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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un soul clichA. 11 est fiimt A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A drolte. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X V • « $!)c Doctrine of a Dluliie Gpaial J3iGt)it!cn(c Jllustratcb. A SERMON PREiCIIKD IX THE EPISCOPAL OHURCPI, lUlANTFOFlJ), Or SUNDAY, MARCH 29lli, 1857! BKINO AN ATTKMPT TO IMPnOVK THK BKC'KST HULROAI) UlrtASTKIl, AT TUB DKSJARPIXK'H C.INAL BRIDtiK, KKAR TIIK CITY OK HAMILTON, ();« THK 13th op March. ( tt THE t REV. JAMES C. USHER, RECTOB ur GRACE CUtKCH. BRANTFOUD ; PRTXTT^D BY OLIVER & HUMPHRIES, "BRAXTFORD HERAT.d" OFFIOK. 1857. I t \W\\S-t df .T#fv,rtu)^ HW.Uh :UMfr6 f»u HVii-r-:! 4HT 11 T Ml •!' i! V'li^jni' »* */,<>tif ^»■ J' >7 ^.i I'tV I • I' »■' #, ; H'A \r.Ll ;/3Jl .!• I Ml.1 .^ '<■ ifri V.I h' ■ 'sjl niK'Ti-X/ 'HTT/vWT «' Not Thk parti( delivered ^ circumstan that it se( any detsvil It ih c heard it ] probable failed to Railroad minds of that the of tliis ! of a 81 awakenii one of the min than tp « ';.%' PREFACE. "Not a sparrow shuU fall to tlic p^round without my Father." Thk particular occasion on which the following discourse was delivered was one of such general and painful interest, and all the circumstances were so fully given in the Newspai>ers at the time, that it seems quite unnecessary to preface the prcs<3nt sermon with any detfiiled account of the sad catastrophe. It i^ certain that no one who reads this sermon, or who has heard it preached, will need .any such information, and it is not probable that it will reach places which the public journaln have failed to do. It is mainly with a desire to present this apalling Railroad disa."iter in the light of a dispensation of God before the minds of those who have felt a deep and painftil interest in it, that the solicitation of a few friends has induced the publication of tliis Sermgn. We may entertsiin the hope that the doctrine of a special disposing Providence, here set forth, will, by the awakening illustration aiTorded by this disaster, be regarded as one of more practical importance than it ha.s been ; and lead the minds of many Christians to look more to the hand of God than to the hand of man, in their movements through life.- "The very hairs of your head arc all numbered.'' ■KXA'iasil I a Ml 1 1" mU »} 51 tl I!i:jlr *f'>n» ip if •' ■» ■ I n » i ; I If /"i ^ . RO mthuivm trJtfKfituvi mT (U. ■■J4-'>',..i4;U .ii:Jj'j.-K /^ .-.i; '-iff* ».-.^ 7,.f • .; tvix^'initfn 'mm y>7? jtotm^'^ Miff ,1 • ■ i'AAitnH gfl!^f*i{Kif» Ifsr*-- A SF. RMON '• Kliliii niiswi'iTil ail 1 wlil.. . . .Ilciirki'ii iiiito iiif, yo men (ifuiKlrrxluiiiliiijf : fur lip it iVom nod. iliui li>' nlidulil il-' wickuihii Hs ; niiil from ili<; AliiiiKhiy. tliiil he slmulil vniiiiiiit iiii(|iiity Who li^tlli iiivvM liiiii a fli!ir)(f oviT iIk; iNirlli f «»r wlut liiilli (liK|ihllll^•■lt' hi« K|>iritaml hiit lircaih : all llc»h >liiill |HTi.s|i loi;i'tl.(T. ami iiiiiii nhn.l liirii ii^'iiiii iiiilo iliisl ^hall fveii he lliut hiitr-lli riKliI goyeni ? an I will lliniiiiinilcinii Uliii lliul is iiichi just t .. ..He ni-o'ptt-lh Hot ilu> per.MiilH of lifiiices. luir rcKardi-ili ilif rich iiiort- iliuii ih«' iKHir. fortliry all are llif work (it hi* liaiid.<. In n laimicill Hhall thoy i; troulilt'd a( inkliiiiflil. bihI pa** uiviiy. and t'l ' iiii;(hty »hull Iw taken away witliofii hand lie «liuil hrt-uk in (tu'riM iiii^hly nmn without iininlM.T, uiul uri fiihprii in tlifir xiciid. Thrniori' )\v kiiou'rih Ilii-Jr \vork«,nnl he over- tiiriiflli Ihein in IIip iiiKhl. so t'.at th<"y arc destriycd Whui h>- ifivrlh (|iii.>lu<-Hii. wiio thru ou«t uiiikf tronl)l<> ? aiiil wln-ii he Hiik>ili hi* t'licf^. w'lo t'lcii can lit-ho.d liinii Wlirtlior it be tliuic aguiiM a iiaitou, or«.!faiits« a iiiun unly.*'— Job xxxiv. ID— it!). My B^iLOVED BuETHREX, — Wc who compose the present congrc- gntion of Churcli-worsliippcrs have groat rea.son for offering devont thankftihiesa to Almighty God, that we have not been chilled together, fm a cluirch, to mmru the sudden removal, by death, of any of our member.^, l^y the hite ai>paUing aitiistroplic. That adorable Being, wlicso ways are pa.st finding out, has, in his infinite wisdom, spared some of UH a little longer, who sought to join that dcootrd hand, but failed to do so ; and he ha^ spared to us the painful, the harrowing spectacle of gazing upon the face of our own loved dead ; as many churches ami many families have been called to do. We trust that . 'we feel gmtefiil to our Ood, for not adding to the deep interest ex- cited in every brcast by the disaster the intcn.sity at personal sorrow and pain, by a bereavement within the' narrow circle of those who attend this church. This depth of agonizing feeling kvs parsed us by, but no more : some of those who worship here with us have had to look upon a dear relation, or to deplore the sudden removal of a friend as dear, victims of this ruthless, mysterious stroke ! And many of us have felt the truest symi»athy with friends around us, by following to the grave the remains of their relatives — well known to U.^ ; and very precious, .as all that could be saved from that prcmis- ' t'»«iu8 carnage and ruin. God of the Spirit.^ of all flesh : thou hjust, TIIK iKiCTUINi: OP l\ ill mercy and mysttiiuns wisdom, sp.vrod us to conJolo with otUeri in this extnionliuiiiy bcrLMVoment ; that we may give extToise to tlm Vit'st and tondoreat foldings of our souls, — while tht»u hast spared us that mental anguish — that stunning grief, wliich, for the sejison, unfits us for receiving benefit from so awful a dispensation of thy Provi- dence ! And what shall we say ? — " Even so, Father ; ft»r so it , seemed good in thy sight." We adore thy sovereignty, thy wisdom, and thy mercy, in thy dealings Avith us in this visitation ; and we are constrained to say, in view of all that has befallen us, " Thou hast made us to dnnk the wine of astonishment ; but thou hast led us thereby to seek for peace and consolation in our only Saviour, and feel assured that the ' Judge of all the earth has done right.' " My Christian hearers, — A profitable subject to engage our medita-. tion to-day will be " The Special Providence of God." We are gra- ciously permitted to consider this sublime doctrine of religion, and the illustrations of it with calmness, and yet with heightened interest. And I humbly think, that we do not receive this doctrine and yield to its practical influence in that degree which, as believers in the Son of God, we ought to do. The views and notions which prevail among professing Christians, and even among many true children of God, in relation to the divine dealings and dispensations with nations, com- mnnitics, families, and individuals, are very vague — very different from those presented in the Holy Scriptures ; and, consequently, their influence upon our daily life and conduct is of little benefit. But the doctrine of a particular providence — a providence which enters into the minutest affairs of common life, and shows us, whenever we choose to look for it, the directing finger of God, — this doctrine has no practical effect in the religion we have embraced ; and when, as on the present occasion, our attention is painfully awakened to its truth, we discover the outstretched arm of power and sovereignty, but we are unable to interpret the meaning of the words written by the mysterious hand : " Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return ye children of men." We bow submissively, and in godly silence, to the blow of uhe hand which has spread desolation around a hundred hearths, and we believe it to be the hand of God ; we lift our souls to him who hath smitten us to vouchsafe his protection, his grace, and consolation to the afflicted and bereaved ; and we take solemn warning from the sad event to live henceforth to the glory of our Deliverer ; — ^but the practical, the daily, and the elevating inflv- enre of the doctrine, " That not a sparrow shall faU to the ground without my it would bi Am 1 to an appalliu the Provid every one ( And is i dumb with very hairs heart devi brethren, I*rovidcncc Providence firacc. T Universe, tempest, t their camr is " a God hit) will i earth : ai thouT ' sweeping needfiil fo shall adv( by foith Providcn Thbii of Scrii Divine cxprcssei afflicting thought chafitisc] truth w considei Job th( whole, Ivvth di Almigh from A IHVINK rRi.»Vilt|-:.NCK ILttMTn.vrCO. 7 without iwy Futher " is not n-guhiriy, is not really felt, sm wo Ixliova it Would be if scriiituruUy vieweil. Am 1 to believe, uiuvt I for a iiu)nicnt suppose, that we need such a» appalling detftruution of human liveM to convince mc, or you, that the Providence of CJe could supp9fie that a Being of Infinite t Aim t it- THK UOCTUINi: or /»»» > m I ,-y^ r I I>crfc'ctittu, would «lo iiijustiiv to tmy of hi.'* rrt'ntnrpfi. or deal witli^ tficin iH-yoiul what tlicir otfoncrs dcsorvcd. ImliTd, xnyn I'ilihu, ill (^(hI w« liinisclf — ** Shall he that hatcth right govern ; and wilt thou eojulonin him that is most jusst I" How impious and infatuated nuist it be for any one to accuse tlie Almiglily God in such a manner, wliose justice is as absolute as his authority ; and who, in perfect iiaitnrtiality, regards the p >or m much as tho rich, having formed both as his creatures, and made the one poor and the other rich, in his Providence. And how reasonaWe and tnie to facts is this doctrine ! Men may respect the great, the rich, and tho powerful, from a drcnd of their i-usentmont, or through desire of their favor ; but (iod can not b(> influenced by any such things. If he sees it needful or desiraVdc in his moral government — ^to correct severely, or visit in anger, he is able to cut off the most mighty, by a sudden and irresistible stroke. ** In a moment they die, and the people shall be troubled .at midnight', and pais away, and the mighty shall be taken away without hand." So special and so comprehensive is the Divine disposal of all human affairs, that we hear the further declaration of Elilm — " That His eyes are upon the ways of mf iniquity seek to hide themselves, he strikcth them down liM an example to others. ' •' In a word the divifte teaching by Elihu was thus summed up — " If God in his providence were pleased to give outward pros^ierity or inward peace to man, none could interriipt it. But if he in his displeasure, on account of our sins, should withhold his protecting, his coniforting influence, uoae could obtain that blessing," whether it lie a nation or an individual" ' ' Kothing can be conceived a more complete 6-tposititm bf the doctrine of a particular Providence than that which we have now glanced at. And, perhaps, few Christians would have any hesitation in rc.'oivmj I'Xaininitiiin the (jIos'cI k! in svivchiu:^ aff.iii'sof our Si»irit of («oi Tlio Cw'X of yovcrunu Uy .TcMus ( uphnlls nil 1 vast and ni move in the Kim for a lijj light by ni^- placed the s ostablishyd seed tim:; J jind night wise control from tho hi kind, from every win;j him. " O thee, (say." meat in di opcuest th In like troes, plan and utility of (}od. And wl God, you Prov'idenc The alf are but incrca ^etl and stra flourish Ji Prophot salth th; A Mvrxi: i';:()Vu>i.Nci; ir.i.i- r:: \ti ri. ^ in nvciviri'jr tin- ilucfrim' ;is thus inrulcitnl. lint ttjtnn u dr^.T cxainiiritlui of nur t 'xf. .hkI witli tint rli.inT Mjiiritti'l li/!i; wliii-li tlu' (JtW'i'l k!» '(Is over tliin iiiijutrtiiit • lUMMt minnt- .•iff.iii's of our lift', fi t iM i*n loavonr t » lollow wIktc tli" Woiil mpI tin- Si>irit of (;o,l lend. Tlio f'ri':it»r of tli > av n-M U thy l?il t of it; lii- Diviif j)! m of (.'invnnni'ut is sli.»\vu jvu'l constiuitly (h'V'lonin.; in rrovldcu'c. ]]y .Tt'sns Christ "all tliin;^-< v.' m xh ; an 1 Ijo it is who aho uphnKls all thin,:,'s l»y tho word of liis pow.«r." T!i • h'^!n\'nly 1»o'li.'<, viLst anl many as tlicy aro, maintain their a; onlinmcp of th • m ion and stars for a llglit by uij;Iit." "Tlu'soaalso is hi:;, and h < iin Ic it : anl Ir h:is placed the sand, by a pcrpi'tu d dvcroc, that it caimMt pi-w." lie htu ostablisluul tho order of tlic seasons ; and " while the oarth reinainctli, seed tini? and hai-vcst, cold and heat, Kntniii'M- and winter, an I day and night shall not cease." Tho stormy winds are also nndi-r hin wise control, nnd fulfil his comm md. Animals of pvoiy descriiition, fntm tho hu;^fl elephant down to tho small'st insect ; ti.slics of cv.-ry kind, from the cnonnoua whale to tlie minutest mimiow ; birds of ovcrj' wing, all derive their support, as well as their^ being from him. *' O Lord, thou jiresen'cst man and beast ? These wait upon thee, (says the lloyal Psalmist,) th;it thou mayost give tliem their meat in duo sjason. That thou givost tliem they gath.'v ; thou opcuest thine hand, they are filled with good." lu like manner, the vegL tabic kingchun, with its thousand kinds of trees, plants and flowers, witli all their iistonisliing variety, beauty, and utility, display t!ie inlinite wisdom, power, and good providence of God. - ' And when you pass from the natilral to the m»ral goveramcnt of God, you haVe even more strildng evidence of a special disposing Providence. The aifairs of nations aj'c under his guidance a!id control, for they are but the several provinces of his universal Kingdom. " He incrcaseth the nations and destroyeth tliem ; he^enlargeth the nations rtn.T straitencth them again." — Job xii. L'3. They rise and fall, flourish and decay at his plea^ui-e ; th^y arc like tlio clay, which the Prophet was directed to notice in the potter's hand : "Cannot I do, saith the Lord, with the Uouso of Lsrael as this potter ? as the cl.ay I si. 10 THK DOCrniXK ov H: iH in his hand, ho arc yc in my hand, whether it be to pluck up, and to p!'1l down, and to destroy ; or to build and to plant it." Thus the hu:v. tfd Nebuchadnezzar was taught by painful experience, and was Constrained to acknowledge "that the ^lost Pligh ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will." — Dan. iv. 25. And if the affairs of nations, em[)ires, kingdoms, and republics, are (however r.dministercd by man) under the higher administration of the Divine Disposer, how special must that providence be which is exercised on behalf of the Church of which Jesus Christ is the Saviour — the Head and the King. Listen to his own description of the guardianship exercised incessantly over the Churches — " I am Alpha and Omega ; who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, which are the Churches — and all the Churches shall know that I am He wliich searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give unto cvei-y one according to his works." And how special must be that supervision which will secure the blessed result described in this beautiful passage, "That we may grow up unto him in all tilings, which is the Head even Christ ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that w^hich every joint supplicth, according to the effective working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself unto love." Is it iK)ssible to conceive of anything more minute or searching than this inspection and disposal of all that relates to the Church, by Him who is King of Saints, atid Ruler of the nations of the earth \ It is convincingly evident that God exercises a special direction over the Church. How wonderful are the histories of Noah, Abraham, Israel, and others in the Old Testament ; all which afford conclusive proof and illustration that " God is present with his people, causing all things to work together for good for them that love Him." Still more wonderful are the histories of the birth, life, doctrines, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God ; the gift and abiding agency of the Holy Spirit with the Church of Christ ; the formation of the first Christian Church at Jerusalem, and its preservation, extension, and ever increasing power to the present day. In all these the Providence of God descends to the minutest affairs of the individual Christian, and all is made subservient to tlio designs of his grace in the salvation of sinners. The Church stands upon the rock of ages — Jesus Christ the Lord. And he is its keeper that " neither slumbereth nor sleepeth-" " The Gates (.f He) of sjiecial u autityjM) to of Miduin — How easy and disposii entertain th caf en bencat that declara head are all consequence head, yet y therefore dii We know bi my soul ki written whe called " The when he plei ing evils, ou our relationi travels by 1 onr sicknes directed to My belo'' Providence your daily the great 1 fly but has but in its doctrine b; contemptir to the groi allwise Pr| on, what it shall bi see a thoi sun-beamj and irre^ raiseth it] to the cj A DiVINE l*RjVn>EXv.'t ILLUSTR.V TKD. II Gates (»f Hf;!! shall not prevail agaiii.^t it." It is a standing muniuncut of siHJcial giiardi.'inHhi|), no Ickh wonilorful, hut more so — an the autityiM) to the type — th.in the spectacle seen by Alnses in the Ucscr' of Midian — a bush binning with f.ro. but n«)t consumed. How easy is it now to conceive of a Providence directing the affairs and disposing the ways of each individual. Some may hesitate to entertain this idea, as being in the great majority of persons and cacen beneath the Divine inspection. But what shall we infer from that declaration of the Divine Ruler himself, " the very hairs of youi- head are all numbered." There is scarcely anything of less apparent consequence, less regarded, less missed, thtm a single hair of your head, yet your Heavenly Father regards, becAuse he numbers, and therefore disposes them. Is this a Providence too special to be real ? We know but in part. " 3Iarvellous are thy works, O Lord, and that my soul knowcth right well. In thy Book all my members were written when as yet there was none of them." God is emphatically called " The God of our lives." Our parentage, our birth, where and when he pleases, our preservation hi infancy amidst a thousand threaten- ing evils, our education, our employments, the means of our support, our relations and connexions in life, the bounds of our habitations, our travels by land or water, the length of ovr days, the circumstances of onr sickness and death ; all are arranged, all are superintended, all directed to a particular end, by the providence of God. My beloved friends, let this sublime doctrine of a special directing Providence be the theme of your deepest meditation, and enter into your daily personal religion. How awakening the acknowledgment of the great Young — author of the " Night Thoughts" — " There is not a fly but has had infinite wisdom concerned, not only in its stnicturo, but in its destination." How^ striking the illustration of the same doctrine by the learned Bishop Hopkins. " A sparrow, whose life is contemptible, and whose flight seems giddy and at random, falls not to the ground, neither alights any where, without your Father, His allwise Providence, hath before appointed what bough it shall pitch on, what grains it shall pick up, where it shall lodge, and where it shall build, on what it shall live, and when it shall die. Do you see a thousand little motes and atoms wandering up and down in a sun-beam 1 It is God that peoples it, and he guides their innumerable and irregular strayings. Not a dust flies in a beaten road, but God raiseth it, conducts its motion, and by his particular care, conveys it to the certahi place he had before appointed for it ; nor shall ths t # I I 1^ thf: iiocTRiNi: ok V most fierce ami temjtcHtunns wind hiirn' it any fmthor." Thus Iwkin'' lit tli(! matter on a larp) scale, th<»n.;h the w«»ihl seems to run at random, and afiiiirs to bo hnddlod together in blind confusion and rude disorder, yet God . sees and knows the eonc^itenation of all causes and effects, jind HO gov(!rns them that he makes a perfect hunnony out of all these; seeming jarrings and discords. It is most necessary that wo should have our hearts well established in the firm belief of this truth ; that "whatsoever comes to i)ass, be it good or evil, we may look up to the hand and disposjd of all to God. In respect of God, tliero is nothing ca.sual nor contingent in the world. " He foresees and he appoints all the vicissitudes of things." Look for a moment into this doctrine of a s])ecial Providence in its bearing ui)on man as a " child of affliction." '*\Man is bom to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards," and God takes par- ticular notice of our trials and sufferings. The nature of our afflictions, the occa.sions or instruments of them, their degree and their duration, arc all regulated by the Sovereign will and pleasure of him Avho doth not •willingly afflict the children of men. "I kill," saitli God by Moses, " and I make alive. I wound and I liejvl ; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." Whatever, or whoever, be the second cause of our af- ifliction, God himself is the first cause. Thus Job, when he lost his property by the Chaldeans and his children by the fall of their House, r^iid, " The Lord gjvve and the Lord hath taken away." So Eli, when the judgments of God upon his family were announced, which deprived him of liis two sons by a violent death, " It is the Lord, let him do Avhat secmcth him good." Thus also with David, when cursed by the traitorous Shimei, who would not suffer him to be slain, because he 'know that " the Lord had bidden him to curse." "As, therefore, affliction and trouble 'come not from the ground, but are sent and distributed by the hand of an all- wise God, as they are 'most conducive to our spiritual interests, our concern should be to see the rod and the hand of wi-sdom and mercy which administers it ; our 'chief aim should be that the gracious purposes of our Coven.int Father should be accomplished ; that our sins should be brought home to us, and we be humbled for them ; that " our ears be opened to disci- pline,'* and that we return to them who smiteth ; tliat our graces may be tr.ed and improved ; that we may be quickened to prayer, be tvcancd from flie world, and learn to put our trust in that God who "perfonneth all things for iis." ' And surely we oiight no less to acknowledge the disposing hand of "God in all our mercies and comfort.^. All our supplies in want, all our supports in ( to his sjK'cia Li t us, th liie, wherein hath (;rownc( the Lord, O We ask, r interest.s ten rial diwposii There is no the Wi»rld. and if a Goa and all pers lines : With this in the dispensa his own will ginnings of illustration tory familia observe in t necessary in had passed any person man ; if Fl these thing all that foil God concei ment must ed in Jesut have api^e? and the co ed. Thus the rleath to the hui twecn the what a SO' I'rovidenc A IHVIM", PK<»VID1:N(U IUA'STRATKH. !.-{ supports in tnmblo, all our di'livi-r.-iu-ix fr»)ni djiusor, uuint Ivj tracid to hi.s .s[K'cial cjire. Lit m, therefnre, not forget the various instances in our ohequuve 1 lile, wherein the Lord hath redeemed our life from destruction, and hath erownod us with loving kindness and tender mercies. " Bless the Lord, O my soiU, and forget not all his benefits." mii n We ask, now, in conclusion, whether any thing that can affect our interest.s temporal, spiritual, or eternal, is indeiiendcnt of God's spe- cial disposal in Providence ? We answer unhesitjitingly — notliing. There is no room for accident or chance in the divine govennuent of the world. If the universe had a Maker, it must have a Governor ; and if a Governor, his will and providence must extend to all things and all persons without exception. Hence those beautiful tmthful lines : -,».,;, • H.ffFw rjff ♦* "All iifitiirc is but art iinknnwn to tlicc ; . All fliaiue. direction wliich thou ciiust not see." With this impressed on our minds, that there is nothing contingent in the dispensations of Him who "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," and that great events sometimes spring from small be- ginnings of the most trifling character, let us for a moment trace .in illustration of this precious doctrine in a portion of Scripture his- tory familiar to us all. How many events purely accidental may we observe in the Histoiy of Josc[)h, the son of Jacob, which had each a necessary influence on his subsequent prosperity ! Tf the Midianites liJid ptissed by a diiy sooner or a day later ; if thoy had sold Joseph to any person but Potiphar ; if Potii)har*s wife had been a better wo- jnan ; if Pharaoh's officers had not displeased theii- king ; if any or all these things li.ad £illcn out in any other manner or time than they did, all that followed had been prevented. The promises and purposes of God concerning Israel, their bondage, deliverances, polity and settle- ment must have failed ; and, as all these things tended to .and center- ed in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the desire of all nation.s would not have ap}x?arcd. Mankind had been still in their sins without hope, and the counsels of God's eternal lore in favor of sinners been defeat- ed. Thus may we see a connection Vretween Joseph's first dream and the death and redemption of Immamiel with its glorious consequences to the human race. So .strong, though secret, is the concatenation be- tween the greatest and the smallest events ! And what a consoling, what a wml-elevating thought is this to the believer in an all-disposing Providence, to know that amidst all the various interfering designs of a THK DXrrBlNK OP ■l. I fl. J f men, the Fjord of all has one uniform design whicli he cannot, will not, mi»» ; namely, his own glory in the complete salvation of his Church. And, my C'hristian Brethren, without uuch a view, such a contidinc; belief in the ovurniling hand of l^ovidenve, under all the eventit and changes of our mortal lite, how can we contemplate without the dee|». C8t .anguish the terrible aeath of sixty of our valued friends and ao- quaintunccs only a few days ago. As the work of man — man with all his Bcicnce and all his care, blind to his fate — we may think upon the Boenc, its apparent or latent ciuises, until we sicken or sink into reck- lessness or despair. As the work of God, we presume not, we desire not to ask Him, " What docst thou V because we arc assured that Ho doeth " all things well" But with devout confidence in his wi.sdom and love, and with meek resignation to his disi)Osing hand, we say, " Thy will be done." We can tinist and not be afraiil while we regard the sudden removal of those precious bodies, and still more precious .souls, to another world, as a dispensation of God. But we are over- ' whelmed with grief and astonishment when wc dwell ui)on the fright- ful destruction of so many human bodies by that sudden crushing fall There can be, there ought to be, no relief — no adequate relief to the mind and heart under such a disastrous <3vcnt, except in Him who holdeth our " souls in life." To have any contidcnce in man, inde- pendently of God, is to bring upon ourselves the curse of Heav^i^ — *' Cursed is He that trustoth in man and maketh flesh hia arm." To trust in the Lord Jcliovali, and commit all your wftys and goings to his hands, will bring you peace at all times, and consolation in your dying hour. A few useful reflections will fonn a suitable clo.se to tliif discour.sc. The first aj)plies to ourselves in our character as proj^sing Christians. You will feel impressively the need of a religion which will support you in the hour of danger and death : you should feel this at all times ; but if you have reason to apprehend that human life is more exjxised in the present mode of tnivelliug than it was formerly, you have another reason for living a life of faith in Jesus Christ, aud liv- ing as you would wish to di6. All I would urge is, that you attend more earnestly to the " one thing needful ;" acquaint yourself now with God, and lay hold on Eternal Life. My .second reflection is of a different kind. By this ap|[)alUng disaster, the skill and foresight and care of our railway men has received a severe check, which will, we trust have a salutarj- influence upon those whom under God we de|H!nd upon for a safe conveyance from place to place. Hitherto we have watcluxl ou but now w( one man ar l»eril, may .immortals i skill — hum case, are b£ redouble ov fill improv( sense than But the many throi feel the pn cth in the ( The enoi most remui of Canada, without a 1 men of abi ness ; men and whole of one of This unpa there be •' God is have sinn chastised your railv* trust." you have in your a^ vour eves the most pent, tui the brmk Rnd warn long spir gain, anc ing min< plead wi A mVlN'K PROVIDKNOK II.USTnATKI*. M watcliwl our own goings, and on lanrl at least have mt'roifully escapfd ; but now wc must commit ourselves and our familicH to the cans of one man and to a complex machinci-j-, which, in a moment of eminent jtoril, may fail as it has failed, and precipitate its precious freight of .immortals into the abyss of suffocation, carnage .ind death. HunuMi Bkill — human care, both of wliich we believe were exercised in this case, are baffled ; and let it be owned. And let it serve at least to redouble our vigilance and elicit higher skill, that tliis age of wonder- ful improvements may not bear the stigma of advancing faster in every sense than is conducive to sjifety or to happiucsS. But the most important reflection remains, and I pray to God that many throughout the length and breadth of our beautiful country may feel the propriety and force of it. " Verily, there is a God that judg- cth in the cartL" The enormous loss of valuable lives by this disast^jr on one of the most remunerative railways on this Continent, and in the very garden of Canada, plunging into eternity by a violent and crushing death without a moment's warning, men of mark in the railway enterprise, men of ability and energy in nearly every useful department of busi- ness ; men of God in the midst of usefiilness ; mothers, daughters, and whole families, burying them all in one promiscuous ruin, in sight of one of our most rising cities, and near to many a loved home I — This unparalleled stroke, with ;ill its circumstances, may — mvMt, if there be any belief in God in our country — lead to the rcllecticm that " God is a God of judgment, and by Him actions are weighed." Wo have sinned as a people, and God, whom we profess to serve, hati diastised us. He says to us, " Yo have forgotten and forsaken me in your railway enterprizes, and 1 will chastise you in ..aat wherein you trust." " I Vv-ill make you drink the wine of astonishment because you have gloried too mucli in men, and placed too much confidcncu in your wealth and wisdom." " 1 will take from you the desire of your eyes at a stroke, some of the greatest, the wisest, the best, and the most beloved of your people, that you may be humbled and re- l>cnt, turn unto God and live .' 1 Avill speak to you, my people, from the brink of that deadly chasm (whore your dear ones found a grave) and warn you against the sin, the growing sin of your day. The head- long spirit of speculation, the intense worldliness, the fearful love of "ain, and the la\'ish expenditure of money, which enslave your lead- ing minds 1 Hear, my people, I am jealous of mine honour; I j>lcad Anth you for the .sanctity of my .Sabbath, from that place where } I \Q A UlVIN'i^ I'KOVIDKNCK ILJ.i:s»TUATi:i). "I tfMik « iff 3' HI r vhiiriot wlieii-t, tluit tli'.y thiivu hwivily," us 1 iLd oi' till uujir tlif Ul'J Sju ; auJ I dusiiv tluit y>>ti will lio;irki'U unto mu ; jinl '* JlcmciiibvT iiiy duy to kcop it holy." 1 will pluiu uiy mai-k upon tlij most l\)t^i^. M[i<)t ill tlij whole line of lliilvv.iy from Detroit to Ni- agar:i ; aiul 1 will erc'ct my tenotiiph thure at the Dcs Jardinc's Pass, on the Heights of liurlington, to be my memoiiid to all succeeding genera- tions. And I now implore you from my lofty thi'on J, as bjlioversi in my. Providence, to devote some portion t>f your incrosvseJ wealth to the jkI- vjiHccmcnt t>f my cause in the wcrlrL Build your railways, but buil 1 also my chunh ; lot my kingdom towanis which all things bend, en- gage more of your numey, more t)f your cnterprlze, aud much more of your artectiouH, and I shall not have pleaded with you, nor shall you have l>eyn vLAitcd in vain. Finally, my dearly beloved in Christ, this heavy afiliction has carried boreavenieut into .so many families in the Province, and lllied the cup of anguish iuso msujy lumies of our dear coiintr}', that we must regard tliis calamity as NatioiuU ; let us there- fore with mourning, lamentation, and deep humility, turn unto the Lord who hath visited us in His di-splea-jure, and seek to be restored t(» his favor! Lot wa with a heartfelt conviction of our sinfulness, and wnrlelliuesH, and forgetfuhiess of God our Saviour, make our prayers unto Him in the language of the Psalmist, " Turn us, O Gt)d of our salvation, and cause thuie anger towards us to cease. Wilt them not revive us again, that thy pecjpla may rejoice in thee ]" IShcw us thy iiicrcy, O I.rf)rd, anl grant us tliy sidvatiou. 'AH these, thy blessings, we lusk ill the name of our iidorablc Lord and only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. ■ ■■••'"'■■ ..■.' •n.hr.i' ;. tma ,'»f'jO': . . . Al r|' (»>»«;!•, (' kK. 'iriU-»il..Ubt..i«^. ..t.fXiUu ,1... ,n,-.ta^ •«•—■«•. 'uUvtir ^ lluuiphriua, rriutorn, *' lieru d** Ullitf, Hruutt'urd. mo ; svnl livk upon At to Ni- si P.oss, on jg geineni- CV6 in my. to the ad- but bviil 1 • i bend, cu- •h im>re of • shall you :;hviot, tills dies iu the )f our desvr it us tlievc- 11 unto the be restored fuhiess, and our prayersi God of our lit thou not ihcw us thy Lorablc Lord "J urd.