New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-01
SERMON BIZ THE REV. II. W. BEECHER

Thee are The worde OF that most uncmcrs,Se ot ~
| The wac men Of the OH Testament dspeasa'i,n-
Isaiah wss superior in divine Imagination and lore
SIGHT David was the warrior, and matchloss 10 pa
Ties Of sacred song SolOrnOo surpassed in bsrosris
macnifoence. and exceiled in the oriental vision 81
philosophy. Bat for creative and organising power.
for piosouud and versatile Prccffcai wiston for An
administrative geDirs which was surprising
ing TIE greatest deeds with the smallest means-nons
stood in the whole catalogue Of ancient wortAsa.hy
the si0e or anywhere near the level OF McseS
These are his words. Deuteronomy Is q book ofrs-
bearsal II is the last viii and testament Of Moses-
1t bequeshes to the Israeltes all the sum OF his 90
mulated experience: i, recspitulaes their history;
il sketches their civil and religious Institutions: Il
expOunds the relation which their national prosperity
snsains to certain elementary principles OF relisisa
and Institution and il points out the summary das-
gers which would betide their future history. In
any respects, the Book OF Deuteronomy was 10 the
Hebrew what wsshineton's Farewell Address is b
the American people. In the passage which We have
rpsd, he warns them with august soemaity and eafa
estbess against the very central danger. via: the
ruption of moral and civil virtue through unboanded
ph, seal prosperity
This ia the danger OF every people Sisgls iudi.
yiduals there are, and family groups, that may 10
lifted up through eli grades OF material prosperity Asz
vet maintain modest virtues aod en'aent mcrs
out very serious risks. Our nation certainly csnsos
While the various composition OF our poopie-nsas
up Ct thr.sos from every national fleece on earta-
will by. arG-by give enormous power; yet whils nc
process vi mlDgling Is going on u sayecn
" Ia very great perils Our very head
srone enterprise, our indomitsbie courage, our
uhbounded rcsources, our supple elasticity, which
springs Up again and again sites ana defeat,
without being weakened or discoursged--the extra
ordinsry liberty accredited to each department. %
hfe ard TO indiyidaals--sll these, while they are
many OF power equally sources OF extrems
peril and peril in the very respect in which Moses
" arned Israel with his latest and inspired warn
irgs. Beware that We forget not God Beware that
We forget not your own bisory-these principles and
institutions that have given you national life Ia such
marked contrast of superiority to any other nstisu.
These sounding words might come down across fosr
thousand silent years. and break upon this nation
with even more force and necessity than when tsey
fell upon the Hebrew crowd waiting beyond tho Jor-
dan Tor liberty TO enter the promised land In day
of Thanksgiving, IL is always fit to review the argu
ments of gratitude that exist in the continuance OF
nature the mupcsnce of the seasons, in the maints-
rance religion the prevalence peace Of the gensr
al absence Of suffering tits well to view our person
al history Gods dealings with families, and with
our individual affairs, and no man. unless greatly hard
ened viii fail to find much for grateful mention. Even
Death that seems to extingush all lights, kiBdles
g bit for afar Off which, though nay not catch
when our eyes full Of tears at last elimo,ers
and grows brighter and brighter set far up above the
~ ach of Darkness in the very gate OF heaven. Aud
rtveIses that affairs into heaps seldom ran
sack u.s. 80 that IL and reasonable We do not hnd
food both for profit and for great comfort But L
shall not dwell upon these themes today. wish 70
take higher fight l wish TO regard our prosperity
a. depending upon certain Proyidential dealings
with this people, which are not very ap. to DO ooa-
sidered as things for Thanksgiving.
We are in the mdtt OF general commercial disaster
We are amid failures OF firms, crashing Of moneyed
institutions, rerenchment OF credit the check 81
labor, paralysis Of fear the boarding OF money ~
those who have it, ana the smarting for want oil noy
4. Mo- ff.aA Ia
Gaze the evils which lurk in the body and blood Of
business are breaking out Cashiers are deiauitlnRs
Presidents of moneyed companies are worse tnan
bsnkrupts-thoy are swtnolers ana tug.nVes-vss
fumes are exploding, and men on every side are fau
OF trembling, not knowing who will go on next
Every house fears tkat mine may have been dug an
der H. Butt should he remembered that all these seem
ing dishonestes are not signs that men no~ an " once
ere 80 desperate and eybUt only mat coursesot as
hones,y which in prosperity arc ssie ana allowed.
are brought 10 the test, and mace 10 Dear uie use
fruits times OF pinch and crash. scores oil men
might have retired three years ago, men, unspctted
ana unexpected Of the very methods which now
have oyerWhelme them with disgrace. Men have
not become dishonest, but the times are more
sharply detective Of dishonesties. But, besides THIS
commercial pressure, we have for series OF years.
but especially for the last years. been severely tried
by the agitsti0ns Of the Slavery question. AT times
| the heavens seemed shut and God hidden. To men
who no good except IN the abundance OF wealth,
and who asked for peace that they might coin IT, into
cold this cor nual discussion, bringing up from the
South the bot breath, Of fiery furnace and which
seemed 10 sweep over the land ike hot and wither
| ing srocco was deadly evil, and an omen OF de-
stfuciion To me IL Is an argument for Thanksgiving
That may the better carry Jour convictions and
sympathes with me, let me first speak Of our dangers.
that may what relation of remedy these things
bave We are not in national danger from
sdyersaries without. The interests Of foreign
LatiOns are in our prosperity and independence
Bot we have little 10 fear, even should they unite
fleets, ard ally armies til the one bndged me ocean
| IL o.h, aaf he
are In danger Of supernbundaat prosperity. The Ia
cility Of wealth, Of physical power, are such a. to
Gre every class from the top TO the bottom OF society
The movement for mems worldly prospects II like
tide yaye-nO lik thin threa led streams In meadows
his merely worldly prosperity esger, full OF rival
ries-Of red.hot competitions, drives on msa &C
prodieous rate. Our affairs never go atoot They
al take steam for the most part, on the lightning
express with ten foot drivng-wheels. Our dangers
are not that shail Dot make enough, make Is Fast
enough, keep il long enough-our nation u growing
rank weeds by the Nile. ovef-growtb, unnpe
growth damaging growth Is our danger. Prosperity
b the lien that lies ceaed in our path waiting Tor
victim Profuse abundance is the serpent that
sends it's srony serpents through the grass which
our feet tread Pride and heughtiness are the vuures
that Nv high up IN air in wide circles, waiting tor
quarry on which 10 pounce with lightning like swoop'
The first way in which danger Will take hold viii be
10 make the nation feel and believe that its pros
perty lies, not in iu principles and virtues pat IN It's
dusty and enterprise. Then religion viii become
tradtonary, and only skin and enterprise viii be
worsbipped. Inevitable upon that will be the sacri-
fee of integriyof manly virtue Of religious scru-
Pies in business sfairs whenever they seem 70 re-
strain or stand in tie path Of progress. In
short that which our text warns Is just our danger
Now, because such are our dangers, sm today
copstrared TO give thanks for the very things vhcn
make 20 many OF you smart and sting fear and suffer,
viz: the hand Of God reigning in your Unbounded
physical prosperity. IN 81 ,hat Pensns h % true
your pyide and il will do 10 hurt there. Your dangers
! for Humility ere not great. The very suherngs airs
.nlnfnrH Ilcf AZ d the father Of victory You VIII