' S T JA ' 9 A ' 1 84 3. O ON , N R ,

'E V . ' . AD M S A ,

D e a r S W .

' W E r e sp e ctfully r e 'u e st that you will p e r e the e m d e e e d e e d m Init us to hav s r on liv r by you y st r ay orning

d thu s the m i e c e . printe for e e of fa il s of your ongr gation In c c he e e m n e e e e d ons e 'u e n e of t e unpl asant w ath r a y w r pr v nte n d c c d are e d e the m e fro att ing on that o asion , an v ry sirous of

e e e d . It W i b e e x c e e d privil g of r a ing it ll iwngly gratifying to us , u wn e e d e e d o c e if y ill ons t to our r 'u st, an hav no oubt it

W l ll e g e thd c i l s rve to stre n th n e bon of union whi h so happ y

e x m n the me . ists a o g us at pre s e nt ti

V e e c e e d ry aff tionat ly your fri n s,

H'' D D ' S S A RLE E R, W M ' ' I LL IA IN O LN ,

M ' . H' S ' P E P S A E L , HT P P J O N A A N , T ' W . H G G E OR E A E R,

T HD . T J S ON A A N E E LE , E T H' J M S P D A . O RN I E ,

A. W ' S I L IN ON ,

G G H. D V S E O R E A I , ' W J. A. E E L L,

A. ' G M A IN N , D 'T T G G D . E O R E ON ,

G ' D . GE OR G E '. IL

W T Hde e c o b e me m e e I a sir to ntri ut a orial of a v ry int re sting

d me me m e c c I e e d d the e e e an to v r orabl o asion , hav yi l to

e e the e e e the d e r 'u st in for going l tt r for printing an privat

c e e d the c e m c ir ulation of a s r on , whi h, though not sugg st by

c c e n c the e d d e o e d o asion allu to in it, nor b ing whi h writ r woul

ma the the e ve r have hou gh of having prin e d in spiri of t t t , y, “t e x d the e m e b e m t t, an in illustration of s r on its lf, a still s all

7’ c e c d e d e e c e c . voi of instru tion, gratitu , an pl asant r oll tion

' , A .

E M S ' O ' .

I . 'I'GS x xx . 1 1 12 1 3. , , ,

A n d b hol th ' or ass b an a r at an stron W i n r nt th m o u n t a m s , e d, e d p ed y , d g e d g d e e ' 1 1 1 i ' f ' u ' wa and b ra e p e c es the ro c s b e ore the ord b t the ord s not I n the W i nd wm d u ' m ' an aft r th an arth a b u t th 'or wa s not th arth u a d e e e ' e , e d e e ' e

u ' fi r e u ' wa s fi r e A n d aft r th arth a a b t; th or not th an aft e r th fi r e a e e e ' e , e d e d e sti ll sm all v ome

E l hI whl S f I n hm so wh n l a h ar t that h ra ac l S ant an nt 1 t wa s l A n d w , e j e d , e p p ed e e , d e

o u t an stoo 1 D th nt ri n 1 1 1 o fth c av . , d d e e e g e e

T HE strongest confidence in God may , through

nfir mi ti e s o f il t the i the best of men , fa them in imes

o f . who heavy trial We may wonder that Elij ah ,

e hi s had just brought fire from heav n by prayers ,

o f ' should have feared the threats Je ebel . It is o ur

o f duty to avoid danger , and to use means defence i f it comes ; but Elij ah added despondence and prayed

fo r . W i death He fled into the lderness , and as he lay and slept under a juniper tree , an angel touched him

A . and said , rise and eat And he looked and behold

o n there was a cake baked the coals , and a cruse o f

w. di d i ater at his head And he eat and dr nk and 8

' laid him down a gain . And the angel o fthe Lord

a nd came again the second time touched him , and

u said, Arise and eat, because the j o rney is too great fo r wthee . And he arose , and did eat and drink , and he ent in the strength o f that meat forty days ' u G o d. and forty nights unto Horeb , the mo nt of The mirac“le no doubt revived his faith ; it taught him that they that wait on the Lord shall renew

: their strength they shall run and not be weary , they ' shall walk and not faint . But G o d had still another hi m lesson for , and seems to have given him strength ll to reach Hhoreb , that , in the security and sti ness of the desert ill , his spirit might be prepared for the heavenly message .

G o d While Elij ah was in the cave at Horeb , came “ ' to him and said , What doest thou here , Elij ah

And he said, I have been very j ealous for the Lord God o fhosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant , thrown down thine altars , and slain

: l thy prophets with the sword and I, even I on y am ' ' left, and they seek my life to take it away . nder su ch circumstances , the life of Elij ah was a struggle n against treacherous frie ds ; single handed , he main t ai ne d the honor of G o d against an apostate church

o f ff but at last, in despair e ecting an impression upon

fl e d. their minds , and being hunted for his life , he who re Had there b e en even a few in Israel had l mained faithfwu among the faithless , he might hope that the truth ould prevail ; but they seemed to him 9

l r to be whol y given to idolat y , and they had chased M n a ll G o d. away the messenger of ea s had failed , and what could he suppose but that G o d had himself abandoned Israel ' A revival of the true religion was hi s hO e . no t t a desperate p He did pray at time

however that God would take away his life , but in

the recesses of his cavern , he yet needed to see how it was possible for a reformati on to begin amo ngst a

who i m people in his view had altogether become

pious and vile . The method by which the M ost High instructed

him , is an instance of infinite wisdom and conde

G O . to scension God said him , forth and stand

upon the mount before the Lord . As soon as this mm co and was given , it would seem that a tempest

arose , while Elij ah was yet in the cave . The noise i Of the whirlw nd , so far from encouraging Elij ah to m obey the com and and go out , excited his fear ; at fl least , there was no divine in uence accompanying the whirlwind to draw him o u t from his retreat ; and And this is probably what is meant when it is said , ' the Lord was not in the wind . Elij ah heard the tempest roar around the mountain as the blast grew fi erce , the splintered peaks were rent in pieces , and d rolling down the mountain si es , sent up echoes from

the precipice and depths below . The prophet did

not feel that God had come . It might be the coming

o f o n hwis chariot wheels , as he rode the cherub and the ings of the wind ; but the prophet did not feel 1 0

M wa s that the ost High expecting him as yet at the

door of the cave . As the whirlwind sunk to rest, the earth shook ; the mountain seemed to move from its

. G o d Old foundation Surely is there , and the pillars o fthe earth mourn The prophet was still insensible to any impressions u pon his spirit that G o d was ' there . lames of fire succeeded the earthquake ; the m mountain see ed a whole burnt offering . But the prophet had as yet no impression upon his mind that God was waiting at the door of the cave fo r that interview to which He had commanded him . Had every other terrible manifestation ofwnature uttered itself around the cave , the prophet ould probably have waited for some other indication that God was

m r there . At length it ca e but in what c“ont ast to ' the whirlwind , the earthquake , the fire and after ' the fire a still small voice . It seemed as though some o ne was standing without and yet there were m no footsteps , no call, no i pressive annunciation

O ne wa s m l that the Holy enthroning hi self on the hi l l top , in his clouds and darkness . But a stil small voice was speaking ; it was too low to make its words

fi i articulate , and yet it was suf c ently clear to be known

as a voice ; it was not like the wind , and earthquake , — and fire violent, impassioned ; but was calm and

quiet, as though it were making harmony with the n gentlest 'ephyr ; its low, quiet tone awake ed in the prophet’ s mind a feeling that there was more in it ma n than in the furious elements , and that a mortal 1 1

S ha d could never be peaking thus who just witnessed

such convu lsions of nature . And it was so when

Elij ah heard it , that he wrapped his face in his mantle

' o f and went out , and stood in the entering in the ' . M cave He knew that the ost High had come , and that he must then obey the command and go forth and stand before the Lord at But th“ere was no call V i li in the still small o ce , tel ng him this is the mo

ment when you must step forth , this is the signal for ' G o d the . interview to begin He knew that was f t wl l there only by the ef ec hich that stil smal voice n had upon his heart . He k ew that God was not

i u r ready for the interv ew with him d ing the storm , f and the earthquake and the fire , because the ef ect of

them was to repel him , and to go forth during the fury of those convulsions would have seemed to him like suicide When that still small voice began to

. nu speak , the prophet feared He who had stood daunted and seen fire come down from heaven at his

r ff prayer and consume the idolat ous o erings , he whose nerves had not failed him as he slew the i f prophets of Baal, and saw the r blood low away in

ll wfar the brook ti its aters and near were red like ll l . crimson , stood in awe at that sti sma l voice In

o f stead going out boldly and with his usual courage ,

a' h A e wa i n s s hh t wrds t e m h o ft e c hr h d t e e was ffi g o g o a ou av , a g te I h o e n i s c b h nd s t d u rs e t e dre adful wi nd e rth 'e a and fi pp o , y , a 'ua , re e n t e e e h d w n we t e hn a h h s r s r s e c t e s i s r e and e s o n to th pa , p o u jou y g o e h ' ’ l t m th o ft e c e and s t nds s ti l. 'oo l s Annota i ons ou av , a 1 2

he must needs wrap his face in his mantle ; fo r that V i w still small o ce with its supernatural po er showed that there might also be something to be seen , which would be more than his nature could bear . 'either would he go out u nder the Open sky or look round him upon the solitary hill ; the voice was not o f earth and he was afraid to see God . He stood in

n o f the e tering in the cave , his face hidden in his mantle , and he waiting to hear what the Author of that voice which was louder in its stillness than the wind , and though small , mightier than earthquake

u to . and fire , wo ld say him The meaning and intention o fthis symbol is Often

misunderstood . We frequently he ar it said as an

m o f argument against all excite ent feeling, and all vigorous and bold efforts even at proper times to do

no t good , that God was in the wind , or earthquake ,

o r ' fire , but in the still , small voice and that, taught

o n H by this symbol oreb , we ought to be entirely

ho f quiet, and never think t at any tide feeling which rises above a certain ordinary mark can be a ny thing

else than a threatening fiood . D angero u s excitements are the offspring o ferroneous principles and conduct ;

' f but it is good to be ealously af ected in a good thing . Excitement is of healthful tendency when the prin

ci ple s from which it springs are right . O u r feelings are quickened into a safe and useful course by new and awakening events and motives the community is benefited by occurrences which rouse them to 1 3

i s str ong feeling and action . God sometimes in the wn fir e n o t i d and earthquake and ; he does confine whimself to o ne mode o foperation ; the excitement hich any thing occasions , therefore , is not a just and sufficient reason fo r condemning it ; we must look at the principles which are taught by it , to know whether

o r . it is good bad The scene on Horeb , therefore , was not intended to teach the prophet that nothing should ever be done except in a calm and quiet way . Was not God in the fire that came down on Baal’ s ' altars and confounded his priests VVa s not the Lord in that wind that blew back the waters of the

e d rwP ' ' sea to ove helm haraoh and his hosts Was not God in that earthquake at Sinai when the Law ' wa s . : . given Ps 68 8 But there was a great and most useful meaning a nd intention i n that scene o n Horeb . Elij ah was in despair at the revival of religion . He saw no way by which Israel could be recovered to the wor

o f G o d. f ship the true He had led to the wilderness , f and under the desert tree he prayed o r death . God led him on to Horeb , that in the solitude of its cave he might teach him a lesson which he should ever

m . : G h reme ber The lesson was this o d as a cce ss to ti re so u l o ma n i n a a a nd wi ha o e r hll wt wwo f y p y nd i ep e nde nt ofe x te rna lfo rce . The fire from heaven ’ o n Baal s altar di d not convert Ahab and Je 'ebel .

S O J ' far from it, e ebel was provoked at the triumph o f G o d Elij ah in the name of over the false prophets , 2 w1 4 and she sent ord to him saying, So let the gods

me m the th do to and more also if I ake not y life as ' ' life of one of them by to morrow about this time . l ' i Wel might he argue , if such a m racle as fire from heaven , in answer to my prayer , does not turn the heart o f m — re the queen , there is no hope from iracles the

u m m is no strength in o tward eans , of the selves , to ’ change the heart . God wished to impress this t ruth hi m more deeply upon , while at the same time he hi m showed that his arm was not shortened that it

could not save , but that he had a power mightier than

all the emblems of power i n nature o r providence . How di d he teach him this lesson ' In the most

di vi ' rect way to work abiding conviction in him , ’ m o wn by making experi ent upon the prophet s feel

' u o f M H . o ings think , bold prophet the ost igh ,

that the furious elements , the fire from heaven , the ’ a visible manifest tions Of God s wrath , and the minis

o f ters his omnipotence in nature , are the most pow

e rfu l methods o fturning the heart of man . 'o u

shall see in your own experience that it is not so . In

the recesses of your cave , God calls you to an inter view with the dread Sovereign o fthe world ; but

m o n hark ' the te pest is the wing ; the storm is up ,

m . the rocks rend , as though the final hour had co e ' ' 'ill y o u go forth now and meet God He shrinks — back with fear i t seems like going to his doom . He cannot feel that God is there ; the storm makes

hi m o f . no impression upon but that alarm The

1 6

ff o n to set their a ections things above . But they have been unmoved by all these alarms and judg

. m ments God was not, in these cases and to the , in the wind and the earthquake and the fire . But , per

o ne w haps , night as they lay upon their sleepless pillo and without knowing any cause why sleep should depart from them , a distant clock has struck the hour o f o f midnight , and straightway thoughts death and o n m w eternity have been fastened the , hich have led them to God . A man pursuing a course o finiquity to the injury o f re others , has strengthened himself against every monstrance , and his friends have expected that some judgment of heaven would overtake him . He takes his axe and goes into the woods to fell his trees : and while looking at a tree and preparing to cut it down , the thought strikes his mind that he is like that devoted tree , and that it would be just in God

. O n to cut him down his return , his friends per hm c e i v e that that change has taken place in i which they m ay have supposed nothing but the bitterest ’ o f w cup God s rath in this world would bring to pass . Some men have heard the Gospel preached for many years under the most favorable circumstances , but nothing has prevailed for their conversion . At

u m partic lar times , ser ons have been preached which their friends thought must have been written with a knowledge of those cases , and they looked for the 1 7 immedi ate effect of them in the conversion o fthei r friends ; but in vain . When , however , it was least expected , these friends have gone to public worship with serious inclinations , though undefined , and as the congregation rose for prayer , a solemn awe has n come upon the mind , and the thought of standi g in

G o d m the presence of , has , for the first ti e , made

b e impressions upon the heart, which have been the ginning o fthe work of the Spirit . wh A li ttle child has asked an ungodly parent y ’ he cursed God , and the child s question has had a power which the reb u kes of a whole neighborhood

and of the pulpit never carried with them . A child has asked a prayerless father why he did not kneel with it in secret as the mother did ; and immediately it is s ai d of that father what many had despaired o f “ ' ever being able to say , Behold he prayeth . In every thing we see illustrations o fthe fact that the simplest and most quiet and gentle things often

have irresistible influence over the heart . In looki ng at a common flower which you may have carelessly

o r gathered at the road side , in the fields , you may

o f wi b e n e vo have had impressions the sdom and

lence of God , stronger than you ever received from

o r m an sermons lectures . A is looking at the buds o n a vine in spring ; the signs of ret ur ning vegetation

o f in the earth indicated by the bursting folds the bud , make him feel the possibili ty of the resurrection o f

’ 25s w1 8 the dead , hich before he had never had so forcibly

presented to his thoughts . di When you have been scouraged and depressed , y o u have had a load raised from your heart by some

kind and cheering expression , or by the mere look

o f and tone interest and sympathetic feeling .

Even in our greatest enj oyments , in the most pro

o f l minent events life , some little incident wil have more power to move the feelings and excite happi

o f m ness than other things more intrinsic i portance . A pastor is cheered and made happy by a spontane ’ o u s expression o fhis pe e ple s best wishes for his

usefulness and welfare . They whom he has long m been accusto ed to meet in the sanctuary , those familiar faces which are associated in his mind with

r o wn his public ministrations , behold , of thei accord

the fill w. y his d elling Their presence creates a pleas

ing illusion before his mind , mingling the associa tions o fthe sanctuary o fGod with the sanctuary o f

o wn J his home , so that like acob under the spell Of

his dream , he almost savs , as he stands in his house and looks upon the throng and sees them pouring

T the hi s o i l their upon his rock , is none other than ' o fG o d o f . house , and this is the gate heaven But

m o f what is it , amongst the nu erous pledges their ' regard , that touches the deepest chords of his soul d The stranger, the ispassionate , disinterested stranger,

t o al o ne points the beauty , the taste , the v ue of thing after another . But the pastor, not insensible to 1 9

o n these things , finds his eye resting something ' m a wwhich y have been bought with two mites , and hich for that reason is in his view“of priceless w. orth In that gift, stranger, he hears a voice you ' cannot hear . As the whole scene comes back upon

o u t i his memory , what part of it stands w th promi ne nce , what incident involuntarily presents itself to his thoughts ' Perhaps it is a little child putting

di c into his hand the words of a simple benediction , t ate d o wn o wn by her heart, and wrought by her ' G o d ' o n fingers , bless you As time passes , and the numerous incidents of the occasion blend li ke the several flames o fa receding light ' house into a ll cheering star upon the ocean , what sti small voice

o n is that which follows him his voyage , and never

ff hi s ' o f fe w ceases to a ect heart It is the voice a ' o f other letters more than magic spell, I love you .

o n hi s They are wrought a simple mark for book ; the hand that made them and gave them is happily

r unknown , and thereby imagination att ibutes them

al to every individu in turn , and loves to place them under the name o fthe 'ongregation as the blended meaning of their thoughts and words , and as the echo of the departing scene . ' othing that we say or do , however inconsiderable

m . it may seem to us , is uni portant Every word and act of man before others makes impressions upon them ; the slightest look , or word, or deed, may be fraught with power to wound or heal . It is not ne c e s 20

we o n sary that should bestow a fortune a man to

i hi m make him happy, or that we should bru se or m defa e him to break his heart . A smile , a word a

fl o f tri ing act of kindness , is often like the first trace

' blue sky to a storm tossed mariner ; a frown , a short l answer, a cold repulse , ever so s ight, may be like the minute barb which makes the arrow rankle in the

w. u r m ound O most i pressive actions are those which m are al ost involuntary, which leap from us before consideration and courtesy can shape them into the exact propriety which we whould study to give them . These are the things whic show the state of the heart ; they are the glances which we have o fthe soul

u thro gh the window before it Opens the door to us .

l o u r i h 'othing can regulate the still smal voice of voluntary appearance and conduct , but a heart filled w l ith benevolence towards man , and habitual y cher

hi n o f i s g thoughts kindness , and repressing every

o f evil feeling , considering the example him who made i l even the v est but penitent sinners feel , by his looks wl and actions , that in him they ou d find a merciful friend . It is easier to do good , to make others happy, than we are apt to consider, and this makes

o u r us inexcusable in not doing good , and increases

Obligations to bless others . It is easier to do injury

u s than we are ap“t to think , and this should make all i keep the heart with d ligence , for out of it are the issues of life . But this is only incidental to the main truth in view 21

VVe in this di scourse . are taught by it that we ought never to despair o fthe power o fGod to reach the heart of the most apparently hardened and hopeless sinner . It was to impress Eli jah with this truth that the scene at Horeb took place . It gives us adoring thoughts o fthe wisdom and condescension O fGod in maki ng use of this expedi ent to teach and e nc o u r age the despondi ng Prophet . How kind in God to

i nfirmi ti e s o f an regard the his servant, to send that hi m gel to when retreating from the battle with the

o f enemies God , and casting himself down under a desert tree and praying that he may di e ' How kind

o f that act heavenly care in preparing food for him , i hi m r and bring ng a cruse of water , to st engthen him

m hm t o i i after his rest , and the second ti e awak ng eat,

fo r hi m because the j ourney would be too great Let

o fm r i s us not think , though the age i acles past , that the age of God’ s good provi dence is a past di spensation ' ' P His mercy endureth forever . He leads the rophet away to medi tation and prayer and o n the lone ’ o wn e x e ri mountain teaches him by the prophet s p ence that God’ s word and ordinances may be des

i s e d al hi s r p , his tars violated , prophets dest oyed , his j udgments set at nought and yet that he has secret access to the h u man soul in a way that the soul can

n o t . If resist you have a friend , a child , a companion

O f who has thus far frustrated all the means grace , hthe di and you have almost ceased to hope t at or 22

ff nances of the Gospel will a ect him , think , that if

a o r God should whisper one word to his he rt, bring

o r some simple object to his eye , some still small m voice to his ear, he would hide his face , and co e

m hr forth fro that cave from which w i lwinds and earthquakes and fire have not been able to bring him . What a slave our faith becomes to outward ' means We must use them , and we must look ’ — fo r God s blessing in the use o fthem ; but we are too apt to serve them a nd do obeisance to them ; we watch thei r influence and rely upon havi ng all the circumstances of them perfectly adjusted , instead of f thinking mostly o fG o d in them . It is af ecting to think o fthe infinite ease w“ith which God has access o f to the human soul , and turns it as the rivers ' o f water are turned . In view this fact ought we ever to despair of a living sinner ' We ought to strengthen ourselves in the Lord , and honor him .

re God has often led us , as it were , to Horeb , and p e ate d to o u r experience what he taught the Prophet ; and we have sung his praise , and forgot his works . We have known many a stout heart bowed in con tri ti o n by the simplest means , and almost without external means , when every well arranged effort for his salvation had utterly failed . Let us think more ’ o fGod s still small voice to the conscience and the

o f re heart, and if we desire the salvation others ,h m me ber that God , who has hitherto spoken to t em n wa nd n n i n i his ord ordi a ces , vain , has but to

24

have conspired in vain for your conversio n , that you are almost in despair o fever hearing any thing o r wf meeting with any thing hich can af ect you . In a

desponding, if not a reckless , state of mind , you are

pas s ing on to your last account . It seems to you as though God had exhausted his patience if not his

power , in his endeavors to change your heart . But ' y o u are not straitened in God . He can suggest a t thought , he can exci e a feeling in your heart, which in its stillness can affect you as no external means

. o u o f have ever done If y feel your need his grace , do not look away from him to his ordinances , nor to his ministers ; but go to him with that faith in his power and grace wi th which the blind men and the

. l h lepers applied to the Saviour Al t at preaching o r

fo r o u books or christian advice can do y , is to direct

o u . 'o t n o r y to God by might, by power, but by ' . 'an my spirit , saith the Lord you suppose that your mind and heart and will are beyond the reach ' o f o f ll the finger God He that planted the ear, sha ' no t he not hear He that formed the eye , shall he see '' Go in your thoughts with Elij ah under his

o f desert tree , go with him to the cave Horeb , and

r there learn that the goodness , and the g ace , and the power of God , are higher than your thoughts , and greater than your sin s .