New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-12-08
The Rev. j. II. w. sieanc's sermos.

At the Third Reformed Presbyterian Church,
Twenty. third.st. the Rev. j. r. ". Sloane adopted
this text: 20 give thanks unto the Lord. for he Is
good for his mercy endureth forever" Psalm %. J.
The circumstances connected with present annual
Thanksgiving said the reverend gentleman are
greatly altered from those Of the four years
Then the dark cloud Of civil overhupg our counry
jehovah was marching through the land In his anger;
the psalm OF thanksgiving mingled with The "brsying
discord" OF arms and the confused noise" Of battle
The storm has passed. the last mutterng hundes have
died away. the bow appears in the clouds The sunlight
OF peace IL bright all the recently darkened
land. the sword s being beaten into the plow-
share and The spear into the pruning hook We hear no
more "tke sound Of the trumpet. the alarm OF war.
As Reformed Prcsbyterian the fr!eDds Of civil
and religions liberty and the incorporating foes Of
Slavery in all its forms We found cause Of thanks
giving even In the terrible visitation OF war Not on
its own account; not because delighted In blood.
God is witness that we do not desire the woful
day." In with others we felt its burdens; We.
too, mourned our dead; the sorrows OF the nation
were our sorrows; bat because OF tho result Tint We
foresaw flow from this calamity in itself 30 dark
and terrible we have reason 70 rejoice that our udg
ment has been justified by the events; that out OF
and from this strong one honey. ar Is IN the Ian
guage OF Robert Hau :" the garment OF vengeance In
which the Deity arrays himself when be comes forth TO
punish the inhabitants Of tho earth" 1T Is the day
Of the Lord cruel both with wrath and fierce anger.
Athis has been realized In great struggles 1t has
cost us many millions Of money hundreds OF thousands
Of evils which is its inevitable accompaniment We
cannot be sufficiently thankful that the ordeal Is passed.
that the Temple OF Janus closed, and that We can
now apply ourselves 10 the cultivation OF the arts OF
peace and to healing the wounds which the strife has
made. The great blessing that has flowed TO
us from the late conflict Is the destruction Of Slavery
was only desired that the Union should be preserved
and the Government saved. that IL might be the
defender Of liberty. The war hes been worth all that
it cost the nations the sacrifice had been great but the
benefit greater How great cause OF thaukfulness
We have In the destruction OF this wickcdness those
only can realize who have formed true conception Of
the system and Of its far.reaching and destructive
influence.
The war has taught the nation lesson which 1t
slow TO learn but taught II efectualy The system Is
among the things Of the past and although its effects
may remain for many years. AS the waves will
continue to dash upon the shore long after the
storm is down. tho institution has died Of the
deadly wound that martyred President gave IL In
the Emancipation Proclamation. and will be- AS We
trust by the present Congress- buried ont OF sight and
have its grave sealed forever
We have space TO give any further report Of tho
sermon which closed with appeal for our crippled
and disabled soldiers and their wives mothers and
children aud the suffering poor throughout the city.