Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-11-28

eraI health Of the country. Our armies have
been preserved from the visitation Of the
pestilence, even in those localities which in
former years have been the scene Of its most
frightful devaststiOn. Allusion was then
made to the measure Of peace enjoyed at
home and abroad. The designs of the enc
my and of his emissaries against the peace Of
the loyal States, have been signally foiled.
The enemy, sorely ohastised and humbled,
has been driven back to his former haunts
amid desolation, attributable to his own
wicked temerity in bringing upon the coun-
try a causeisss war. While the Christening
/ hand of God mas been upon Us, and the
strength and resources Of the country have
| been all needed TO cope with and qusll
mighty domestic rebellion, foreign nations,
whose governments are based upon princi
plies anita gonistic to those on which our free
Institutions rest, ard who, in other years,
have looked with envy and Jealousy upon
our growing strength and greatness have
been sorely tempted, from motives Of policy
and interest, TO break peace with rs and take
part with our enemy but God, in whose
hands are the hearts Of all kings and rulers
Of the earth, has by his secret yet powerful
restraint, prevented them from doing Us
| fatal Injury during the year, while the pros
pect of continued eace abroad and just deal
| ing are full of good promise for the future
| Another incentive to gratitude is furnished
by the fact that the efforts of the govern
ment towards the suppression Of rebellion
have been greatly prosPered during the year.
/ Victory has crowned our arms. The people
Of the loyal States have largely and Eealous-
/ Iy come forward to aid, in every way, in up
holding the Government. Our mothers,
wives, daughters, and sisters, have done their
part nobly. There is growing sentiment Of
liberty and union in the border loyal slave
States, and in many sections of the States in
/ rebellion. And should the issue of this
great struggle prove as it now promises, the
means Of giving dsliverance to the captive
/ and liberty to those in bonds, it will form
one Of the most signal and shining examples
of the retributive Providence of the Almigh-
ty, placed upon record in the annals of the
aOrld. While the national defence has so
greatly taxed the strength and wealth Of the
country, the industrial and commercial en-
tsrprise Of the country has been remarkably
/ prospsred while amid the frightful wastes
Of war, our population has steadily in
creased.
mo human counsel hath devised" such is
the fitting language Of the Presidents Prcc-
lAmatiOu. "NO human counsel hath devised,
nor hath any mortal hand worked out these
great things. They are the gracious gifts Of
the Most High q cd, who, while dealing with
US in anger for our sins, has, nevertheless,
remembered mercy" The President ADDS,
at has seemed to me ft and proper that they
should be solemnly, reverently and CRATE
iully acknowledged by the whole American
people," "But let rs come with offerings in
hand, as we'll as in heart" Such is the
recommendation of our venerable and truly
patriotic bishop, in his "pastOral letter"
And now, dear brethren, let Us unite with
our sister churches of the city, in presenting
our iree-Will offerings in aid Of the cause of
our struggling country. While to-day our
soldiers are facing the enemy and Offering
their lives a sacrifice upon our eountry'S
altar, II is but seemly and proper that We
should give freely and largely of that which
We have received from the Lords hand dur
ing the year.
A liberal collection vas taken up for the
benefit of the Freedman's Aid Commission.
CoEGREGATIoEAD CHURCH-wEsT SIDE.
A large congregation attended at this
church, and a sermon. of which We sp-
pend an abstract, was preached by the pas
Tor, the Rev. jas. A. ThOme, on the follow
ing subject:
TIE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND THE NATIONAL
ITT THEY ARE ACHIEVING.
Eek, xzxvii: D. ''Aud will make them one
Nation in the land upon The mountains Of Isrseli
and one King shall be King to them ali aud
they snail be no more two nations, neither hall
they be divided into two kingdoms any more
at all . Read the context from 10th TO 25th
verse
There are signal points Of resemblance be-
tween that ancient and peculiar people, the
Jews, and the American people. SinguIarIy
alike in godly origin, in painful exodus
from land of oppression, 10 early conflicts
with savage sborIgines, they wero alike also
10 their national structure. The Jews were
divided into twelve practically thirtsen)
tribes; the Americans into thirteen States
each composed nevertheless . nominal ma
ii mai unity, each was E Pluribus Unum.-
| The Jews had their tribal distinctions guard
cd by separate territorial portions the
Americans have ever maintained their State
distinctions in the same manner. The jew
| ish people, though nOminally one, were not
really go. Their unity was prOspective-A
| picture Of prophecy. The Ameno4n people
have never been one, save in name they
have been two in spirit, in institutions an
tagonistic, in ideas wide apart, 10 interests
variEnt. The jsslOusiss between the Hebrew
tribes took root with their origin so did the
sectional jsalOusies among the Americans
| The occasion in the former case was the
/ grAQIlug TO tue mouse OF ObcpQ QOuOl6 IN
terest in the land, and double privileges and
poveTs In the Commonwealth; these grants
being made, after his demise, TO his two sons,
Ephraim and Manssseh, each having q full
tribal position and portion, making thirteen
| tribes. This favoritism wrought its evil
fruits on one side dOmineertng spirit, on
| the other-resistance. The powerful tribe
of Judah, and the naughty tribes of Ephrsim
/ we're rivals. They were never recOnoiled,
though they and the other tribes remained
nOmiusIly together through the rights of
! Saul, David and Solomon. On the death of
the last named king the long brewing Tup-
/ ture took place, and the ten tribes, headed by
| Ephraim, seeded from the house of David.
This is strikingly correspondent with the
story Of our own State jealousies, and the
final rupture. From the text we learn that it
was the Lords declared purpose to bring the
two kingdoms of the Jews together, and to
unite tho two nations in one. al will make
them one nation" take this pertinent pre-
diction as foreshsdOWing the future of the
American people, as the jewish history fore
| shadows their past and present. Our subjeo
| is, " TIE AHKRICAs PEOPLE AND TAKIR Ma
TloNALITY"
people is one thing Nation in an
other. There may be people without na-
ton, as in Mexico; there may be nation
/ without a people, as in Austria and China.
By nation, mean a country with Gov
ernment, organized stable. By people,
mean q community of men standing on thsir
own personal rights. Between these terms,
| People and Nation, there are certain fixed
and vital relations.
If there is at this time people upon the
earth, the Americans are that people. Have
they Nation? We have long dreamed We
hGd ore. More Istely We have had serious
misgivings on this point; now Wo begin to
entertain the hope that we shall have a ma
tiOnality. Said an English statesman,
"AmsIica is a nation in the gristls." He
| might have gaid worse thing more trnly-