Smyrna times., 1861-07-11
S p E E C. I'll
Delivered July 4th, 1861, at the Gel
ebration in Smyrna, by
REV. WIN, BISHOP.
Friends and Fellor Citixens

1t ls with mingled emotions that we appear
before you on this anniversary oTour Nations
Iudepsndence-a day of momentous events,
which will stand out prominently on the page
Of history. Wo look back to Seventy sir and
contemplate the patriotism of our Fathers with
feelings OF pride; but, "These times nip us.
and we hang the head as flowers with frost,
or grass bent down with storms"
Yet the history OF the past illumnes the dark
ness of the present. aud inspires US with hope
in reference to the future. Hence we are
here assembled amid the light of day, under
the bread canopy of heaven, in honor Of prin-
ciples sublime and as free as air, which, COM
ing over fertile fields and and opening flowers,
fans US with its fragrance. Aye, we are here
in limitation of our Fathers, ready, like them,
we trust, if needs be, to "stake our lives. our
fortunes and our sacred honor" in the great
cause of Liberty--of Constitutional liberty, the
legacy Of our sires, and the tOorld's last hope
Of human freedom! And shall this hope ex.
pre-, and it's golden rays go out in darkness!
in anarchy and death! Shall liberty, the
true bond of law; the social soul of property;
the breath of reason; the life Of life itself''-
shall liberty, celestial boon, die as thing of
naught! aud the deadly conflict of Truth and
Error end in the final triumph of the latter?
Heaven forbid Patriots forbid and let Truth
prevail in the transmission OF your freedom to
| your Children -
when liberty is lost,
| Let abject towards live; but in the brave
| 1t were treachery to themselves, enough
| TO merit chains"
| THEME-THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TRUTH AND
| ERROR.
Long and fesrful has this conflict been, and
in it the mighty both of men aud nations have
fallen and their relics lie scattered all along
the shores of time, as monuments TO the mem
! ory, embalmed in noble deeds.
Go, 10 Fams's proud monument rspair,-
! The tardy pile, slow rising there,
| With tongueless eloquence shall tell
! OF them who for Truths triumph fell"
Truth and error-ihe symbols Of liberty and
tyranny-are antsgonstc principles, and the
conflict between them is often the subject of in
sPired comment. Il, doubtless. was intended
by the en,nity originally put between the seed
Of the woman and that Of the serpent, for this
conflict began 10 Paradise, and that it has con-
tinued. almost without intsrmisson, down to
the present, will readily appear five but glance
at q few of the more important events in the
history of the world.
: Looking, then, at its earliest development
what was the emptation Of our first parents
but a deadly conflict between truth and error
liberty and tyranny The former had reign.
ed ia all the quiet loveliness of Eden, and re-
hected the light of life 10 a sinless world, but
the latter. Invading it's rightful possession, tri
umphed over its hopes, and blasted it's scene Of
bliss. But the promise of the woman's mighty
Conqusror terminated Truth, and the conflict
was renewed, as seen in the case Of Cain anG
Abel. Error again triumph, and reveled al
most unmolested amid the dark scenes Of sin
cursed earth. until the days Of righteous Noah
in whica Truth found devoted champion, anC
BY whom it condemned the world, for ih'
wickednsss Of man was great"
Again the conflict between these nntagonis
tic principles appeared in the case of Abraham
and Lot, and the inhabitants of the cities Q
e the plain and still more fully and s,rikingl
a in the strugglings of the Israelites, for fOu
hundred aud twenty years, to throw off th
yoke of Egyptian tyranny. Here Truth, er
- listing the agencies Of nature and Providence
and, causing the very elements TO sUspen
their laws, finally trinmphed gloriously--leaC
!, ing forth the oppressed from the scene of bono
age to their own promised inheritance"
land flowing with milk and honey" And frO
that period Truth not only animated III
priests at the altar, and gave life and cficac
to the whole Jewish system, bot it occasional j
went out into the Hesthen world, and sheddin
ed it's light 10 the schools Of science, it combatIs
Error in the forms of ignorance and idolatr
- and -" won its widening way" until it's inca
nation in the person of the long-expectsd Me
siah, who, prOclaiming his pure democracy,
the great Libsrator Of our race, exhibited
the gaze OF our aston;shed world the glory
ssll its lifs-giving Powsr--breaking the grasp al
overiurning the habitations Of despotism, aI
enlishtening and sleVsting society upon d
I.1. %. grand platform Of freedom. And now Ere
willy as the arch hend, came forth armed wi
prejudice malignant aud relentless; but Trui
- rising resplendeOtIy 10 the teachings Of Chr
ss its own embodiment; cast the light of
.,o- Immortality athwarI the moral gloom Pr
,Ins found" and proclaimed its heavsn.inspir
ing prinsiplss. until, in its triumphant sway.
also @ sounded III the very palace of the Cesars-cc
apt. founded tie Roman and Grecisn PhilOsophs
A.. and hushing the orseles, and overturBing I
BY mOssgrown fabrics Of Psgsnism-srous
>. >. kings from their thrones TO do il homage.
eap Yet, ths fearful conflict was snotsndsd.
sqs dark ages came and stepped ihs world 10 Grin
Aii4 - 3AAat ~ 8stsH