Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-02-05
Thanksgiving address delivered at Union Camp
Ground Crawford County, Arkansas,
RY GREEN ]. cLARK. $50.

Good and every perfect gift - it is with full con
viction that and not only ], but every one that
hears nv voice, shall stand in His presence and
accoun, TO Him for the manner in whchw0 have
spent our lives,
1t then behooves us as men destined for some
futu re purpose. and 10 i've when the gobo which
we now inhabit and all the planets which adornthe
ethereal world shall "run IaTIess through tho
skies,' TO live life devoted TO God and in every
thing give thanks.
Some Of the most distinguished F5iloscp piers
and Statesmen, Of any age of the world, whose
profession, talents and elevated positions in socle-
y enabled them to WELD a mighty influence in
the desunes of man, are no less celebrated for
!heir devotional pietv and spotIess virtue than for
the magnitude of their intellectual developments.
If you have read of that celebrated philosopher.
Sir lsuac Newton, whose avidity for mathematical
and philosophical researches did not prevent him
from writing treaties in defence of the christian
institutions. You have. also, read of Luther,
Calvin, Fox, Wesley, DR.. Johnson, Addison, and
Blair, whose names are enrolled with the votaries
of religion and who stand ' light and landmark
on the cliffs Of fame" The weak and trembling
professor Of Christianity is stimulated to perseve.
renee and buoycd up in his faith when he secs in
the front of his pious ranks that lusirious patriot
and christian, George Washington, who was "frst
IN peace first IN war, and first in the hearts of his
countrymen;" he who forsook ease, wealth, and
prime Of his life in fighting for the happiness of
millions then unborn; he who led fororn hope
TO victory, and wrung from the British govern
ment the acknowledgements of independence.
| might mention the names Of many other dis
| tinguished men, whose exemplary 2iety is worthy
of imitation but such is not suited 10 my purpose
1t is my task to show this congregation the thanks
that the American people owe to a benefcent and
indulgent Creator for their unparalleled individual
I ond DtlOnAl DrOSDpri in ,nrCorp,ip,,
! task shall not alIude to the gratitude we owe to
God for life and ali its concomi!ant blessings, nor
| for the admirable adoption Of all Things to our
| happiness and convenience. But it is my wish
| to briefly sketch the American history, and show
our wonderful prosperity, under the guidance of
| n benevolent Providence.
Although am far from believing the doctrine
that makes man an automaton, acting as he is act
| ed upon; yet, wien | take Il proper view of the
| history of mankind, in wonder and admiration
| | eXclaim, how insCfutabIe is the wisdom Of Pro-
| vldence. and his ways past finding out, and can
| como TO no other conclusion than that Omn!polence
by immutabIe laws promotes the happiness Of his
| creatures.
| And if we will follow that bold and onterprising
seaman, Columbus, from the shores of the eastern
! Hemisphere through pathess and unknown
ocean, recount the perils and difficulties that he
encountered while his tottering barques rode the
| laundering surge, and popghcd the raging pillows
Of turbulent sea and The important consequen-
ces that have issued from the success of that me-
mOrabe voyage, we must conclude that something
more than human agency requisite to accom-
plish an event fraught with so mnch Importance
and danger. There is nothing connected with the
discovery Of America that fills the mind of a phi,
losOphic contempiator with so much admiration 5
the particular crisis of the event, and in order to
properly understand the Importance Of the period
It will be necessary to atteutivey consider the his
tory of mankind from the overthrow of tho Ro.
man Empire until the present time. From that
period until the dawn Of the reformation nothing
characterises the history Of man but bigotry and
superstition, ignorance and despotism, which
spread their dark manNes over the face Of
the earth, and in the plenitude of their
power corrupted the moral and political world
with their poisoned darts, debased and leveled
man with the beasts O! the forests, deluCed the
earth with human blood, rent in pieces ancient
dvnasties and spread destruction and misery far
and wide; and with spectral vsages debased chris
tianity. Profaned the temples Of God and porsccu-
ted the true worshippers of Christ with a vndic-
uveness unknown 10 the most savage monster.
And to fill the cup of human misery. Popery raised
its monsrous head and like an evil genius s:aIked
through the land and added her pondrous weight
| to the burthens of human aftlictou already in
SuPPortable.
| Hence all obedience bows to these alone
And talents sink, and merit weeps unknown"
y
| deverance, the thunderbots of vengeance begin
to awaken a sumbering world from lis torpidlty,
an outraged people with lugubrious wailing begins
20 clamor for their privileges the dark ages gives
place 10 the revival of letters, the world is in COM
motion, reaction takes place, the reformation is
on the wings of the wind and America is disco
vered.
| Fortunately for mankind the discovery of Ame
rica happened at period when the moral and po-
tical fabrics of Europe were convulsed by the
extraordinary eXertions that made to free
! them OF tyranny, superstition, and religious into
erance. America, unlike many other new ccun-
tries, was not settled by robbers, cut-hroos, OK
lies, outlaws, or convicts; but on the contrary,
by the martyrs of religion and votaries Of liberty
who torsook their native land and the bones of
their anceslors-sought refuge from the unfeelng
hands of tyranny and intolerance in an un.
cultivated wilderness, and who brought with them
that spirit of Independence that had caused them
to leave the land Of their fathers, and which eau
| sed the thirteen colonies 10 resist with so much
honor the unwarrantable encroachments of the
British government and ultimately 10 establish
their independence.
! 10 these circumstances we indebted for our
present greatness and that sincere and devoted at.