times; whether mild laws shall receive the cheerful submission of free men,
or the iron rod of a tyrant compel the trembling homage of slaves. Be not
deceived. The rocks and hills of New England will remain till the last
conflagration. But let the Sabbath be profaned with impunity, to worship of
God be abandoned, the government and religions instruction of children
neglected, and the streams of intemperance be permitted to flow, and her
glory will depart. The wall of fire will no longer surround her, and the
munition of rocks will no longer be her defence. The hand that overturns
our doors and temples, is the hand of Death unbarring the gate of
pandemonium, and letting loose upon our land the crimes and miseries of
hell. If the Most High should stand aloof and cast not a single ingredient
into our cup of trembling, it would seem to be full of superlative woe. But
He will not stand aloof. As we shall have begun an open controversy with
Him, he will contend openly with us. And, never, since the earth stood, has
it been so fearful a thing for nations to fall into the hands of the living
God. The day of vengeance is at hand; the day of judgment has come; the
great earthquakes which sinks Babylon is making the nations, and the waves
of the mighty commotions are dashing upon every shore. Is this, then, a
time to remove the foundations, when the earth itself is shaken? Is this a
time to forfeit the protection of God, when the hearts of men are failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are to come upon
the earth? Is this a time to run upon His neck and the thick bosses of His
buckler, when the nations are drinking blood, and fainting, and passing
away in His wrath? Is this the time to throw away the shield of faith, when
His arrows are drunk with the blood of the slain?--to cut from the anchor
of hope, when the clouds are collecting, and the sea and the waves are
roaring and thunders are uttering their voices, and lightnings blazing in
the heavens, and the great hail is falling from heaven upon men, and every
mountain, sea, and island is fleeing in dismay from the face of an incensed
God!