The view from my window took in the Mount of Olives, the dark wall-like range beyond overhanging the Dead Sea, the mosque of Omar, the church of Mount Calvary, and a large portion of the city; and offered subjects for solemn and useful contemplation. Could we have the history of all nations written by men to whom God had condescended to unfold the reasons for his acts, would it--would it not--appear like those of the Jews? Should we not find what we call man’s doings very often the doings of God; and man only the agent, a free agent, and yet, by the mysterious combination of His Omnipotence with our freedom, man only an agent in working great events; and those events acts of reward or of retribution from Heaven on kingdoms for their observance or neglect of His commandments? Over yon mountain David passed, dethroned, expelled, a fugitive from his own son; attended only by a small train of attached but desponding friends. If we knew not the cause of this, it might have been passed as thousands of such acts pass in history, leading us to as little useful reflection; but we are informed why it was; and these thousand other acts in history, are they not retributive too? And will not the same apply to nations? And, could we see into Heaven’s councils, should we not find what appears to be the entangled web of national events all plain and simple--a few simple and general rules, as in the works of nature, pervading and governing the whole? And would not the first of these be that the fear of God and respect for his commandments are the only source of national happiness and national stability? On that mountain Titus also stood, and formed plans for the destruction of the ancient city. To himself and to his Roman army the son of Vespasian was there for his own purposes; but be this as it may, _we_ know that there were also other purposes to be effected. In the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, though the application is complicated, yet a simple principle stands at the head of it all; “If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, _to observe_ and _to do_ all his commandments, blessed shalt thou be;” “if thou wilt not hearken diligently to observe and to do, cursed shalt thou be; and the Lord shall bring a nation against thee from afar,” &c. The passage is too long for quotation, but I beg the reader to turn to it and read from the 49th to the 58th verses inclusive, and compare them with Josephus’ account of the siege of Jerusalem; and ask himself if the same rule does not probably apply to us, and if we have not reason to “fear this glorious and fearful name--THE LORD THY GOD.” * * * * *