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4 [For the Army and Navy Herald.] ■ Divine Providence, No. 2 ( Continued .) 1. ITe propose in this paper to eonsider God’s control of what are called accidental causes. There are many opinions about this view of the subject, but the best and most learned divines agtee in saying there is no such thing as accident, properly speaking; they generally conclude with Mr. Sherlock, that it is a concurrence of unexpected events, “as when one man going through a field, by acci dent loses a purse of gold, and another by as great an accident finds it.’ And how muen of the good and evil of life is brought about by such unexpected events, every one knows, who has made any observations of liis own and ■pther men’s fortunes. The wise man saw many Centuries ago that the “race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor lo men of skill.”—Eccl. ix: ii. “Some un usual and casual events change the fortunes of men, and disappoint the most proper and natu ral means of success.” What is better calcu lated to win a race than speed, or to gain a battle than strength? and yet these often tail. Time au<l chance, some favorable juncture or unforeseen accident, is more powerful than all human foresight and skill. 2. “Now what an ill state mankind were in, did not a wise hand govern what wo call chance or fortune." llow can God govern the world or dispose of men's lives without governing chance ? All unseen, unknown and surprising events, which disappoint the counsels of the wise, and in a moment unavoidably change the whole scene of human aliairs, must be undei his control, or he could not bring his designs to pass. Upon what little things do the for tunes of men, of families, and of whgle nations, turn? And unless these little unexpected things are governed by God, some of the great est changes in the world are exempted from his care and providence. This is reason enough to believe, that if God governs the world, he gov erns chance and fortune; aud that the most , , , m our unexpected events, howevm ,, „.,wh and provided tor by Him. view. cuch events are the most proper objects of his care, as they are instruments of providence in governing the world. Many times such great things are done by them as to make the most visible demonstrations of wisdom and goodness. By these, God rules supremely, “frustrating the tokens of liars, and making diviners mad ; turning the wise men backward, and making tlieir knowledge foolish.”—lsa.-xliv : 25. Did Providence govern such matters, all things would soon fall ini* the hands of the swift, the cunning and the strong; and the churoli, the poor, and other relieving agencies would soon be banished from the land. The most power ful sinners would gloat over this world with no foreshadowings.of their future, and God’s gov ernment would be forgotten for want of ex amples of punishment, and of reward to the g« <h. S. That there are many casual events of the greatest import happening to us all along life’s pathway, we all know from experience; and Lhat we cannot foresee and defend ourselves from them, is equally clear. Now, if we are left to such casual events, what can we predi cate of any calculations, human or Divine ? If God did not control such casual events, prophe cy would be a failure, aud prayer unavailing. The law of Moses declares the smiting a man to be a crime worthy of death, yet, “it a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand, then will 1 appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.”—Exod. xxi: 12, 13. Here God is said to deliver the murderer, when ho did the deed wilfully, into the hands of the destroyer ; aud to permit him to flee to a city of refuge when it was accidental, “ as when an aXe slip from As helve and smite a man that he die.” Here the most accidental circumstance is called' God’s delivery of the man into his hand. Nothing is more casual than the lot, and yet Solomon says : “ The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”—Prov. xvi: 33. If this bo so', there is nothing so casual, or fortui tous as not to be under the control of the Loi<l., 4. This whole principle is illustrated by the lon«- chain of casual and accidental events in the history of Joseph; from hi.s birth to his elevation to the throne in Egypt. His father loved him and treated him with many kind xicsses—-this inflamed the envy of hi.s brethren— he dreamed things that indicated his future su periority over them, and this only aggravated them the more, until they resolved upon his death. His father sends hint to look after his brethren, whose evil reports had reached his ears; and under the irritation of this proceed ing they seized the opportunity to slay him, and would have done so, but one of the num ber diverted their purpose, and.they then sold him. Potiphar s wile offflrj'a seduction, which is resisted—he is thrown into prison—there in THE ARMY & NAVY. HERALD. terprets dreams, which results in his elevation to the throne. All along, the most natural and casual events and causes are apparent, and yet God so controlledHhe whole process as to bring about the grandest result; and that, too, with out overriding the agency of man in any per ceptible instance. That God could have raised him to the throne by other and a shorter pro cess is not doubted; but this is but one in stance of his complete control of man in his wildest designs. 5. lYe are thus brought to the conclusion, that in all that complex chain of events extend ing through an hour, or an age ; through indi vidual life. or all the ramifications of society, there is a Divine hand maping. shaping, urging, restraining, punishing and rewarding indi viduals, families and nations, as the wise ends of moral government require; and wo iaay therefrom know whom to fear, trust and obey at all .times. With an bumble reliance upon God, a strict obedience t« his will, “all tilings will work together for our good” “to them that love God.” Invalid. [To be Continued .] In Memory of Hugh J. McNeilly. Hugh J. McNeilly, son of James McNeilly, of Dickson county, Tennessee, and a Sergeant of Cos. “C,” 11th Tennessee Regiment of Vol unteers, was mortally wounded by a minie ball at the front of his company, iti the battle near Atlanta, Ga., on the 22d day of July, 18GL lie volunteered under Will Green as Captaia, at the beginning of the war, and was mustered into the service at Nashville, on the 14th day of May, 1801. He made a good and faithful soldier; through the campaign in East Tennes see and at Cumberland Gup ever ready t» meet the foe and uo liis duty. lie served unflinch ingly through the campaign in Kentucky, when so many of our best soldiers were falling by the wayside, lie fought bravely through t.he battles of Murfrecohero’, Chicamauga, Mis sionary Ridge, and in the Georgia campaign from Dalton to Atlanta. And in that darkest hour of our «t.nW®> Wheu our suffering, bare footed soldiers were at Dalton, when so many were ready to give up the ship, lie was among the foremost to re-eulist voluntarily |'or the war. He was a noble, generous youth ; Jie was universally beloved, aud is universally lamented by his companions in arms. Amid all the temptations of the camp, where g« many promising youths are ruined, he was never guilty of anything that, would give kis pious parents pain. They must deeply deplore the loss of such a* excellent s#u. I assisted in bringing him off the battle-field, and when he saw me, lie clasped me in his arms, and said, “Captain, I am nearly gone ; tell my people that 1 died a true soldier at my post, and in a true and just cause, and that I will meet my sweet mother in heaven.” In a few hours, his spirit winged its flight to eternal bliss, where peace and joy abidetli for ever. Thus, in the vernal glow of manhood, when hope beams as warm and bright as the varied colored rainbow, lie went forth to fight for freedom, With a patriot’s willing hand, Went to drive the bold usurper From his Southern land. But the stealthy viper , Stung the red tide of his life, And he fell a chosen victim, But a hero iu the strife. Still his memory lingers with us, , Linked to gallant deeds of fame, And a cortjncl of laurels Ever will surround his name. May we all when life is ended Meet, hint on the spirit shore, And our hymns be sweetly blended With our loved ones evermere. W. 11. McC., Cos. “C,” 11th T’cun. Infaatry. The Roman Sentinel. —When Pompeii was destroyed, there were very many buried in the rains of it wiio were afterward found iu very different situations. There were some found who were in the streets, as if they hal been attempting to make their escape. There were some found in deep vaults, as if they had gone thither fur security. There were somu found in lofty chambers : but where did they find the Roman sentinel ? They found him standing at the city gale, with his hand still grasping the war weapon, where he hail been placed by his captain ; and there, while the heavens threat ened hint; there, while the earth shook beneath him ; there, while the lava stream rolled, lie had stood at his post; and there, after a thou sand years had passed away, was lie found. So let Christians learn to stand to their duty, wil ling to stand to the post at which their Captain lias placed them, and they will find tlieir duty will support and sustain them.— Rev. S. Croley. The Source of Danger. [Extract from Dr. Minnegerode's Sermon.] Our reverses f Great as they have been—and no honest man would hide their extent—we have hail reverses before, and God always has blessed them to us, made them the source of greater harmony among ourselves, roused to new and greater exertions, and taught us to bear them and repair them as men. What makes the present crisis so painful aud so perilous lies not in what the enemy has done to us with his armies, but in what, our own cow ard, faithless, selfish hearts may do. Tlic all but general despondency, the lack of faith in ourselves and in God’s assistance, the haste with whieh, from want of faith, many would rush to thia or to that expedient, though at the sacrifice of all that.first armed us to the battle, some perhaps at the sacrifice of honor and truth ; the mutual recrimination which charges our reverses here or there, and with unyielding prejudice sows discord, when «ur very exist ence is in danger; the hopelessness of many, which is ready to give up and sink, into sullen despair, and withholds the needful help at the most critical time, and spreads the spirit of dis satisfaction and despondency, and would not shrink even from poisoning the minds of those who are the great bulwark between ourselves amt destruction; it is this, the fear that we may not be true to ourselves, because we are falter ing iu our faith in God, which presents tlie dangerous aspect of our present crisis. ©hi if we could take with us the lesson of our text; if we could stop every croaker and nerve every patriot; if we could allay every impatience and reuse all to bear what others have borne before, and drive away tlieir un manly fears by trust in God; by truly, prayer fully committing themselves and the country into Kis hands from whom alone cometh our help, and urge them on, to do and beak, to brave their dangers and endure thei", priva tions, to be true men, and act as such ; the threatening dangers in God's mercy may be changed into blessings, and this year witness the growth of our national strength and our training for the final victory ! “lie that be lieveth shall not make haste.” If this senti ment was realized by all—rulers and people alike—and followed up a God-fearing spirit, submitting to His chastisements and learning the lessons of adversity in patience, and calm, courageous resolution, in mutual bearing and forbearing, in that manliness which yields where the good of the country requires it, and subordinates self to the high and holy cause in which we art; engaged, in that devotion which consecrates all and sacrifices all to the will of God and the common gpod—if our prayer could Met this, there would be no cause left for fear; but from our reverses we would rise in new strength, arid—against whatever dangers and by however slow degrees—entsr upon that course which must bring victory and peace ! It. would give us that true courage which shines most conspicuously when all looks threatening, which becomes calm in danger and perseveres to the last, faithful to principle ; which rests jmpregnably upon the rock of faith, and there finds strength to do all things and bear all things in the discharge of duty. “ He that believeth shall uot make haste.” This does not exclude work ; it includes, it. Haste is not opposed to proper speed, to the conscientious and judicious use of the proper means, nor to the faithful discharge es duty. It, is true “ not hy might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord;” but this excludes only a reliance on man—a might and power of tlieir own, which the faithless in their haste substitute for that might and power of God’s Spirit which shall accomplish His work in Ilis own good time by the legitimate means of man's activity, and faithful, persevering labor. Living Past. This phrase is applied frequently to certain young men who are following a fashionable course of life, attended with more or less dissi pation and extravagance. But with great pro priety this term may be applied to all those who are hurrying through life—overworking the brain and giving but little rest to their body or minds. Carlyle very truly remarks • that “ the race of life has become intense ; the run ners are treading upon each other’s heels ; woe be to him who stops to tie his shoestrings.” What a fearful amount of “ wear aud tear” to the nervous system is there in every department of life ! What a continual strife is there in every community for wealth—for distinction and pleasure! How much disappointment and envy may be found rankling in the breast of many persons ! Dr. Arnold of Rugby, used to say “it is not work that injures a man; it is.vexa tion that docs it.” It is this “ fast, living” in our country which produces so many of the ills I that, flesh is heir to—it. undermines the coustitu j t.ion—breaks down the nervous'system—produ ces premature old age and shortens life. [For the Army and Navy Herald.] Saturday Evening. The week lias closed, and now a silence reignS, And casts o’er all her curtain of repose; Quick, wakeful mem’ry starts, and looking back, Asks for the moments which have flitted by ; Where are the deeds which 1 this week have done ? Where are the moments which were'idly spent? Both, both have gone with things bey end the flood, * And on the pages of eternity Have left for me their image firm impressed. Where are the words which oft the spirit stirr’d And o’er the harp of life their echo flung? Say; dees that harp now want a golden string Which I have snapped, with angry words and harsh ? The words are gone too far to be recall’d; But on the tablets of the liquid air They stand impress’d; and there will overstay ’Till the Arehangel trump shall bid them ope* And tell to mortal men their final doom. Where are the days? It scarcely seems as if ’Twere yester morn when first the week began ; They all are gone : —swift as the arrow flies Toward its destined mark—so swift they go. I hear a sound ! “tis but the Chick -o’-will, Which, while the other birds have gone to rest, l’ours forth.its music to the silent night. I love thy song, sweet bird ! I love to hear Those wildly lonesome notes which echo finds In my own lonesome heart. I've heard it said, “ Tli at music’s wasted cm the mid: light air;” But, oh ! ’tis sweet, at this lone hour to feel That others, to*, their lonely vigils keep ; That there are songsters, in the wild, wild wood With midnight tones responsive to mine own: I like lone bird to'hear thy plaintive strains That slowly echo through tiie silent wood, And bid the deathless soul for change prepare F. C— . Cotton Hill, Georgia. ♦This is a very modern theory, which has not found many supporters, perhaps because so'new. [From the Soldier’s Paper.] TLe Time is Short, BY M. F. C. . ( Swiftly steal away the golden sands of time.. However dull and monotonous a. life may be, yet, when the time is gone, and its moments are clothed with the wrapping of the past, it appears sh*rt ifldeed. Trouble and anxiety may make time appear to drag lengthily ; but, otherwise, when compared with the eternal future, and considered in connection with the preparations to be made for eternity, it glides all too speedily away. Everything around us warns us of the brevity of time. See with .what speed the seasons whirl around. The bright New Year is ushered in with joyous fes tivities; ws gather round the social fireside,, or brave the wintry storms awhile, and ilien the bright sunshine of Spring comes to clothe nature in loveliness. Ere iong the ripening grain and fruit tell us it is midsummer, and then soon come the dreamy autumn days, the storing away of products, the chill winds—and the year lies down to be trodden beneath the heel ot its successor. Thus, year after year rolls onward, and yet we heed not their rapid flight. Friend alter friend drops into the tomb, warning us that the time is short to prepare our souls for that tribunal to which ice may be sum moned next. In view of this, how diligent should we be in its improvement, and in doing good while its precious moments are given us; for “the night, cometh in which no man can work,” and no returning ray of morning ends that deeply dark-night. Yes, Christian, “the time is short!” Oh! spend net, its golden hours in frivolty, for each one bears a record to eternity which will ouo day justify or condemn you. All around you is work to be done—wbrk for your Master, and but ashortspace between you and the grave in which to accomplish it. If you are tried and troubled, remember that it, cannot last long, but ail these are “ but for a moment,” compared w/fli the eternal glory hereafter. The wintry blasts of this life will soon be over, and your Redeemer will then summon you to enjoy the everlasting sunshine above. Sinner, “the time is short,” therefore hasten to prepare tor eternity, ere with terror you hear .the declaration that “time shall be no more.” Flatter not yourself with the delusion, “There’s time enough yet,,” for the present only is yours, and there is little enough time to do the work before you. Let not another hour bear an accusation to lengthen the list re corded against you upon Heaven’s register, but accept now the reprieve which, through that canceling blood, is so freely offered you. Time past is gone, thou canst not, it recall; Time present is, improve the portion small; Time future is not, and may never be; Time present is the only time for tliee.