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Show 110 THE GOLDEN HOUR. them at lafit. Soc before yon, A1ncricans, the consequences o f a cornr)ron1isc propo · c1 and ac. cepted! . Now let us turn into the pat, and con ·tucr an In-stance of another kind ; an instance of a con1 prorni c d l lpropose anc ·c:icctcd and the con cq ncnccs of the ~ ' c. sarnc. IIcrc i. the compJ.·omise proposed:- "The ])evil ta1 cth hin1 into an exceeding high ruountain, and showcth hin1 all the kingdoms of tho world an d tl1 0 g1 o ry Of thcn1 ·, and saith unto hi1n, All the 0 things will I g1vc the , if thou wilt fall down and wors1 1 .1 p rnc. " And here is the compro?nise ?·ejected :- . "Then ·aid J csns, Get thee behind rnc, Satan." And, finally, here arc the consequences : - "Then the Devil lcavcth him, and, behold, angels can1c and rnini tcrcd unto him." l\1ay we not even call thi the ~{c iah of nationR, a it stands out in the wildcrnc , hungry a ever for wealth and plenty, but obeying the spirit which lcaus it to the trial of its faith in justice and liberty? Thi is no n1etaphor; it is a rno1ncntous reality. Arnerica is to-day in the wilderness of tcrnptation, ancl be ide her is the Tc1nptcr. Up into the rnountain the Tempter leads,- the exceeding high rnountain of our national grcatne ·s and pride. From that apex, ready to crurnblc under our feet, how keenly the kingdorns of this world and their glories strike the senses ! On one side, tho kingdotn of political unity; on another, the kingclon1 of THE DIAL Oli' GROWTHS. 111 cotton; ncar by, the rcahns of trl) clc . c1 u. , an there, the kingclo1n of ecclef5ia. tical })OWer Tl ,, · 1c j_ e1nptcr never .·lun1bcr o long a· God i1:> a\\rl'\lcc " '\T] · . • u. • 1at 1s 1t " he whispers, " that divide · your 11 ation ? 1 t . . ' · \v 1a 1 It that prevent cotton froln crv tallizi 11 cr t 1" d J o o <. 1 an1on s for your trca·ury? ·what is it that hano·· tl1c I) t. fl o u,UC 1011- a(r from tho \vindo\v · of trade ? what 1 · 8 · 1 tl , t 0 h 1a nnclcrs eve.r y church? It i1:> yonr hatred of Afu .·c an 1a very. It lS your lo\rC of frccdonl · Ouly bcr1" ve over t 1 10 ·c - only con cut to the fetter on the lirnbs of the Ll~ck man,- and sec, all the. c kingdoms arc your ·, with all their gloriC ' ! CO, the nation is OnC UO'I'\1.11 · tl ['r bu. , 10 CO 1C1' is full. The Church's wounds 1)1·0 }1calcc1 u so soon as Northern and Southern Ohri tians con cnt to kneel around. a co nun on altar, there to cat the broken body and dnnk the shed blood of the .African race. .All these shall be yours, says the Tcn1ptcr, if on]y yo will turn ~ron1 tho shrine of Liberty, and worship ·1n.vcry; and you may call your idol patriotism, union, coucossiou, compro1nisc, fraternal feeling, peace, or any other fino nan1c you plea ·c." Never before \vas the Oo1nprorni ·c-dcvil foiled in thi country. Let that be forever narned "an cxcecU.ing high mountain," \vhcrc the people confront the Tempter without kneeling, w·hcre not one man dear to the people is hoard saying, This be thy god, 0 .America ! But, side by side, there arc yet growing two blood- |