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Judgment and Mercy

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 22, 1865

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 26, No. 12.

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Judgment and Mercy.

By Jos. Clarke

"WHEN thy judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." Isa. xxvi, 9.
"Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy." Ps. xxxiii, 18.
That nations as well as individuals are under discipline, and subject to the complete control of their Creator, is not a matter of doubt.
Judgments and mercies intermingled, have filled the cup of man's experience, from his fall in Eden, even to this time; and never have these two attributes been made more manifest, than since the breaking out of the Southern rebellion.
In particular, have we seen these attributes most clearly manifested in this, that when Jehovah would thresh this people in his wrath, he placed a humane and considerate man at the helm, to direct the affairs of the nation.
God works by means, and his plans are deep and wisely laid. When he would disenthrall Israel from the Egyptian yoke, he trained the child Moses for the work, and eighty long years of his life were devoted to the work of preparation. Some indeed, of his early discipline, seemed sharp, but it was salutary.
David must first tend the flock, then be the victim of the hatred and envy of a king and his courtiers, before he could wear the crown.
When our American Republic was to emerge from obscurity, a man of almost superhuman wisdom and forethought, was trained amid dangers and hardships, to take the helm, and guide this nation to honor and renown.
Not less, do we see the hand of God, in raising up and previously training, a fit person to take the helm, while our nation should pass the fiery ordeal of rebellion and civil war: a man of firm and unyielding devotions to his country, one not to be swayed from the path of duty when once clearly made known to him; not a political quack, but a man of the people; an exception among the corrupt partisans of our times; an honest, praying statesman. Were not all surprised that one like Abraham Lincoln, should suddenly burst forth from obscurity as it were, and skillfully guide us through this horrible struggle, and were we not as much surprised that he should as suddenly retire from the field? Such a man, at such a time, set at the head of our nation! so good a man, chosen by so corrupt a people, from whom the swarms of venal and corrupt statesmen shrank back, surprised, ashamed!
Mr. Lincoln was brought up in adversity, his father was poor, probably never having five hundred dollars' worth of property at any one time. His son was obliged to earn his own bread at an early age. All the schooling he ever had in his minority, would hardly amount to six months in a good school; yet he gained a good practical education, by improving his spare moments of time; and by so doing, perseveringly, he finally outstripped his fellows, who were brought up in affluence and ease, enjoying the finest advantages for improvement.
Consistency was the jewel he prized; and, careful of making pledges, he sustained a character for probity, consistency and truth, and won the love of his people, and the admiration and respect of the world.
That he was consistent, no one dares to contradict; but as an evidence of this, we subjoin a few extracts from his speeches, delivered at different times and places:
"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall, but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other."—Springfield, June, 1858.
"MY FRIENDS: No one not in my position, can appreciate the sadness I feel at this parting. To this people I owe all that I am. Here I have lived more than a quarter of a century; here my children were born, and here one of them lies buried. I know not how soon I shall see you again. A duty devolves upon me which is, perhaps, greater than that which has devolved upon any other man since the days of Washington. He never would have succeeded except for the aid of Divine Providence, upon which he at all times relied. I feel that I cannot succeed without the same divine aid which sustained him, and on the same Almighty Being I place my reliance for support, and I hope you, my friends, will all pray that I may receive that divine assistance, without which I cannot succeed, but with which, success is certain. Again, I bid you all an affectionate farewell."—Springfield, Feb. 11, 1861.
"The people, when they rise in mass in behalf of the Union and the liberties of their country, truly may it be said, 'The gates of hell cannot prevail against them.' In all trying positions in which I shall be placed, and, doubtless, I shall be placed in many such, my reliance will be placed upon you and the people of the United States; and I wish you to remember, now and forever, that it is your business, and not mine; that if the union of these states, and the liberties of this people shall be lost, it is but little to any one man of fifty-two years of age, but a great deal to the thirty millions of people who inhabit these United States, and to their posterity in all ensuing time. It is your business to rise up and preserve the Union and liberty for yourselves, and not for me.
"I desire they should be constitutionally performed. I, as already intimated, am but an accidental instrument, temporary, and to serve but for a limited time, and I appeal to you again to constantly bear in mind that with you, and not with politicians, not with Presidents, not with office-seekers, but with you, is the question, Shall the Union and shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generations?"—Indianapolis, Feb., 1861.
"I recollect thinking then, boy even though I was, that there must have been something more than common that these men (of the Revolution) struggled for. I am exceedingly anxious that that thing which they struggled for; that something even more than National Independence; that something that held out a great promise to all the people of the world to all time to come—I am exceedingly anxious that this Union, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the original idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty, and of this, his most chosen people, as the chosen instrument—also in the hands of the Almighty—for perpetuating the object of that great struggle."—Trenton, Feb. 21, 1861.
"I have never had a feeling, politically, that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence. I have often pondered over the dangers which were incurred by the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted that Declaration of Independence. I have pondered over the toils that were endured by the officers and soldiers of the army who achieved that independence. I have often inquired of myself what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy so long together. It was not the mere matter of the separation of the Colonies from the mother land, but that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise that, in due time, the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men. This is the sentiment embodied in the Declaration of Independence. Now, my friends, can this country be saved on that basis? If it can, I shall consider myself one of the happiest men in the world if I can help to save it. If it cannot be saved on that principle, it will be truly awful. But if this country cannot be saved without giving up that principle, I was about to say I would rather be assassinated on this spot than surrender it."—Independence Hall, Phila., Feb. 21, 1861.
But how sad! Just as the people were about to celebrate the proclamation of peace, our joy was turned into sadness, and our temples instead of being hung around with garlands, were draped in mourning!
Oh what a sudden transition from joy to grief! Old and young and middle-aged, sobbed with heartfelt sorrow. One loud wail went up to Heaven. The thoughtless maid mingled her tears with the care-worn warrior, and youth and age, rich and poor, mourned like Rachel of old. When, before, were tidings of peace so soon mixed with wormwood and bitterness, made more bitter, when devils incarnate clapped their hands for joy?
But do these things mean nothing? Is mercy (here manifested in winning to justice her hard-earned laurels), so mixed with judgments, and no meaning in it? Has it been decreed by Heaven that our cup of joy should be so suddenly overturned, and we learn no lessontherefrom?
To-day the heavy tramp of returning legions of soldiers is heard in our land; and fond relatives are weeping tears of joy; but alas! some will not return. Their hands and feet lie palsied in death; their bosoms beat no more at the word home. Our much-loved associates come joyfully home. We feel our hearts beat quicker as we clasp the hand escaped from a thousand dangers, and our eyes fill with tears of joy. But the soldier and the civilian both look pensive, and their eyes moisten with tears for those left behind, who will not awake till the last trump calls them forth. Shall we not learn a lesson when the judgments of God are abroad in the earth?