The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-07-08

When God enjoined upon the people of Israel
the annual celebration OF the Passover, He
had in view, not only their religious culture
but their National unity and thrift.
AS religious anniversary, it was vastly
significant. 1t pointed away more than a
thousand years into the future, to those great
events in the history of our world, the advent
of Christ, the scenes of Calvary, and the re-
demption of the race. As national festival
it was TO point backward totheir release from
Egyptian bondage, the eraof their national
existence. As they yearly celebrated it, the
entire nation were called to review the circum-
stances of their common origin, the events OF
their common history, and their obligations
to Him, who divided for them the watear Of
the Red Sea, who sustained them III the will
derness, and finally established them in Judea
privileged and a peculiar people To their
strict observance of this celebration, they owe
under God, their strange unity us a people,
even now, though thousands of years have
passed away since Jerusalem was sacked by
the Gentiles.
To the devout and patriotic Hebrew, the Pass
over was replete with such ancestral memories
and sacred associations as thrill the heart, and
reach the inner life, inspiring devotion to
country, and to God that no persecution could
quench. 1t gave them hope and fortitude, and
valor and faith in the darkest hour of trial,
and nerved them to action, when all other APP
peals left them cold and passionless
AS they annually rehearsed the story of their
deliveranee, they renewedly avowed their adj
herence to the faith of their fathers and If re-
ligion or patriotism had become inert and for
NAL, both were kindled anew, as the smoke of
their annual sacrifice went up from myriad al
tars all over the land
This was to be no sectional or transient COM
memoration, for said JEHOVAH; "All the con-
gregation of Israel shall keep it," and "ye shall
shall observe this thing for an ordinane TO thee
and thy sons forever" The philosophic his
torian can find in this ordinance, bond of
nationality, Il at has resisted the dissolving
touch of time for thousands of years, and made
the Jewss standing miracle among the fading
nations of the Earth.
There is, fellow citizens, marked analogy
between the Hebrew Commonwealth, in its
early history, in its trials in the wilderness, in
its civil polity, and our own loved Republic.
Both were the subjects of stern oppression,
both were evidently favored of God in their
rel ease and thralldom,C both have their fields
of heroic achievement, both their Red Sea- their
Moses, their Sanhedrim, and their national
Passovea. And if the Jew turned away from
his sacrifice to recount to his children the
meaning of this sacred jubilee, and endeavored
to inspire in his posterity, gratitude to God,
hatred to oppression, patriotic resolves, and
high moral purposes; and if his teachings were
as impressive and efficient as we have indica-
ted, we may well emulate his zeal, and make
this anniversary of our Nations BIRTH replete
with substantial good for ourselves and chill
dren.
1t is true, no audible voice from Heaven has
ces are scarcely less imperative in the sugges.
ton. The instincts of our higher nature as the
defendants of a noble parentage; the dictates of
reverence and gratitude for those who gave us
inheritance achieved by their hcroism and
scaled by their blood all conjuresus to remem-
Der how our fathers regarded human liberty,
freedom of conscience, and all the great princi-
Piles involved in the conflict of the Revolution,
As we drift farther and farther from those
eventful times, we are in danger of forgetting
not only their sufferings and self denial but the
great thoughts and purposes that swelled their
hearts, and made their lives an offering on the
altar of Liberty.
But this day was instituted to turn back our
thoughts to that time, when darkness that
could be felt, brooded over our American Is
rael-when Pharaoh was behind us, and the
Red Sea before us-and when Gods merciful
providences like pillar of cloud by day, and
a pillar of fire by night, moved in majesty be-
fore u.s. Such memories should create within
us devout gratitude, sterling patriotism, self
respect, magnanimity and every civic virtue.
1t should give sacredness and dignity to our
national festival and lead every citizen earnest
iy to inquire what he can do for his country
how he can best guard her constitutional lib
critics and give stability to her institutions. And
surely, there is no one so poor, that he cannot
afford the best offering that we can personally
make to our country and that is to exemplify
in all the relations of life the virtues of spot
less, public spirited citizenship. 1t is a happy
omen, that within few years, the day has be-
come more practically devoted to patriotic en-
terprises. Philanthropic associations have
made it their anniversary. The corner stones
of some of the most imposing monuments ever
devised on this continent to perpetuate the
memory of great conflicts, and hallow the
names of our Revolutionary heroes, have been
laid on this day. And all this is well; we
would have them dedicated to the great inter-
ests of human liberty, when the public in con-
templating its principles and its cost, and while
the pulse of the nation is beating strong with
generous enthusiasm. With equal propriety,
Educational Institutions have made it a day
to !" lengthen their cords and strengthen their
stakes" And why should they not, since pop
ular education is so inseparably connected