6 around itself, and which we call character; inferior, too, in intellect; without experience in military affairs; inferior in every respect save faithfulness to God. Moses was dead, but the blue heavens still bent over them. He that ride th upon the cherubim still sat enthroned there. God’s manna to sustain them still lay around them in the vast storehouses of the soil; the ark of God’s covenant still moved between the standard of Judah and the standard of Dan. And how fleeting soever may be man, God’s plans are eternal. And now, when Israel’s heart was downcast, and when the dangers and difficulties before them were hidden in the darkness of a night like that of Erebus, and when, timid and almost despairing, and yet without other recourse, they were to plunge into that darkness and among its precipices and chasms, came the voice from Heaven to Joshua—“ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid neither be thou dismayed : for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Amidst the turmoils of earth, and amidst alternate success and disaster, and -amidst the rapids and the whirlpool of conflicting- opinions where “ great interests are at stake and strong passions excited,” it is indeed difficult to peer through the cloud and see God’s calm hand directing all. But one thing is certain; that hand is there. Over the flow of national existences through history, as the torrent, meeting obstructions, parts into great streams; as those streams lace and interlace .each other, here coming together in noise and tumult, there parting with mighty roar, here crossing each other’s paths, and there gliding gently into one— over this great torrent of national existences, as they flow through history, the Bible as well as reason teaches us that there is a great, silent power presiding, who guideth all wisely, and calmly, and well. “He stilleth the raging of the sea, and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people.” “Who shall not fear Thee, 0 King of nations?” As Geology is a revelation in which we read of God the Creator, as the Bible is a revelation in which we read of God a. Redeemer, so is History a revelation in which
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