tory must have free scope for their solution; and the race whose fortunes are distinctly implicated in the same, is alone authorized, as it is alone competent, to determine them. It is just this impertinence of hu man legislation, setting bounds to what God only can regulate, that the South is called this day to resent and resist. *

* * * The Most

High, knowing His own power, which is infinite, and His own wisdom, which is unfathomable, can afford to be patient. But these self-constituted reformers must quicken the activity of Jehovah, or compel His abdication. * * It is time to reproduce the obsolete idea that Providence must govern man, and not that man should control Providence. ✶✶ ✶ * * These fierce zealots undertake to drive the chariot of the sun; working out the single and false idea which rides them like a nightmare, they dash athwart the spheres, utterly disregarding the delicate mechanism of Providence; which moves on wheels within wheels, with pivots, and balances, and springs, which the great Designer alone can control. * * * * * Such an issue is at length presented in the result of the recent Presidential election. * * * The decree has gone forth, that the institution of Southern slavery shall be constrained within assigned limits. Though nature and Providence should send forth its branches like the banyan-tree, to take root in congenial soil, here is a power superior to both, that says it shall wither and die within its own charmed circle. What say you to this, to whom this great providential trust of conserving slavery is assigned?

SOUTHERN THEOLOGY REBUKED BY SCRIPTURE.

How is it possible to explain that a sincere believer in the doctrine of providence,-and Dr. Palmer is unquestionably a believer,-can utter sentences of such impassioned earnestness against what he just as sincerely believes, in the events specified, to be direct infractions of God's providential prerogative? Admit, if you please, every specific thing over which he laments, the act, the design, the tendency, the motive, the result, and still, is it not all a part of God's comprehensive plan? But, more especially, can any event occur among men which is more clearly providential, and as such more stupendously grand, than the election of a Chief Ruler by thirty millions of people

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to preside over one of the greatest nations of the earth? Does Scripture point out any event as more specifically providential? "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." "God is the Judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another." "He removeth kings, and setteth up kings." Or does the Word of God declare any thing to be more strictly within the purview of His providence than human legislation? "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth." Or can the sentiment that God claims directly to govern nations, by His providence, and does actually so govern them through the lawfully constituted rulers of the world, be more definitely and broadly declared than it is; and that upon this ground, therefore, as well as upon other grounds, it is a heinous sin to resist their authority? "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Or, on the other hand, can any thing be found in Scripture which militates against the position that God works just as freely and efficiently, in accomplishing all the designs of His providence, through the folly of men as through their wisdom; through their imbecility as through their energy; their wickedness as their holiness? Is it not, rather, directly declared everywhere in His Word, that He works through and by all these characters and agencies; indeed, that He makes every thing bow to His will, in heaven, earth, and hell? "When He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when He hideth His face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only." "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His

hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" "Our Lord is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased." "I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me; that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things."

PROVIDENTIAL RULE SUPREME.

What unspeakable folly is it, then,-unless His providential rule is reduced to that of a mortal,—to talk about the "impertinence of human legislation," in great matters of state or in small, interfering in any manner with “what God would regulate." Such legislation, and all other, lies directly in the line of His providence. And what consummate folly is it to talk about man, or a political party, or the rulers of a people, or the whole nation, or all the creatures of God combined, "dashing athwart the spheres, utterly disregarding the delicate mechanism of Providence; as though any power in the universe, short of Omnipotence, could interpose the obstacle of a hair to obstruct the perfect working of that “delicate mechanism!"

When these great providential events had occurred, in the mighty movings of the people of a powerful nation, it would have exhibited a sounder theology and a more reverential piety, and contributed to a brighter fame to both, had Dr. Palmer bowed to these events, and detected in their occurrence some unsoundness in his own providential theory, and the dogma of a "divine trust to perpetuate slavery," on which it was founded; instead of making God's plain workings the occasion of lashing him

AN EXPLANATION NEEDED.

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self into a tempest of indignation, and misleading his flock not only on the Scriptural doctrine of providence, but openly urging resistance, instead of teaching obedience, "to the higher powers;" and, as a result, giving his great influence to plunge the people into troubles which time can never cure. This is said not merely in view of events as they now appear. The errors which Dr. Palmer proclaims lie upon the very surface of his discourse, and are in conflict with the tenor of the whole Word of God.

AN EXPLANATION NEEDED.

How can such a phenomenon be explained? How could a minister of the Gospel, sound in the faith, make such an inexcusable perversion of the truth? This is just as easily answered as would be a similar question upon any other part of his discourse; touching his urging an open disruption of the Union, at the declared risk of war, and openly Eraving and defiantly courting, if need be, all its horrors; or touching the cause for which all this should be done and braved, in order to discharge "the trust providentially committed" to them, "of conserving and transmitting the system of slavery with the freest scope for its natural development and extension;" or touching the time when these utterances were made,— the 29th of November, 1860,-when as yet politicians had not matured their plans, and his own city and people for a long time afterwards, many of them, were strongly for the Union. If any one can resolve these points satisfactorily, we can explain all the difficulties about his utterances upon providence.

There is probably some common ground on which these theological vagaries, and much else that is apparently puzzling in his sentiments and course, may be solved.

A SOLUTION PROPOSED.

We think there is no difficulty in solving any of the points of the case. The theory about slavery, which is at the bottom of the whole,-the "corner-stone" of the entire structure,-had stultified in the Southern leaders every thing it touched. It rooted out their loyalty to the Union as soon as they discovered the Union could be no longer serviceable to their demands. It blasted their sense of obligation to "be subject to the higher powers," just as soon as they saw they were no longer to be under their own control. It confused their perception of moral distinctions, perverted the doctrines of religion, and gave false glosses to Scripture, whenever slavery was the topic of consideration. The emanations from the system had become so ground into their very natures, intellectual and moral, and in some cases literally into their blood, that they could stake all upon the issue they forced upon the country-loyalty, honor, glory, historic memories, righte ousness, truth, life!

A PROVIDENCE OF MAN'S DEVISING.

This led them to form to themselves a theory of provi dence, a path for God to walk in,—which exactly chimed in with their plans. They had fondly persuaded themselves that this was God's providence instead of their own. They had determined for themselves the special "divine trust" which, under this providence, they were to execute, and which was committed to them for their great mission as a people. They had brought all their abilities and attainments, which indeed no one can well despise, to fortify their convictions and religious fervor in the full faith of these dogmas, in spite of the sentiments of the whole Christian world. And then, when they