New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-28
Praises at Midnight.

SERMON BY REV. THEODORE l.. CCYIER, IN Ia
FAYRTTE-AyENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
BROOKLYN.
Txrr--ADd midnight Paul and silar sang praises unto
CO. Acts xvi, -.
THIS was certainly strange time and place TO
Keep Thanksgiving. For Roman dungeon wac
dismal den-dsrk, cold and miry-where the walls
aricked with pestilential slime and the chains rused
On the smbs Of the captives. The lest Of the i'm
pnsoued heroes are "fast in the ttocks.' Their
limbs are lsscerated with the cruel scourge "Whst
do tLose crazy fanatics mean by shouting praises to
fheir deity in such vile place this might have
been the question with many Of their fellow-pIls
pDeTs.
All Paul and Silas were wiser than their enc
Inies. IL was the very time TO sing. They bad a
Heavenly Father who giyeth songs IN the night.
They had the Joys Of Jesus IN their soul for this
1Ley were thankful. They were on their way TO
Heaven merely taking This miry dungeon in the
road. The cause for which they were fighting was
holy ono; the hour Of their deliverance was nigh
abe darkest hour being just before the day.
So Paul and sias Ia theiI prison
sing Of Christ the Lord arisen
Un;i an earthquakes arm Of might
Bresss their pT5on doors at night"
Ny Christian friends and countrymen 90 you
DOT detect at once tie parallel between the Christian
heroes at PDlppi filling the midnight with their
hymns Of high and holy trust, and beloved re-
TGbic in this midnight Of her uarlyrdom for liberty
hear these Outbursts OF thanksgiving to-day from ten
thousand temples and from ten thousand times ten
3housand loyal homes, they might inquire " what do
aho-e insane Americans meant Can they praise
Sod while the pillars OF their Government rock
5ng--while treason is leading half million Of men
81 the onslaught upon their capital while the land il
smoking with camp fires, and tie sOde still fresh
ale bloody graves Of hundred thousand Of their
heroic sons? Perhaps some dsheartened cavilier IN
sur mid may protest against day Of thanksgiving
and insist that had better betaae ourselves TO the
duet and sackcloth OF lamentaton. If there be such
inau In this house to-day, let me point out some Of
Sbe many reasons why we should be to-day thank
1ul TO God with gratitude peculiarly hearty and
cevOut.
Alr Cuyler then pointed out the following reasous
Tor especial Thanksgiving:
i. lhat we have suct land TO fight for, snch q
GoDstitution 20 rally around, aud such Almighty
am 70 oriug us through the darIness 10 the day
dawn.
H. For the health and unparalleled fruitfulness Of
she past year. Nhlle vast armies have been march
n9 On Missions Oh Gea'h the Joyous procession Of
eie scasODs have been marching TOO, on their
heaven.sent errands, Ger bill and vale with the
song 81 the reapers and the shouts of the harvesers
Oh every breeze.
Ill For the steady advance Of the National arra..
o. seen In the recovery Of Kentucky, Missouri, Ma
Fyahd, Western Virginia, Western Tennessee the :
Southern coasts, and nearly the whole line OF the
Sgh'y mississippi from the possession Of the con-
OPERATORS.
~ n iVuith BrOhDu lOi thankinineee IN that the !
PAL year OF trial. like P@ul's midngh. hour Of trial
~ Phlpris dungeon, has been Gods time for open
my prison doors aud for unloosng the chains ofthose
WHO were bound.
The District Of Columbia liberated .tiern VIZ. /
gina aud Missouri joining In chorus for freedom /
eho the Presidents evangel OF emancipation all /
semoine to make this the birth-ytsr Of Americas /
fude. WV
hf Cuyler then defended the proclamation IA
war measure, as an act Of lofty Christian justice,
sl source Of unt0d blessings 10 the Tree South Of
Vie future.
=, he closed lis long and eloquent discourse bv say
~ ror one 1 never yet have despared Of The /
"'PhDhc ibe midnight was uoeded " lin the eye