The National Preacher, Vol. 2. No. 6., Nov. 1827 | Page 7

in a moral or political point of view. The
capture of a city has decided the destiny of nation. When Babylon was
taken, a mighty empire was given to the invader. When Jerusalem was
vanquished, all Judea was subdued. When ill-fated France was tossed
with revolutions and counter-revolutions, the possession of her
metropolis gave to either party the supreme command.
Now suppose that all this influence of cities is of a worldly, immoral,
irreligious character; what must be its blasting power on the general

interests of religion! It was when the pretended successor of Peter
established his authority in Rome, that that mystical Babylon became
"the mother of harlots," and "made the nations drunk with the wine of
the wrath of her fornications." And not until the angel shall "cry, with a
mighty and strong voice, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen," will the
strong man armed be vanquished, and the earth be encompassed with
glory. Not until the evil influence of cities shall be arrested, will the
mighty obstacles to the world's redemption be removed. How
immeasurably important then, that great efforts be made for their
conversion; and how merciful in God to destroy such of them as will
not repent. Oh, it was mercy infinite, that rained down fire upon Sodom,
and poured it heavily upon Gomorrah; and thus saved millions from the
contagion of their wickedness!
But suppose that all the influence of cities were of an heavenly
character--suppose the intelligence could be circulated along all our
navigable rivers and canals--suppose it could be communicated from
village to village, and from family to family, throughout the country,
that the Spirit of God, as on the day of Pentecost, had come down in
awful majesty and power among us; that all our men of business, and
youth of folly, had been arrested in their worldly career; that all our
theatres and resorts for vain pleasure had been forsaken; that our
temples were crowded and overflowing with devout worshippers, and
anxious inquirers; that the universal voice of our city's population had
become, What shall we do, that we may glorify God and extend his
kingdom? Suppose, I say, that this mighty change in our city could be
told throughout the country; who can estimate the overwhelming
influence it would carry along with it? Where is the solitary village that
would not feel the impulse, and have its eye and heart lifted to Heaven,
in view of the bright cloud of incense, ascending from these hundred
temples, and these thrice ten thousand family altars? And to extend our
view still further; suppose that every city of our land--that every city of
the world--should experience such a change; what almighty strength
and zeal would it give to the Angel having the everlasting Gospel to
publish! How soon would the universal acclamation of mankind be,
"Glory, and honour, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the
throne!" And how soon would that blessed voice be heard from the

heaven of heavens, "The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of the Lord, and his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and
ever!"
These are not mere pictures of the imagination. The realities are at hand.
And the influence of cities, in introducing them, must be felt. For "they
of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth." "The name of the
city from that day shall be, The Lord is there." "Thus saith the Lord of
hosts, it shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the
inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall go to
another, saying, let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek
the Lord of hosts." Thus the day shall yet be, when the presence and
power of the Holy God in cities shall so absorb the affections, and
command the energies of their inhabitants, that, throughout the land,
they shall be known and celebrated, not for their wealth, their splendour,
their numbers, or their worldly enterprise, but as the places where God
has fixed his tabernacle. Yes, the day shall yet come when the
intercourse between cities shall be chiefly for purposes of religious
improvement--when combinations for political intrigue, or mercantile
speculation, which now waken such intensity of interest in our cities,
shall dwindle to their comparative nothingness; and when the world's
redemption shall assume its proper magnitude; and all be stimulated to
more holy devotedness, and more heavenly effort. Oh, what a day,
when all our increasing facilities of intercourse with the land, and with
foreign nations, shall be used mainly for advancing that kingdom which
consists in righteousness and peace!--when thousands shall prayerfully
wait the arrival of every post, and hail the coming in of every vessel,
for intelligence, not