. i.iunx.of the hich endowment J of our nature. , Raised above the dull. and lumpish forms of inanimate crea-. uon, ana apove-:j the. beasts that perish," God hasgiveii to' ui this intellectual .being-theBoj ithougbtaf' that wander through eternity, and highest of all thee gifts he has stamped upon man's soul hig,owo. .glorious image and "made him the crowd of his creaii tive work-1 the, j;Jofd ef; thjs lower world. " The earth hath be given to the children of-men," and this outer world, man's . transienthomev iiTiirnished int a manner "worthy: ita noble inhabitant ,Yesk all nature is poetry all is beauty to the eye and music to the ear.; ;L'Ook at- the landscape God has painted I the wild, rugged mountains, and sweet flowery vales; the majestic rivers and gentle streamlets; "the waving forests and' grassy meads:-" the hills clothed with nocks, and "the valleys covered over with corn." Yes. the beautiful is everywhere,!. Had we eyes to see them,, our mercies, are bright, and countless as the stars, and lovely and fragrant as the' flowers. How pure the joy of him who, not merely in aesthetic , rapture, . but . in true filial gratitude, oan- survey earth's fairest' scenes and say; "with Cowper,- " My Father made them mlU But there is music as well as beauty around us. .The solemn . chimes of, ocean," " fountains that warble melo-' dious immense ;'V the harp of the winds, now breathing its soft seoli&n strains, and now ' sounding the wild notes of the storm, the . roaring. eataract and the thunder of Gods power These are the "choral symphonies" with which "earth with her ten thousand voices 7 hymns her Maker's praise f How sad that man's ungrateful heart should be the only' ' ' . "JarrinsAnd dissonant thins Amidst this general dance and minstrelsy. Surrounded 2 by 5 iuoh ! gifts endowed with organs to perceive, and a soul to enjoy these beauties and harmonies of , nature that man has neither piety, nor' sense who cannot take up the words of Milton's Psalm: "These are thy glorious works, ' eood. -. , - , -. Parent of beyond These declare thy goodness tt ought or power divine;" Or the words .of a noble psalm, " O, Lord, how merciful are thy works in wisdom, bast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy rich es!" II. But I will mention " the lovingkindnesses of the Lord " in his providential dealings with us. We believe in an . all-presiding,., all-embracing Providence. If we do not, ; our presence, here to-day is a mockery. We, believe mi Uod the. 'ffather. Almighty." We do not believe in chance. We believe the Creator is the governor, of all ...things. .We can not accept the theory which at tributes the events of time to the operations of dead mechanical laws which would express,.its creed thus: "God fashioned the world," at firsts in' all its wondrous mechanism, impressed upon it certain laws, wound it ut. like '. a clock', and then retiring, eft it to run until its machinery wears'out! INO. we believe God is present in all His creatures : and in all their, actions, that He guides- ;the flight , of angels, and marks the fail of a sparrow; that He telleth the number of the stars and counts the hairs of our head; that our world rolls beneath sleepless eyes, obedient, to His touch, and blessed with His paternal smile. The Lord reigneth: let the earth rejoice. Ibis 1 is one of the songs'.in which His trust- f fill children praise Him. j In considering (iods providential : dealings, think ot our personal mer cies in the year that is gone. What path has not bloomed with Mowers from which we may, this day, gather . rt rv a-v 1 . 1 the honey ot iraise r uur uvea nsve been preserved. We have gou out and come in, and no; evil has Deiaiien 11s. For this exnerienre of protecting care, we ought to thank that (Jod ' in whom we live.' and move, land have our beinj." For what a catalogue of disasters"in the past year on tl?e great thoroughfares of travel What railway crushes, bringing death in forms so terrible 1 What wrecks on ocean, lakes and rivers, whelming multitudes in watery graves! Yet some of us have traveled thousands of .miles and returned safe home. ; Perhaps the yvty train before us was plunged into : the yawning chasm, or hurled' from' the U LI . LUO I from ' the i r steamer I ' to, sail, 1 ; that we atoms " by I gleaming track! '.Or the very upon.whjoh we had expected and wbicn we were so vexea did hot reach, was rent to atoms the explosion, or wrapped in a winding sheet of flame.' These things draw K aside the veil there was a step-be-j tween us and death,1 but God inter-1 posed. These signal mercies call for signal praise to Him " who redeemeth pur life from destruction." Whoso1 is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindnesses of the Lord," But if the?current'0f our life has;: flowed smoothly, with no startling in-v" cident to break its course, we should all the mote bless" God for the loving kindness which has encompassed us. A father and son parted in the morn ing and met at aieht. after a dav' riding; said 'the son, " I experienced a' wonderful Providence to-day my horse stumbled and threw mn tn ground, but I was mercifully preserved'; "and I, said the father,- "experienced a' more' wonderful Provi. dence than that for I rode all day, and my horse did not stumble at

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