The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-12-29
THANKSGIVING SERMON,
Delivered IN the First Presbyterian ChancA, o
the 10th Of December, 1855, by Rec. M

AAAAAN 0S0A A6S0 S1hAON3
5 Delivered in the First Presbyterian Church, o.
: the 10th Of December, 1855, by Rec. III,
RIHEEDAFFER.
Psalm SO. verse -. Blessed s the nation whose Coz
Is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen
his own Inheritance.
These words are an inference which tn,
Psalmist draws from the considerations con
tanned in the preceding verses, i. e. that ht
is God of truth, faithfulness and mercy
That he is God omnipotent, because hi
has created all things by the word of hi
power. And lastly, that he is the Governor
of the world. That whatever may be the
designs Of man, and the enterprises of ths
nations, God will overturn them for the &C.
complishment of his own purposes in refer.
ence to the nations of the world. "The
Lord bringeth the counsels of the heather
to nought; he maketh the devices of the peo-
pie of none effect" Or, as we may read it
"Jehovah has annulled the counsel of the
nations; he has frustrated the plans of the
people," The counsels of Jehovah to eternity
shall stand the thoughts of his heart to
generation and generation. Therefore, a
God of such truth, faithfulness and mercy,
possessed of an absolute power over all ma
tions, and sitting as Governor among them
for the accomplishment of his designs, can
accomplish all his will-protect and exalt
his chosen people. In such God they had
a strong refuge from all their enemies.-
Therefore, "Blessed is that people whose
God is Jehovah" The other nations had
their Gods, but they were dumb idols, the
work of mems hands, or they had the hosts
of heaven, or objects, in the world of nature.
Be what they might, they could neither hear
| \
the statesman, power to the soldier, good
laws to the people, nor foresee coming events.
They were all of them vanity and lie; and
Paul gives us q true description of them
when he says, Gan idol is nothing in the
world" This then, was the distinguishing
characteristic of Israel, their greatest and
most comprehensive blessedness, that Jeho-
yah the only God in the universe, was their
God.
1t is as true on this day of thanksgiving,
in these ends of the earth, as it was when
the choir of Israel sung it in the ears of an
assembled nation. Blessed is that people
whose God is the Lord. If we on this day
have any one thing to bless God for, more
than another, it is that he is profess edly ac-
knowledged to be the God of this nation. It
is that the institutions of our country were
laid upon religious basis. 1t was men of
God seeking a refuge from oppression that
were blown upon these shores, Just where
God would have them to begin the construc-
tion of this mighty arch of states that is
soon to span continent, sprinoing from the
Atlantic on the east, to the Pacific on the
west. Our own future state shall be the
keystone.
They sought home for religion, as we'll
as home fer their children. Loving God
as wise men, they knew we'll that home
without religion was not suitable home for
man. That cities without churches, would
! grow into other Sodoms and that national
prosperity without the fear of God was not
to be expected. Therefore, our fathers left
the religious impress of their own earnest
souls upon the constitution and laws of this
| republic. If the glory Of God does not blaze
| forth from the fabric of these states as it
rises, and if it does not crown and conse-
secrate it when finished, coming generations
who may dig up our history from the ruins
Of departed greatness, will find the name of
God deeply and reverently engraved on ev-
cry foundation stone.
Christians, men of God, wise statesmen,
and all who desire the blessing contained in
in my text, are called upon to take part in
this great question. Shall our nation-the
mighty fabric of civil and religions institu-
tions, which is fast rising before an admiring
world, be inscribed with symbols of eternal
truth "Holiness to the Lord" or shall the
eagle spread his pinions alone over monu-
ment of human ambition? That question
will be settled by the choice we make of a
God. If Jehovah be our God, then not only
we, but all who come after us, shall be a
blessed people. The instrumentalities which
are to bring about this choice, are at work
1t is matter of thanksgiving this day, that
Notwithstanding all the sin and infdelity
that finds home among US, yet the church
of God is at work, and as the great tide o1
emigration rolls forward wave after wave
crested by the institutions Of an enlightened
and partly religious people, we find the
church Of the living God among these insti-
tutions. Let no man fear for the great west
as long as he can see in every village and
settlement the church and the school. Let
the east pour in its food, and the nations
beyond the seas their mighty streams of en-
igrants. We trust in our God that these in
struments of civilization, will mould the fused
mass into one consistent united happy peo-
pie.
| God delights in the multitude of his chill
dren, and that in proportion to their obe-
uiCuCC. w uIlC We uOuOI ulIu we are SdIc.-
While the words of eternal truth continue to
be the model of our laws and our constitu-
tions, we need not fear. With God on our
side we are more than the whole world would
be against us.
1t becomes then the duty of every citizen
not for himself alone, but Tor our land, so to
live and labor and pray that God may be
the God of this people from generation to
generation. 1t becomes US ever to exalt to
places Of power, and influence men who have
the fear of God before their eyes. Men who
if they be not religious, yet believe the truth
and have arrived at least to an intellectual
appreciation of the necessities for religion
and an acknowledgement Of the true God.
!, We are not nation of inffdels. We stand
before the world christian nation, and
pledged to perform great work in bringing
in that Golden age of peace and righteous
ness, when nation shall not lift up sword
against nation. When truth, justice, and
righteousness, shall abolish wrong and op-
preston. When humanity shall be respect
ed because it wears the image of God.
make no apology for the prominence
have given to the church in this discourse
believing as do, that to the church Of Chris
every city, every state, and every natior
must be indebted for their prosperity. re-
gard its existence as the first and principle
subject for thankfulness.
) Blessed is that people whose God is th.
Lord. Blessed is that people whose cities
and villages whose hill-tops and Valleys
bristle with church spires; whose sabbath,
are hailed bv the Ginning of church hell