Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-12-04
THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. 81, 1851.
Thanksgiving Day.
A LAY SERMON BY THE EDITOR.

sve language of the Royal Psamist at the close oil the
year. when the harvest ripe and all the temporal
blessings Of Heaven clustering thick around him.
When plenty covered the land and the eyes of the people
stuck out with atness In the uness of his heart he
reoiced that his lines had fallen in pleasant places and
he had goodly heritage. He the King of Israel,
Gods peculiar and chosen people. They rejOiced in
the day of their prosperity and rendered thanks to the
Most High for their temporal well their spiritual
blessings If they shouted for joy and sung in the full
Of their hearts, how much dear reader ought
to rejoice and give thanks that lines have fallen
IN pleasant places and that have goody heritagel
With him might say, ''Thou crowncst the year with
Thy goodness, and Thy paths drop latness"
This day has been set apart by the Chief Magistrate Of
State day of Thanksgiving and prayer. day
of gladness and rejoicing. We hope readers will
do as we intend to do-suspend all manual labor,
all secular concerns rejoice in the fullness of their
souls at the evidences of happiness and prosperity which
meet us all sides This is not day Of fasting but of
ieasting day for roast turkeys and punkn pies-we
hate the word pumpkin
We believe In the interposition Of Divine Providence
The doctrine is taught us by the Bblet is proclaimed
in the works of creation all around With this be-
lief we declare our firm conviction that this is Gods
country and we are Gods chosen people. Our lines
have truly fallen in pleasant places and have good
y heritage. Therefore let gratitude rise like IN
cense to Heaven and let that noble and inspired princ
pie burn like flame within Gratitude IS the offer
ing due-indivdual gratitude ard nations gratitude
The real spontaneous outpouring of the finer sympahles
and affections of the heart. We look the prosperity
of the past and hearts swell with the bright antici
patons for the future.
During the past year the eeming earth has yielded
abundant harvest The and the sunshine has not
been withheld Thrift has followed enterprise We
have enough and to spare. Plenty is IN our midst
Want and perjury is unknown in the land. Every
department Of business has hourished, our people
are contented and happy. They love their country
and its institutions. Could wildly contrast our
prosperous and happy condition with the miserable down.
trodden and starving population of the old world under
their bIoated and fostering systems of government,
hearts would swell with high emotion to the Author Of
every good and perfect gift. Hero we have establish
ed church, every one worships God his conscience
enlightened by His Word dictates, whether in city full
or country wide. All are free and unrestrained
Our growth and expansion as a nation has been
vellous From thirteen small colonies have in
less than seventy years to thirty independent States and
three Territories all encrcled by the clustering
stars and wrapped in the folds of the national
aag-our domnions extend from Ocean to Ocean. The
of glory rising in the blue expanse of the At
ntc sinks to rest in the mild calm bosom Of the broad
Pacific; and the Islands Of the stretching
forth their hands for protection Millions this day
ioice in freedoms wide land, where little while ago
hundreds fought for freedoms We changed
as the tiny infant is changed to the full grown man.
the slender sapIing that bends before the breeze is
changed the mighty forest tree that dehes the riding
storm. Still we are the same people. The stars are
n
covers u.s. The same ensign that oated over the battle
fields of the Revolution in the days infancy
known and respected in the distant parts Of
the globe-and shall rejoice that it is sol
''oh, God it is goody sight
What Heaven hath dene for this delicious land,
What fruits of fragrance blush every tree,
What goodly prospects DER the hills expand"
This has been an eventul year in national history
Twelve months ago, although the dark cloud which
hung political horizon had passed by and the
bow of promise dmly in the distance yet the
that continue after the winds have ulcd rolled
with an angry and heavy swell The pcrmanency and
the value of the Union has been gravely debated The
holy compact, formed by patriotic fathers has been
wantonly assailed. DIsunion,-a word which in the
better and purer days Of the Republic would have fallen
with chilling effect the car has been handed about
familiar thing. Many who approached the yawn-
ing pracipce before they saw the dangers Of the dark
and hidden guif, have rushed back the standard o
their whole country ready their oath Of fealty
the Constitution and the Union. The people have
triumphed The enemies Of the Union both North and
South, scattered like chaf before the winds. The
ordeal is passed. and the Union is safe for which
ought this day devouty thank the Great Ruler
of the Universe who has led nation up greatness
and glory To preserve that Union, my friends, you
preserve the Constitution and the rights Of
citizen. 1t is the ark Of political salvation, the
rock of safety Founded on mutual concession and
generous orbearance the North gave up and the South
held back and he. who with sacregous hands hy-
pocriticaly looking to higher law would tear away
that glorious principle of concession and compromise,
TRAITOR, and deserves a traitors doom. He who
talks of and eastern of northern and southern
policy, has a narrow mind and a soul. He is a
dangerous counsellor. There was no North no South
when the patriot fathers of the country around the
council fires Of freedom. Their hearts and their minds
embraced the whole Union. They looked down the
long vista Of time and the oppressed of every
ton hocking to shores, q home and an asylum.
Washington and Green fought for their whole country
The of Massachusetts, died for South and their
bones moulder and minge with the sands Of Caro-
lima. 81 Who 2" asks of most gifted divines,
that would first divide the graves OF fathers and
then stain them with the blood Of our children Bad
men may rise up who with impous hands wonId tear
down this Republic, bat our trust is in God and the
people. Northern and southern factionists may
threaten the fair fobric, bat their puny hands
shake its mighty pillars long the patriotic masses
stand ready for its defence
Crowned with blessings innumerabe, let us 90 on to