Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-11
rhanksgiv,ne Dlseonrse.

q large and attentive congregation in TChrist
Church (Episcopal) in this city; on which occa-
sion after the celebration Of divine service BY the
Bishop Of the diocese. assisted by the Right Rev.
Bishop Talbot, the late Rector Of the Parish. the
former addressed the congregation follows;
The Right Rev. BishoP'U Uphold aid
MI BRrrHRES; having been une, pectedly call
ed upon 20 oficiate in the place of your respected
pastor, who is absent from the city; instead of a
formal discourse, shall confine myself TO some
general practical remarks touching the occasion.
and the duty, which have brought US together To-
day in this house of God. - ee7s'r
Ishas been minated in certain quarters;--the
morbid and mistaken feeling, trust, is not
shared by any Of y0u;--that NE have little or
nothing TO be thankful for at this time, and that
aday of humiliation would be more appropriate,
and more in keeping with the present crisis in
our national affairs, than day of thanksgiving.
During the current year, on two several occa-
SONS, the American people have been called by
the highest constituted authority of the country,
to exercise humiliation, fasting and prayer; in
which the sublime moral spectacle of nation
humbling itself at once under the chastisement
of just and holy God, the Almighty Ruler of
nations, was presented; and acts of humiliation
and penitence publicly offered, and comics
sions OF national sins, and depreciation of nation
al judgments, assembled, and as we trust from de-
vout hearts, from one end of the land TO the
other, unto the throne Of the Majesty on High.
The purpose was propitatory, and the effect,
doubtless, in proportion to the earnestness and
sincerity of the offering. has been so. God,
whom as a nation, we had previously and justly
offended hath arrested His arm stretched forth To
punish; hath heard and answered our depreca-
tons aOd applications; hath, as we have pray
ell "taken. the cause into His own bands in this
of 18th
with blessings, undescribed vet Astounding. For
this, which amid the calamities which still sur
round and threaten US, we can not fail to perceive,
If we are disposed to perceive; are not grateful
praise and heartfelt thanksgiving due? And
ought we not, people, and as individuals,
given0t only private but public utterance to
thankful sense of His unmerited and continued
goOdnessz In the extraordinary abundance ofthe
late harvest. and its safe ingatherng and the rich
returns 10 our husbandmen in all the fruits Of the
earth, have we not eminent cause for thankful
ness, and shall we not give public expression to
our thankfulness for these great mercies of Gods
beneicent Proyidence2 Is not the general prev
alence of health, and the withholding of the
scourges of famine and pestence, which might
have been and often are added to the scourge of
war, and follow in its train, grounds of thankful
ness? Are notour lives preserved, and our usual
comforts and enjoyments continued to US, and
ought we not TO be thankful for these blessings?
Have we not shelter, "food and rament, and
Herewith shall we not be content" and thankful?
Ii is true. We are stlil involved ia war. war
OF the worst sort and to be eminently deprecated;
an internecine conflict. But to US il is compare
lively remote as yet, and probably will so contin-
ue We do not feel its direst effects; our cities
and villages our homes and our fields are not in
vaded and devasted by ruthless foes; we sit,
each one under hisown vine and fig tree, with
none to make US afraid;" with none to modest or
disturb; and ought we not to be thankful for
this?
Cur condition a nation. it is not to be con-
cealed, III not alarming, is distressing. One year
ago. out common country, throughout its length
and breadth was in high prosperity; peace and
Righteousness were in all our borders; and in tue
minds of most PERSONS there were no apprehen-
siOns of disastrous change; certainly not of
such a change as has come upon With
form of government calculated to promote and
conserve the national welfare and in its practical
working proved to be emnently so promotive and
conserving; with wholesome laws imposing on
the body polite only wholesome restraints; with
a system of administration which secured equal
rights to every citizen of the Republic, ample
protection of life and property and personal indie
pendence, and as much freedom as is compatible
with individual and social happiness: with di-
veFsifed soil yielding in Its diversified products
rich return TO the cultivators with exhausfess min
boundless and remunerative commerce, internal
and external, and encircling the globe: with man.
ufacturers producing all the necessaries and COM
forts of life, and many of the luxuries and en-
bellishments: with educational institutions open
to all classes of society, and affording every IA
cilitv for intellectual cultivation: and wit'l moral
and religious advantages and privileges, unfet-
tered in their exercise, and universal in their diff
fusion; in a word, with all that was calculated to
make Us great and glorious nation, and perpet-
uate our national prosperity; this Republic prom
ised to realize more than the most sanguine hopes
and expectations o. its patriotic founders and to
become more and more a praise and glory on the
earth.
Suddenly, in the Southern horizon, cloud APP
peared, at first not larger than mans hand, but
of ominous aspect, which soon enlarged itself, as
sumed a portentous dimension, spread its dark
wings wider and wider, until it had darkened the
whole Southern domain, sweeping over it with
the fury of a tornado, and threatening the North,
East and West, with desolation. For many
months past ''grim vsaged war;" with its attend
ant calamties. its devastation of life and prop
erty, its paralyzing effects OH all industrious avo
cations and enterprises its general social disorder
and Generalization, has been upon US in all its
horrors. And all this, not from the aggression
of foreign foe. but from the insane acts of
portion of our own fellow citizens, instigated By
unprincipled and aspiring demagogues, who feel
ing the political power they had long possessed to
be waning, determined to set up Government
which they might continue to control, and the
power and emoluments of which they might en-
joy Thus was this unnatural war inaugurated,
and portion of our countrymen, without any
fair consultation of their sentiments, forced into
unprovoked rebellion against one of the midest,
most just and beneficent Governments on earth:
and without any fault of that Government in any
OF is laws or in their execution, towards the
origihators of this internecine conflict -.
IL all seems unreal, so sudden has been the
transitions, and from the absence of any just
prOvocation; and to a large majority of the
people Of these United States, so unex-
pected. Contendins armies are in tie field
in unprecedented numbers, in various pats of
recent peaceful and prosperous land. The
din of arms resonnd, and embattled hosts, in
which brother is armed against brother, striv
ing in every quarter. Battles in aggression and
in defense have been fought, and other similar
battles are in daily expectation. Blood has been
poured out ike water in several sanguinary con
ficts; thousands of precious lives have been sac
rihcei; devastation, rapine, and barbarous cru
city have. marked the steps Of the ggressive com
bstants; their Wanted chivalry has proved itself
20 be an arrogant pretense. compatible with mem
ness fraud. treachery. and deep malignity; peace
full citizens, who would not yield their patriotic
convictions to the dictatiou OF tyrancal dema-
gogues, have been driven from their homes and
fresiles, and their property conhscated or de-
strOyed; a reign of terfer has been inaugurated
and lawlessness and prescription have usurped
the restraints of constitutional law, and of social
order. We can scarcely realize change so dis
astrous in this once orderly and peaceful country
We ask. can it be2 Twelve months ago il was
barely within the bounds of possibility. Even
now, il seems like an horrid dream. sTei 81
But IL is sad reality, and every day proelaims
it to be So 1t has, however. stirred up patri
otto fever In the hearts of vast majority of the
American people, which has exhibited itself In