Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-08-15

shown the harmony of outy IN oOtn feiauOus
Aud lastly. have briefly traced through the his
tory Of nations the fearful consequences Of
iering to Oeasar the things which belong to
God" will now for few moments call your
attention 10 our own beloved country,
AMERICA.
bat before dwelling on Gods providentisl care
aud our special obligation, permit mo to ask
ono question. calculated to awaken tho spirit
Of vigilance and prayer 10 every patriotic heart;
ls Republican America in no. .dangerS Is our
nation blessed with the assurance OF immortalI'
wv Have we laid the foundation Of civil gov
ernment 80 deep and strong that it will endure
nll the revolutions Of liner Let passing events
teach US wisdom aud admonish US of danger.
when have marked certain tendencies in our
own government and compared them with tie
causes which have revolutionized empires, |
vonIess to misgivings. When remember Gods
ancient people, bound together by the most
solemn aud sacred Of all compncts, and how in
an evil hour under bad administration they
were riven asunder tremble for my country
And when hear the language of proud boast
ful self confidence, would point to the wrecks
Of empires, as Gods beacon lights, warning Us
of dangerous reefs, where nations have dashed
and gone down to rise no more. Said the
haughty mon rch OF Assyria-"Is not this
great Babylon that have built for the house
of the kingdom, by the might Of my power and
for tho honor Of my majesty "But while the
words were in the Kings mouth Gods judg
men,s we're upon him" ale that glorifeth,
let him glory 10 the Lord" But our oratious
aud speeches-the lectures and addresses of our
iyceums--the appeals of agencies and even SER
mons on public days, are most eloquent in the
glor6caton Of America-her Statesmen and
heroes--her institutions aud enterprise--her
progress and exalted destiny. also see other
dangerous elemeEts--a growing arstocracy-
money consequence, the dolatry Of Office,
ambition for civil power, bribery and gross cor.
ruption in our elections, contempt for authori-
~ and the spirit of outlawary and violence
With all the examples of national apostasy be-
fore us, such tendencies may we'll awaken anxi.
city for our country. 1t has been said "a ma
tion may loose its liberty in day and not know
It,. Eternal vigilance is the price Of liberty.
THANKSGIVING. ttst
ODe thing which We should reuder unto God,
have reserved until DOW, that our closing
words may more fully accord with the design
OF the day VIC observe-!1x ne should render
INTO God most devout thanksgiving and praise
for His providential care over u.s. from the
birthday Of our national life, until the present
cveptful hour No nation was ever under
higher obligations. will pass over the histo-
~ Of those noble men-our Pilgrim Fathers
who forsook the land of their birth, crossed the
broad ocean, and sought home where they
might plant the Tree of civil aud religious Lib.
erty.
And | will also pass over the period of the
American Revolution, when our patriotic
fathers contended seven long years wit b ore OF
the most powerful nations ou earth, for the en-
joymont of that liberty. Nor will dwell up.
on the Intervening prosperity Of our country,
from the close of the revolution down to eisb-
teen hundred and sixty, during which period,
under the fostering care of God, the nation has
enlarged ts borders aud expanded its power
and reso ources until it now coz mands the res
pect and admiration OF the civilized world.
But will dwell few moments upon our
sore national calamities and speak OF divine
goodness manifested through dspcusation of
judgments. Our fathers gave US one of the
best forms Of civil government that ever saw
the sun. But it was not perfect government
There were in 1t elements of discord, internal
fires, which, unoer existing circumstances, they
knew not how to quench; but which were sure
to produce an eruption, iu the progress of an
enlightened christian civilization. That erup.
tiou has broken out n our day. aud however
violent the conflict between freedom and op-
preston, under he guidirg hand OF God it is
sure to cveniuate in purifying our national
government and introducing that higher order
OF christian progressive civilization.
First: 1t would seem to be part OF God
method of puri6cation to strip us Of our su,
preme confidence in an arm OF flesh ard teach
US the great lesson of diviue Providence
Hence, the traitors who infested our natl Jna
capitol aad nourisbed their treason at the pub
lie expense began to execute their conspiracy
against the government, by scattering ouI
army aud navy and munitions of war, in order
to reuder US helpless aud harmless in the hou,
ofgreatest peril. With three hundred men, to
guard the capitol, at one time, who did not fee
that our help must come from God. But oul
enemies were smiiten with blindness and saw
not this FIRST and best opportunity for sezin.
the reins Of government.
Second: And again God intends to teach u
The great lesson of national Justice. Had vic
tory crowned our arms at each successive bat
tie, until the backbone of this rebellion va
broken, the Proclamation of Liber would no
bave rang 10 the ear of the nation u the y a
1867 We might have capped the orator {
this volcano by couquoring an unwilling pc ace
while the importunate cry of Gods poor sti
ascended to heaven. until the internal fires {
this burning sin break out again With more m,