Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-12-08

s. i
ened the bars ofthy gates
The text suggests a grateful remem-
brance anu Acknowledgements of blessings.
received. To enumerate fully ard sdes-
erIbe adequately the varied individual. I
family. and public blessings which to- day
press Upon us the duty ofthanksgivine TO I
God, would require better eluuuerce and (
more tirAe than can command. Il eau
only suggest some of them. Though,ma-
ny OF our homes have been 8 d tened bythe
TALL OF brothers, sons and fathers upon the
Dattieheld, we have cause of grat;tu lie that
heaith has-so genearaliy prevailed. Not. !
withstand ng the heavy draft upon the |
active men OF the nation, all the operations |
OF business have gone forward without in |
terE1ptio0- and-aEIth- than usual sue~-
cess. No financial s'orm has swept over
the lAnd to add TO our calamities. There
was q time since the conflict began when
our enemies with considerable plRusibili
ty. threatened to bring the desolatiuns of
war to the prairies aud homes of our fair
State, but by the restraining hand Of
Providence, they have been kept afar.-
We have eason TO be grateful, too, for the
bravery of our soldiers. They have earn
ed for U.s. an inheritance of glory that shall
never fade, and given evidence af a man.
hope for the future But more than for
all things else should we praiseGod for the
pc: pe'uity of our National government
That Government, preserved by Divine
PrOyi3ence, anil the storm Of revolution
sweeping around us is Of unspe akable value
to US, and 30 humaity. | cannot see how
the friends of education throughout the
world, can do otherwise than feel the deeps
est interest in a government which affords
better facilities tina any other; the world
has known for the diffusion OF intelligence
and education among all classes Of society
Tor the elevation of the masses of hu
manitv. Surely all The dissenting chris
tians of Britain and Europe must feel in
tanse interest In the success and prosper.
ity OF the only nation under heaven where
perfect religious freedom is enjoyed, where
none OF OF the emblrassme lts IF a State
| church,an established form Of Religion,
are felt. The friends of human freedom
everywhere must take the deenest interest
in our present struggle, and desire our
success for our defeat and overthrow would
be ruinous to the cause If hu man liber-
| ty. And this government, which is of
| such unreasonable value to humanity
! has boeu for some time past exposed to
fearful perils. / think that is lust sen.
timent, which prompts theman just recoy.
ering from severe aad dangerous illness,
when he feels the first pulses of returning
health beginning to beat feebly in his
veins-to think m re than he has been
wont do of mis- obligations of gratitude to
the merciful Providence, whIch is lifting
him up again to active life. And SO
think our national perils from which we
are emerging ought to awaken and .inten-
sify our gratitude. The more / study
the subject, the more learn. the fearful
dangers which beset the nation at the
commencement of this bloody strife, and
see how long and careful had been the
preparations of the traitors through MANY
years past. how they had so disarmed the
nation. that Northern s0ldies went forth
at the call of the President without arms.
to meet rebel armies fully equipped-kow
the leayen oftreason had been spread tn ro'
all departments Of. the government-the
more learn of these things the more
wonder at cur rescue and the more re-
cognize in it the hand IF God. I do not
wonder that the rebel leaders soon after
the fall Of Sumter, talked bnastingly of
floating their fig over our Capitol. They
seemed to have it in their power to do so.
We have ample ciuse of Thanksgiving in
the stability of the public credit. notwith-
standing the great strain to which il has
been subjected. There are those who have
gwen US predictions Of coming ruin and
bankruptcy. These men remind me of a
class Of rel gionists with whom my eari-
est recollections Of Joliet are associated
! They applied their arithmetic TO the word
| of God, and rot having very deep insight
! infn the hisine counsel. they adouted
wrong premises. But f.sra tIasa tbev
reasoned very strongly, to the conclusion
that this worl1 would GENE to an ED on
given day, which they named. They pre-
pared their ascension robes and and wal
| ted. TIE day came, but the end of the
world did not They seemed much dis
| appointed that the Almighty Ruler of
! earth did not come TO their time, and
bring the history Of the worli to a conclu-
! sion in agreement with their figures. But
they assured US .hat they had only made
slight mistake in the reckoning, and n
little distance in the fCtnre, the great
event was sure to come The day of DOOM
| came again. And the sun shone us bright
ly as ever--iooke calmly down from the
sky aud seemed to smile ut their weak,
ness; and the world rlled on. 81 with
these political prophets They have res
peatedly pointed US TO the time a little
way in the future when the nation would
be hOpelessly enGulphed in bankruptcy
and ruin. But the national credit still
| stands, and With the blessings of Heaven
will stand. When the war is ended the
mines Of Colorado and California alone
will sweep away the public debt large as
il Is in few years. Oar skv is constant.
ly Frightening. You have seen the sky
in summer time when DIRK thick Clouds
lay along the horizon and seemed to be
piled one upon another in layers or strata.
As you have looked, some m vsterious ours
rent of who'd which you did not UNDER
stand, has rolled away one layer, and then
another,,nll nothing remained but the
bright clear sky. So it has been with
the history IF this war. Every victory of
our arms has rolled away LAYER of clouds
The news OF this Inurning has lifted away
still another cloud; and we may already
see the clear sky here and there through
the remaining veil. When the philoso-
pher Calico was Imprisoned by the bigot.
~ Of the Romish priesthoc }. and when
the air Of the cold damp duIgeon had de-
pressed his spirit, because it was the only
chance to look again upon those heavens
he had studied so long, be signed recan
tation OF his philosophIc doctrine
But when they led him out, and he
breathed the free air once more, and look.
ed again upon the broad blue sky. he
stamped his foot and said: cit does move
though" And whatever men may say
ho~e,er they may point to occasional
disaster and temporary defeat, still say
OF our country's cause-n does, more
though. And it shall move on. until the
fhaI t'iumpb comes, and the national au-
thori'yis restored and abiding pelce Sc
cured.
Our sdljfot suggests the inquiry how may
we give fit expression Of our gratitude TO
God for IBIS goodness. Our songs Of praise
should aseeni.te Him. We may praise |
Him too by Div 6 of piety--by the earnest