Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/132

128 universal rights of man. And what marks do we observe of true repentance? Is there a general concern upon the subject? Are the people awakened to a sense of their awful guilt? Are they bringing forth fruit meet for repentance? Are they like ZaCcheus restoring four-fold to their wronged neighbors? Far from it, far from it. The great absorbing theme dwelt upon from one end of the country to the other is gam. The obligation "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God," is not taken into the account. Here a general apathy prevails. It is certainly a very imposing sight to behold an entire people, as at this day, presenting themselves before God in the attitude of humble suppliants. Prayer and fasting are some of the signs of penitence, and when accompanied with the other marks, viz., the forsaking of evil, and the practising of good works, they are well-pleasing to God; otherwise they are of no avail. When the Ninevites under a