Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-15
! PUEPIF ON FHE IHAEKaGIVIEG.
GLAD EoP LIE.
sERAfON PT THE REV. ). A. THoNE DETROIT
sTRERT CnNaRrn Arrn,r ~ c-rrrrpcrr =

- me Lord hath done great thin ssyoT as 1heT eof
ire are glady Turn again our captivity, o Lord,
IS tue streams in the South.
"Thsy that SOW IN tears shall reap in joy. He
that gOeth forth and weepeths bearing precious
seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaVes with him"
This i an inspired Thanksgiving ode;
il is an anthem of gladness; it is q Psalm
of Praise. Through it there runs, dances,
bounds, godly elstion. There is an over
flowing outbursting; irrepressible spirit in
it, that laughs, sings, glories, shouts, re-.
joices every way. Ali the elements of
radiant joy and resonant graduation are
embodied In this wondrous little ode. II
is an slabaster vase full of precious oint-
ment, very precious, and ready to be bro
ken and outpoured on any crest occasion
Of glsdness. We break it to-day and pour
its perfume on the feet OF Christ, in testi-
mOny of our gratitude, and the nations
love unto the Lord, the God of its saliva
ton
Note the outhowiDg contents.
Deliversnce from grieEous captivity /;
the sense of liberation, and Of restoration
gradually realized, first a pleasing dream,
then 3 vivid Joy, that could not be con-
tanned, breaking forth in laughter, swelling
out in song. These demonstrations attract
attention; the hesthen, their late persecu-
tors, oppressors and despisers, begin to be
astonished they are forced to say, "The
| Lord hath done great things for them"
Thev, eUG,u the heather, see the hand of the
Lord in so gTest deliverance; they see 8
reason for their joy; and they quake for
themselves, for they have no Lord who is
/ able to do great things for them.
Then the proud response, proud st once
and pious, proud hesthen- ward, pious Lord
ward; "7he Lord, yes the Lord oar God
hath done great things for UsP The
recognition Of the high source of their
blessings enhancing vastly their joys.
whereof we are glad :" glad that the
Lord hath done these great things, glad
that we are the recipients of his
favors, glad for the great things
Then most becoming thoughtfulness, 8
sober element, imparting substance to the
gladness, prayer for fuller deliverance,
Completing the liberation from hated cap
| tivitv, completing the restoration to for
titled privileges; "Turn again our csptivi-
ty, o Lo.d as the streams in the South"
| Then comes reflection, bringing the full
assurance that always divine benefits, in
redundant hsrvests, shall follow diligent
/
tears of sadness and supplcation. "They
that SOW in tears shall resp in joy" This
sweet evangel is repeated, in msgnified
form, well betting Its rich import: "He
that goeth forth and reapeth, bearing pre-
cious seed, shRll doubtless come again with
rejoicing, bringing, &c"
Ny friends, this is the psalm Rssuredly
for us to-day; though it be not one of the
prescribed lessons for Good Friday.
This is the day of our National gladness.
Our captivity has been turned our esptivi-
ties. may say; for the rebellion hss been
s captivity, the war has been captivity,
slavery has been q captivity, to the nation
as well as to the negro, and the dread of
Just and svenging God hss been 8 csptivi-
ty; and the two last csptivities have been
upon the nation for more than seventy
years, the term Of the long Jewish csptiV-
ity. This is the day of our Liberation from
all these bondages; this is the day of our
Freedom. Friday Good Friday Friday,
the black day in the calendar of supersti-
ton, is frightened forevermore in this year
of grace 1865. Good Friday, the solemn
dAy in the calendar Of churchmen, devoted
to Fasting and sadness, isnow Better Fri
day, consecrsted to Festivities, Thsnksgiv-
ings and jubilsnt Glsdness. The events of
this auspicious day teach us, what SO
many happy events during the Christian
Era have taught or should have taught
the People of God, who have been too slow
in learning, that the crucifxion of the Son
of God, the transaction of all in the past
most fruitful of blessings 70 the world, is
not to be commemorate with mourning
,r,A- So a
Praise. HDsy of all the week the best" of
all the year the best, for this special Thanks
giving, and for the memorable transaction
occurring in Charleston Bay; because it
associates these national events with the
causative event of the crucihxion, and
blends the Flag of the Republic with the
Banner of the Gross, which is henceforth
10 be the recognized Union, pledge of
Union among the People.
Things sundry and most signal converge
to give importance to this day, and to
swell the tide of our common gladness.
The fall of Richmond, the naughty Baby
lon of the Rebellion; the surrender OF
Lee the rebel chief, and his army, the
fight of Davis, and the dispersion OF the
heads of the Confederate Government, now
q miscreant monster of the psst,-these late
achievements, with their sure and speedy
sequel, the cessation of hostilities, usher
ing in wished-for peace, and restoring
Union, and ending slavery, quicken the
peoples pulse, and cause the public heart
to throb with grateful Joy. The high in
spirstion thus produced, heightened By the
splendid military successes of General
Grant and other great commanders, which
culminste in this sublime triumph, and in
tensifed by the fortunate escape from
final ssnguinsry battle, which has been ap-
pretended, would demand a general
thanksgiving. But there is a particular
act, of national import, now transpiring,
which especially sets apart this day to ser
vices Of religious praise, and scenes of So
cisl glsdness. The nation, through its
highest functionsriess is doing just now
deed which with its simplicity combines q
sublimity that makes it illustrious, deed
in which every loyal heat exults, and
which every pious heart regards with
devout pleasure and renewed confidence
in the future of the Republic. Yes,
the nation is st this moment doing his
toric deed which coming generations shall
admire to the end of time; momeltous
deed on which the eyes of ehristendom arc
intently fixed. Within sight of the proud,
but now PROSTATE city Of Charleston, the
Queen OF Secession, sitting in sackcloth and
ashes, the Republic is planting the starry
ensign, radiant with victory, on the heights
Of Fort Sumter, whence it was first lowered
in dishonor by the obscene hands of trait
ors. A vast concourse of patriots, a great
cloud of witnesses, compass and crown
those SCARED bsttlements, animated with q
mighty enthusiasm. In that bay, where
was the outbreak Of the horrid rebellion,
whose forts and batteries opened upon the |
steamer Star Of the West freighted with |
stores for the belesguered band in the only |
loyal fortress, and soon reduced that strong.
hold-in the same bay lies this day feet OF |
steamers thronged with citizens of the |
North; and Msior General Robert Ander-