the imprecatory psalms, he has the interpretation now in his own bosom. He hits the truth by an intuition. With not a particle of vindictiveness, not one thought or feeling foreign to the spirit of Christ, who does not wish that the perpetrators of this crime may be brought to condign punishment? What David, a man after God's own heart, felt and wrote in regard to Doeg and Ahithophel, we feel, and ought to feel, in regard to all who aim their blows against the life of society. What would become of us, if we are to tolerate crime, and be lenient towards atrocious offenders? If passion is to usurp supremacy, and men are to murder governments and murder citizens at their will, and be unmolested and unpunished, the sooner we find an asylum for ourselves beyond the reach of such barbaric philanthropy, the better for ourselves. The eyes of the world are upon us now to see whether by liberty we mean license and lawlessness,-whether democracy is synonymous with a mob. Let us so conduct ourselves as to create the impression that no people revere laws—I mean laws distinctively so called, with penalties and armed magistracy to execute them-more cordially than the citizens of these United States, thus proving ourselves the friends of humanity and true liberty. In regard to the honored person himself who has fallen, he has completed his task. Who has made more out of life than he? Till thirty years of age he was addicted to manual labor. A model of republican simplicity, he was raised, by the suffrages of his fellow-citizens, to the highest office in the land. He asked the prayers of the country when entering upon that office. He shrank from extreme measures at the beginning, but when duty demanded he announced, in his first proclamation, his purpose, in the name of the American nation, to raise the country's flag where it belonged on all the forts which had been wrested by fraud and violence from the national control. He lived to see that purpose accomplished. On Friday last the symbol of our nationality was raised over the fortress which was first assaulted by rebellion. On the same day-his work complete-he fell, and at this hour that ensign hangs at half-mast all over the land, in token of universal mourning. Illustrious citizen, long will it be ere thy name and thy death will be inentioned without tears. What are the intentions of Divine Providence in the permission of such an event it would be presumption in any man to affirm. Frequently have we been reminded of the case with which the Almighty makes the wrath of man to praise him, and we are confident that this sad occurrence will be overruled for the unifying of the whole country, and in many ways, which we will not predict, for promoting our ultimate advantage. Mr. Lincoln seems to have been impressed with the conviction that he was a child and servant of Providence, whose direction he appears to have implored. I have just received, from a friend, the following copy of a letter written by the President to a person who had been greatly moved to guide his mind into the channels of religious faith: ELIZA P. GURNEY: EXECUTIVE MANSION, } My esteemed Friend-I have not forgotten, probably never shall forget, the very impressive occasion when yourself and friends visited me on a Sabbath forenoon, two years ago; nor has your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been forgotten. In all it has been your purpose to strengthen my reliance upon God. I am much indebted to the Christian people of the country for their Christian prayers and consolations; and to no one of them more than to yourself. The purposes of the Almighty are perfect, and must prevail, though we erring mortals may fail to perceive them in advance. We hoped for a happy termination of this terrible war long before this, but God knows best, and has ruled otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge his wisdom and our own errors therein. Meanwhile, we must work earnestly in the best light he gives, trusting that so working still induces to the great end he ordains. Surely he intend's some great good to follow this mighty convulsion, which no mortal could make and no mortal could stay. Your people, the Friends, have had, and are having, very great trials in principles and faith; opposed to both war and oppression, they can only practically oppose oppression by war. In this hard dilemma some have chosen one horn and some the other. For those appealing to me, on conscientious grounds, I have done, and shall do, the best I could and can in my own conscience and my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not, and, believing it, I shall still receive for our country and myself your earnest prayers to our Father in heaven. (Signed) Your sincere friend, A. LINCOLN. Most appropriate are these words to the event of his own death. We find the consolation we need in the belief of an over-ruling Providence, who directs all things, great and small, with reference to his own ultimate purposes : Peace be still! In this night of sorrow bow, Peace be still! All thy mourning words are vain- Hold thee still! Though the Father scourge thee sore, Let him mercy's work fulfill: Hold thee still! Hold thee still! Though the Good Physician's knife Lord, my God, Give me grace, that I may be Shepherd mine, From thy fulness give me still Faith to do and bear thy will, Till the morning light shall shine, This is the substance of our counsel to-day. Be still, and know that this is God! When opportunity for reflection shall come, I may address you with more specific instruction. Amid the tumultuous emotions of this morning my compendious advice is, be calm, be prayerful, be firm in your faith in God. Pray for your country, and pray especially for him who is thus suddenly called to be the President of the Republic. Let us bury the dead with all honor and grief, and turn to the living with sympathy, with confidence, and with hope. Presidents die, the country lives. Agents disappear, but the kingdom of God advances. How worthless, how transient is every thing here on earth, save as it is related to that kingdom of our Lord which never shall be moved. Death, how mysterious! To-day, a man so great, so powerful in command of ar mies and navies-to-morrow, nothing but ashes! He that would be immortal, in the true sense, must identify himself with that kingdom of Christ which gives to time all its importance, and to eternity all its glory. SERMON XX. REV. HENRY J. FOX. "Death is come up into our windows and entered into our palaces."JEREMIAH ix. 21. "Is he slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by him?” -ISAIAH XXvii. 7. “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”—PROVERBS xxiv. 10. "Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.”— HEBREWS x. 30. THE great and slowly revolving wheel of history, has again dipped itself in blood. Never, in the annals of nations was a people plunged into greater affliction, than have been the people of this great country since the morning of Saturday last. The spectacle which this nation presents to-day is one of the most imposing and solemn that ever men or gods have looked down upon. If the spirits of the departed can stoop from their lofty abode and behold the dwellers upon earth—if they are permitted to become cognizant of what is transpiring among men, then does the spirit of Abraham Lincoln realize, to-day as never ruler of men has realized before, how deep-how wide-spread--can be the affection |