The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-23
THANKSGIVING SERMON:

"hnH be left AT the
aao l-. pea LOT IN - advance. October !. lsoO.
THANKSGIVING SERMON:
by REV. J. H. LINEBAUeH, Rector Of ST. James
Church, Baton Rouge
msjesty for ali ihst is in the heaven, and in the earth,
ashead all Boh riches and honor come Of hes and
anon M eghsst over M and in thine hand power and might
nn.S az now, therefore, our God, we thank tee, ant
IL isa moral spectacle of the greatest conceivable
snbiimiiy, to witness the heart of nation bowiDp
IN humility before the God of all the earth, render
ing unto mis- name and attributes the devotion which
is due them-pourng forth, in thanksgiving and
pralse, the gratitude and love due his great aud
ab'lndant nercies.
To witness, at the simple suggestion of the Chic
Magistrate of the State, labor of every description
suspended, government closing its Offices, com
merce suspending her speculatiODs, the professions
their cares, agriculture in abors, and the trade,
their toils-to witness the suspension of pickering
and strife the collisions of interest and ambition
the surrender of pleaaure's call and engagements
and the universal repairing to the sanctuary of the
Most High, for the purpose of paying Him the rev
erance due his Holy and Eternal Name-is scene
without parallel in the history of nations-is q
scene uneclpsed for spendor by any Of the gorgeous
displays of a nations power or nations greatness
1t lie an oblation, not compelled by the sceptrp
of power, or the terror of law, in those govern
meDts where the ruler is supreme, and religion is
established, but voluntary and spontaneous pro
ceeding from the heart, ascending as incense from
the affairs of unfettered conscience, and untram
meled faith the offering of enlightened reason
the holocaust of an uncompeed gratitude to Hin
who ent'roned in glory and spender in heaven, is
the source of all goO1ness, wisdom and power the
benefcent Ruler and Governor Of the interests and
destinies of nations, as of individuals 1t is tr
bnie and spectacle which swells the heart with
emotion, to its greatest capacity, to contemplate
and which, II the powers in heaven are permitted
10 indulge IN emotion approximating to human
cannot but be beheld witn pleasure by God and
his holy angels. 1t demonstrates that God sits en-
throned IN the hearts Of his people, that he ia
cogniZed as the source of all power and authority
that from the treasures Of his goodness and proyi
dence, not from the might and strength, aud intel
iigence Of man, spring nations prosp Gritty, ma
tons greatness, and nations glory.
Ii demonstrates that God has the allegiance, moi
SIMPLY political and social, of his creatures, but the
allegiance still more endeatlng in his eyes, of affec
ton; that he is Recognized in his tender relation
as parent, exhibiting the interest and sympathy
love and kindness towards those who are relaiet
to him az children.
The Executive, in the proclamation which ron.
venes us together to-day in the House of God, as 3
nation, which, we may be permitted to say, with
ont intending TO ilatter, does honor to the hear
WHICH cOhctlNeu ana promulgated II, speaks moi
simply his own sentiments, but reflects the sent
ments of the State, whose sovereignty he repre-
sen's.
The language of that document is the Language
of the heart of Louisiana. The Executive, in Civ
ing utterance to it, has but given a tongue to tht
wishes and feelings of her people. Along he
noble rivers, and through her beautiful and limi,
less valleys, will rise this day, as from common
altar, the spontaneous devotion of q freq prosper
Gus, and happy ? r,ople, to Him from whom they
have received their freedom, their prosperity the
happiness. 1t augurs well for the pcrmarency
our institutions. God never forsakts people unit
they forsake him. As long as they retain ihei
allegiance to Him faithful and unbroken, so Ions
Will they receive his protection. So long as they
recognize his power and right to rule his goodness
and wisdom in ruling, reverencing his government
and respecting his authority, observing his laws
and walking in his commandments, uphodinl
truth and maintaining right, avoiding evil, es
chewing oppression and wrong. in all their form
OF injury and Injustice; maintaining and uphold
ing the purposes and aims of society, in all thei
original purity and integrity; so long shall the,
share his love- goodness, and benefcance so lon,
shall they enjoy his smiles in abundance, in pros
peIty, in happiness; they shall attain the highes
degree OF physical comfort, in the abundance O
earth's productions and in the highest degree q
social happiness, in moral and intellectual pro
gress, in civil and political strength and security
Where, we ask, is the nation which has heen for
saken of God, that did not first forsaks him
Is it in times ancient or modern Assyria an
Persia, and Macedon and Roms rose to the sum
init of power and greatness, but fell as suddenl
as they arose. When was it that Israel was de
serted of her God Was it in the DAYS of piou
David, who, with all his personal faults and fol
lies, and vices and crimes, great and numerous a
they were, never forgot his allegiance to God
never ceased to be the man after Gods own hear
in that hs had respect for his character. an
always maintained his government and worship
"a
who, tempted by the prosperity Of the State, forge
God, and substituted other allegiance, and othe
reverence, and other worship for His then it wa
that Israel was rent in twain by division, and he
children were carried into captivity and the Ian
left to desolation; then it was that jeremiah e.
claimed in bitterness of soul, How doth the cit
sit solitary, that full Of people, how is she b.
come as widow she that was great among II
nations, and princess among the provinces ; how
she become tributary" And let modern natioI
learn lesson from France. When was she fo
saken of God In the days of good King Hem
the 4th, the best man who ever sat upon the throl
of France, or in .te days of his more brilliant al
less virtuous successor and kinsman, Louis Il
l4th! No, but in the day when Atheism W
triumphant, IN the day when the existence of Gt
was denied, when his providence was discarde
when his truth was declared by public authori
to be u lie; when D'Alembert and Dderot, ar
Rousseau and Voltaire taught Atheism, the n
ilohai Assembly declared it, and Danton and M
rat, and Robespierre acted it then it was tn
God withdrew his spirit from France, and left h
to the curse of selfdesolation; left her to feed al
fatten upon her own vitals, and upon her own ii
blood, until the vilals were consumed, and the i
blood exhausted. "Open," says Lamsrtine, SO
annals, and listen to the last words of the gre
political actors Of the drama of our revolution. o
would think that God was eciipsed from the so
that his name was unknown in the language. FL
tory will have the air of an Atheist, when she
counts to poslerity those annihilations rather tn
deaths of celebrated men in intellectually ,
greatest year of France. Approach" says
the dungeon door of the Girondins, their |
night is a banquet, the only hymn the Marsellais
The history of Israel's dismemherment and CT
tivity, and frances bloody desolation, is the w
ten history of every nation that forsakes Go
while prosperity and happiness are the sure, unfi
ing possession and inheritance of those nat
who respect and reverence and obey Him
May il be Louisinna's continual glory that
respects and reveres Him, from whom she recei
her existence and happiness. May she, upon
occasions similar to the present, respond TO
pious sentiments Of her Executive, as expressed
his proclamation, promptly and warmly, by rep,
ing 10 Gods sanciuaries in the land, and offer
to Him with grateful hearts the service and re,